New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman wrote that he is "glad" that Michael Bloomberg Michael BloombergBloomberg rolls out M ad buy to boost Biden in Florida Democratic groups using Bloomberg money to launch M in Spanish language ads in Florida Bloomberg pays fines for 32,000 felons in Florida so they can vote MORE is considering a 2020 presidential campaign, saying that "billionaire" should not be a "disqualifying status" for liberal Democrats.

“I have no idea whether Michael Bloomberg can win the Democratic nomination, but I’m glad that he’s joining the race," Friedman wrote in a column entitled "Why I like Mike" before noting that the billionaire businessman had donated to his wife's museum. "(Disclosure: Bloomberg Philanthropies has contributed to Planet Word, the museum my wife is building in Washington, to promote reading and literacy.)”

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Friedman is married to Ann Friedman, daughter of late billionaire real estate tycoon Matthew Bucksbaum.

“Today ‘billionaire’ has become a dirty word and a disqualifying status for many in the left of the Democratic Party," Friedman continued. "To me, that is as nonsensical as dismissing Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth WarrenOvernight Defense: Appeals court revives House lawsuit against military funding for border wall | Dems push for limits on transferring military gear to police | Lawmakers ask for IG probe into Pentagon's use of COVID-19 funds On The Money: Half of states deplete funds for Trump's 0 unemployment expansion | EU appealing ruling in Apple tax case | House Democrats include more aid for airlines in coronavirus package Warren, Khanna request IG investigation into Pentagon's use of coronavirus funds MORE as a ‘communist’ who wants only to confiscate your money.”

“Bloomberg is not just some wealthy dude who made his money betting on derivatives on Wall Street and now pops off about the need to cut taxes," he added. "Bloomberg is someone who risked everything he had to start a business that took on giant incumbents and outperformed them and boosted productivity.”

“It was ‘billionaire’ Bloomberg who funded the most radical and progressive green agenda of this era,” Friedman also noted. “So I’m glad Bloomberg may enter the race, because he will forcefully put a Democratic pro-growth, pro-innovation, pro-business agenda on the table, while also pushing ahead on major social issues.”

Bloomberg, 77, has not officially declared his 2020 candidacy.

The former three-term mayor of New York City has filed the paperwork to get his name on the ballot in Alabama and Arkansas, moves suggesting he's moving toward a presidential bid after initially deciding against a White House run.

A Morning Consult/Politico poll released Tuesday shows Bloomberg leading President Trump Donald John TrumpFederal prosecutor speaks out, says Barr 'has brought shame' on Justice Dept. Former Pence aide: White House staffers discussed Trump refusing to leave office Progressive group buys domain name of Trump's No. 1 Supreme Court pick MORE by 6 percentage points in a hypothetical 2020 matchup.

Friedman's latest column was criticized by some on social media for not being transparent enough by not sharing that his wife, like Bloomberg, is also a billionaire.

Tom Friedman's love letter to Bloomberg is the perfect illustration of the brain rot of elites that @AnandWrites covers in his book, Winners Take All. Friedman tries to show Bloomberg as a champion of the people through his environmental philanthropy. https://t.co/tSwuZ7MA70 pic.twitter.com/iISoPHa5dJ — John Warner (@biblioracle) November 13, 2019

Thomas Friedman is using his sounding board to tell us not to be so hard on billionaires and give Bloomberg a chance — Shane Bauer (@shane_bauer) November 13, 2019

Tom Friedman is also a billionaire, so it's his version of solidarity. https://t.co/0snOXUT0Xr — Noah Berlatsky (@nberlat) November 13, 2019