Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz got 11 minutes of airtime to talk about his possible third-party presidential candidacy. It just so happens that Schultz is considered a threat to Democrats in 2020.
Schultz has not even declared his presidency yet and his vague answers at the SXSW conference last weekend did nothing to burnish his image as a serious contender.
However, he did knock the Democrats, which might be the most important qualification for the gravitas he received. Schultz is a fan of Joe Biden, whom he said he knows well, and said “It would be great” if Biden runs for president. Then Schultz added, “I think the question will be whether or not the far-left leaning Democratic platform provides any room for Vice President Biden given the socialistic views that are being currently talked about."
Schultz complained that “the system is broken” and that Trump “needs to be removed from office because of his character, his lack of civility, lack of respect." But Schultz supports neither impeachment nor the Democrats. “If a Democrat should win the White House in 2020, take me out of the equation,” he said. He suggested he’d put an end to “revenge politics” that, he claimed “is emblematic of both parties at the extremes not willing to work together.”
To his credit, host Neil Cavuto challenged Scnultz, asking. "What makes you think that either branch would work with you?"
Schultz claimed that if a centrist is elected, it “can send a powerful signal” that could "restore honor and dignity and morality back.” He claimed his message would be, “I'm going to bring both parties together.
But as Cavuto pointed out, “A lot of Democrats are angry at you, saying that you're going to spoil a win for the Democrats.” He added, “Even some of your fans who love your coffee at Starbucks are saying that they would protest and not go to Starbucks if you were to run."
Schultz called that "a false narrative." He also claimed he has a good chance of winning Texas’ Electoral College votes.
Yet Schultz has clearly not thought out his platform. He said he supports higher taxes on the wealthy but couldn’t say how much higher. “In the next few months,” he said he’ll present his agenda.
Watch it below, from the March 13, 2019 Your World with Neil Cavuto.