Our friends and former colleagues over at the Wall Street Journal editorial page, in the course of a characteristically sharp editorial ("A $900 Bottle of Hypocrisy") about the Democratic debate flap concerning Pete Buttigieg's wine cave fundraiser, refer to Michael Bloomberg. They say that he "is also running for the nomination and perhaps was watching at home while enjoying a $900 bottle."
Actually, one needn't speculate about what Mayor Bloomberg was doing Thursday night while the other candidates were debating. It's no mystery; it's a matter of record. He wasn't watching at home drinking expensive wine. According to a YouTube video, Bloomberg was opening a campaign headquarters in Nashville, Tenn. More importantly, according to images posted on Twitter, he was meeting with Sarah Carpenter and other members of the Powerful Parent Network. Carpenter is a Memphis-based great-grandmother and former cleaning lady turned education watchdog and activist. I recently profiled her for Education Next after her confrontation with Senator Elizabeth Warren went viral.
The Journal has already editorialized once ("Bloomberg's Education Opening") about the way the mayor's support for charter schools sets him apart from the rest of the Democratic field. Thursday night's meeting was further evidence of that. It deserves wider attention.
