With Joe Biden's 2020 aspirations melting like a Nazi who just opened the Ark, moderate Democrats who won't vote for a socialist or are perhaps uncomfortable with 'non-binary' cabinet appointees are left with two choices; Pete Buttigieg or Michael Bloomberg.

And based on the most recent odds from PredictIt, it looks like the former New York mayor may have to dust off his standing box for a showdown with President Trump.

Friends, nominations, and other things money can buy

How did Bloomberg, with his cardboard charisma and 'Mr. Burns' mannerisms, stage such a sudden and meteoric rise in the polls? Aside from Biden's implosion leaving a giant moderate vacuum on the left, Bloomberg has been aggressively showering anyone within arm's reach with buckets and buckets of money - so much that President Trump warned there would be revolution in the Democrat party if Bloomberg won the nomination.

"If a guy came in and bought the election, if he bought the Democratic nomination, I really think that you’d have a revolution within the Democrat party," Trump told Giraldo Rivera on Thursday.

Explaining how Bloomberg is "using his fortune to fundamentally alter & manipulate U.S. politics to his personal advantage extends way beyond ads" is journalist Blake Zeff, who has "worked against" Bloomberg, "covered him as a journalist & worked with his top aides."

Here's the playbook:

But come on, it’s not like he can do that in *this* campaign. Sure he’s compiling a ton of random endorsements nationwide despite merely being a former mayor. But that’s because they loved his soda ban. Or his speaking style. Or...👇 3/17 https://t.co/vupRr0uMqp pic.twitter.com/ZSDzho8YD6 — Blake Zeff (@blakezeff) February 13, 2020

You may also see “community groups” back Mike's candidacy. As mayor, non-profits supported him when he reversed a voter referendum on term limits & made a backroom deal to help himself get a 3rd term. How’d that happen, you ask? He applied himself.👇 5/17 https://t.co/oISYWjWap4 — Blake Zeff (@blakezeff) February 13, 2020

Forget endorsements: This campaign has grassroots support! Mike held events in various states recently & got huge crowds. They were clearly inspired by that “Mike Will Get It Done” energy. But *this* probably didn’t hurt, either...👇 7/17 pic.twitter.com/CzWXR4MMVR — Blake Zeff (@blakezeff) February 13, 2020

Mike's wealth even affects his rivals’ fundraising. Using his relationships with other rich donors, he’s personally asking them to sit the election out, so his rivals can't raise cash. Because having $61b to spend, versus $20mil for the other Dems, is too close for comfort 9/17 pic.twitter.com/7Nrl8lTmBY — Blake Zeff (@blakezeff) February 13, 2020

OK, let’s discuss the non-stop ads. Saturating the airwaves gives you the huge advantage of never needing media coverage - which means rarely having to submit to interviews or scrutiny. If they want, they can make sure this👇 never happens again 11/17 https://t.co/7iwvPbrCNc — Blake Zeff (@blakezeff) February 13, 2020

The issue’s not just that Mike’s ads help him “get his story out more.” It’s that they enable him to *craft* whatever story he wants, blast it to every voter 1000 times, & bypass the media. And if the story takes creative licenses, oh well. How will viewers ever find out? 13/17 — Blake Zeff (@blakezeff) February 13, 2020

For example, they know Mike has real vulnerabilities in the primary on issues & his GOP past. But they also know Dems hate Trump. So, that’s where the campaign turns all its focus. This achieves several things. First, makes him seem “above” the internal primary bickering. 15/17 — Blake Zeff (@blakezeff) February 13, 2020

3 months ago, polls found Mike Bloomberg “widely disliked” with the highest negatives in the race. Now he’s a top 3 contender for the Democratic nomination. One of the richest humans ever is trying to upend every part of the process. And this is just the stuff we know about. /END — Blake Zeff (@blakezeff) February 13, 2020

No wonder Trump has been on the offense against 'mini Mike.'