Would You Work For The Bloomberg Campaign?

Politico noted yesterday that the Bloomberg campaign is on a hiring spree. What reporter Sally Goldenberg didn't mention, however, is that there is no one out there left to hire but the dregs. All the vaguely competent political operatives-- plus scores of second, third and fourth tier operatives-- have already signed on to other campaigns-- presidential, senatorial, congressional, gubernatorial, etc. There's pretty much nothing left but the garbage. (By all means, do see the spoofy video-- that caused Bloomberg to fire the creator-- below.) As for the dregs Bloomberg is hiring...

Goldenberg wrote that Bloomberg is deploying his unlimited-budget-to-buy-the-election to go on a hiring spree and that he's hired more than 300 people so far to work on his campaign. If they're anything like Kyle Layman, Bloomberg's campaign is DOA. After all, there was a reason no one had scooped Layman and other available operatives up-- and it is primarily only the most mercenary and desperate operatives who would even work for Bloomberg. He's been hiring many people from failed campaigns. And another option Bloomberg has taken has been to hire people who know nothing about electoral politics.

His headquarters on Manhattan’s tony Upper East Side employs more than 200 people, including familiar faces from his days in City Hall. Former deputy mayors Kevin Sheekey and Patti Harris are his campaign manager and chair, respectively.

Among his recent hires is Jeff Glueck, CEO of Foursquare, a mobile app that allows users to virtually check into bars and restaurants. Glueck, who cut his teeth in Silicon Valley, will work as director of digital research & engagement, according to a release from Bloomberg’s team. Last week he announced his departure from the company on Twitter, teasing his next role as being “at the intersection of my passions for tech and politics.”

He will work alongside Gary Briggs, the Facebook executive who was named Bloomberg’s chief marketing officer.

The former mayor, who has a long record of funding Republicans as well as Democrats, has already spent more than $100 million on ads for his campaign.




And he’s got the cash to outspend his opponents many times over. When he entered the race on Nov. 24, Forbes calculated his wealth to be $54.1 billion. As of Thursday evening it had climbed to a cool $55.6 billion.

Team Bloomberg is also picking off the carcasses of fallen Democratic candidates as he bulks up his team.

He is naming Cassandra Henry, who worked as chief of staff to the deputy campaign manager of Beto O’Rourke’s failed presidential campaign, as his deputy states director.

And days before Sen. Kamala Harris dropped out of the race, Bloomberg picked up her staffer Kelly Mehlenbacher, who handled operations for Harris' embattled bid. Mehlenbacher worked on Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign and is Bloomberg’s deputy chief operating officer.

Other new hires include former aides to Hillary Clinton’s 2016 race -- Brynne Craig will be senior adviser, Carlos Sanchez is national political director and Jason Rodriguez was named deputy political director.

One top operative told me that people in her field don't have to believe in the candidate they work for but that it helps. "Bloomberg," she said, "is just a step too far. Look at what happened to Symone Sanders' credibility when she went from working for Bernie Sanders to working for... what do you call him? Status Quo Joe Biden? She's become a joke in the industry... Who wants to get tarred with the Bloomberg stench? No one with a proven track record who wants a long-term career... But who knows? Look at all those endorsements he's buying from mayors he's buying with his open checkbook." 


Another highly successful campaign operative added that "Not only is 'Little Michael' hiring laid off staff and bottom of the barrel scum... he’s hiring folks who have recently been fired by B list 2020 campaigns. For example, he’s hired a California communications director (former DCCC stooge) who was recently fired from a congressional campaign in Texas. Operatives in Texas tell me this was due to his astounding incompetence, horrible work ethic, and insensitivity to the local community (something the DCCC prides itself on). I’m sure that will go quite well when this individual needs to help Mayor Michael secure support in culturally prideful areas (chock full of votes) such as East L.A., San Bernardino, and Riverside. Michael will learn not all endorsements from local elected officials have a dollar price tag..."