His problem is that he acted above it all, as if he were the front runner/had already won the primary. As the insurgent candidate, he needed to smack the other candidates down, like Trump did. The media painted Trump as declasse, for throwing mud at his opponents. But that’s exactly what Trump needed to do. You have to make voters choose, and attacks on your primary opponents are one way to make yourself look better at his expense. I think he thought he’d re-run his New York mayoral campaign. The difference here is that he entered far too late. Without those negative attacks on the front runners, he can’t overcome the momentum the early entrants have built up.
If Bloomberg had thrown mud at other Dems he would have been labeled as being another Trump. Rich NY billionaire, former GOP, etc. He’s trying to be the anti-Trump: A businessman without the baggage as Dems see it.
You’re right.
He gave no compelling reason to vote for him.
And now the whole world knows about all of his racist comments :)