Democrats touted in Bloomberg ads

Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire former mayor of New York City who is considering a 2020 presidential campaign, took another step closer to that possibility Sunday with a $5 million national advertising effort that encourages voters to support Democrats in Tuesday’s midterm elections — and offers Bloomberg’s centrist politics as a counter to President Donald Trump.

Bloomberg’s 2-minute television ad, which features him speaking directly to the camera and standing before an American flag, was to first air Sunday during CBS’ 60 Minutes. It will air again today during the evening news programs on broadcast networks and on MSNBC and CNN.

Bloomberg, 76, portrays himself in the spot as a steady and seasoned Washington outsider who is appalled by Trump’s conduct and agenda and alarmed by political violence and Trump’s mounting attacks on the caravan of Central American migrants.

As soft piano notes play, Bloomberg criticizes the “shouting and hysterics” in Washington and the “pointed fingers” and “fearmongering” by Trump on immigration.

A grainy image of Trump flashes for a moment — a quick nod to the man he might challenge.

“Americans are neither naive nor heartless,” Bloomberg says. “We know that we can be a nation of immigrants while also securing our borders.”

Bloomberg’s top political advisers said he firmly believes there is enormous space in the political center and wants Democrats to court voters there and on the right whose ties to Trump could be fraying. That runs counter to the positioning of many of his potential competitors for a Democratic nomination, who have moved sharply left in recent years.

“When you have the president threatening to shoot migrants at the border, that doesn’t represent the center of the country or most of the GOP,” said Howard Wolfson, a Bloomberg strategist.