Bloomberg makes debate stage, facing Dem rivals for 1st time

Billionaire Mike Bloomberg has qualified for the upcoming Democratic presidential debate, marking the first time he'll stand alongside the rivals he has so far avoided by bypassing the early voting states and using his personal fortune to define himself through television ads.

A new NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll published on Tuesday shows Bloomberg with 19 per cent support nationally in the Democratic nominating contest.

The former New York City mayor, who launched his presidential campaign in November, will appear in Wednesday's debate in Las Vegas alongside former Vice President Joe Biden, Sens. Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar and former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg. Fellow billionaire and philanthropist Tom Steyer is still hoping to qualify.

Bloomberg's campaign said that it was seeing a groundswell of support across the country and that qualifying for Wednesday's debate is the latest sign that Mike's plan and ability to defeat Donald Trump is resonating with more Americans."
He encounters the occasional protester, including one who jumped on stage recently in Chattanooga, Tennessee, yelling, This is not democracy. This is a plutocracy! But his friendly crowds usually quickly overwhelm the protesters with chants of We like Mike!