Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Wednesday that the other candidates in the Democratic presidential race do not have the right credentials for the White House — including former Vice President Joe Biden.
"I don't think any of them have the experience," Bloomberg said in an exclusive interview with MSNBC's Stephanie Ruhle inside his childhood home in the Boston area.
Watch the full interview at 9 a.m. ET on Thursday on MSNBC.
When asked if that comment applied to Biden, who represented Delaware in the U.S. Senate for more than 35 years and served as vice president under Barack Obama, Bloomberg said: "He's never been the manager of an organization, he's never run a school system."
"The presidency shouldn't be a training job," Bloomberg added. "You need somebody who comes in and knows how to run an organization."
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Bloomberg, 77, regularly touts his record in business and public service, from co-founding the financial and media behemoth Bloomberg LP to serving as mayor of New York City for three consecutive terms.
In the interview, Bloomberg said that background, combined with what he described as an ability to cross the proverbial political aisle, would help him secure the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020.
Bloomberg demurred when asked who he believed would win the Democratic nomination if he falls short, saying he would "leave that to the prognosticators." He also suggested he would support the eventual nominee, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., despite the fact that he doesn't "agree with her on a lot of things."
The former mayor promised to fight for key progressive priorities, including action on climate change and gun control, should he capture the White House. He also vowed to stay off Twitter, criticizing President Donald Trump for his use of the platform.
"I'm not a Twitterer, I'm not a tweeter. I would not, as president, tweet," Bloomberg said, adding that he did not believe it was an "appropriate way to get to the public."
The interview took place as the House of Representatives debated two articles of impeachment against Trump. Bloomberg said he expected that the president would be impeached in the House and acquitted in the Republican-controlled Senate.
"If you look at the makeup of the Senate, it is very unlikely he'll get convicted," Bloomberg said. "What impact that has on his reelection, I worry about."
