DEMS/ELECTION/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Howard Schultz’s advisers have a message for the former Starbucks chief‘s critics: Schultz could be the fail-safe plan in the event Democrats nominate a far-left candidate in 2020. In the 24 hours since Schultz announced that he is considering running for president as an independent, he’s been besieged by Democrats fearful that a well-funded, third-party candidate would only siphon votes from the Democratic nominee, handing President Donald Trump a second term. Steve Schmidt, a former chief strategist to Republican John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign and a sharp Trump critic who is advising Schultz, told POLITICO on Monday [1-28-19] that it is possible Democrats will need Schultz to bail them out.”
–David Siders, Daniel Lippman and Daniel Strauss, “Howard Schultz’s camp says he can save Democrats from Trump,” Politico, January 28, 2019 6:37 pm