Why Bloomberg skipped New York Times ed board interview

[brooklynite]

Bloomberg

Add an interview with the New York Times editorial board to the presidential campaign stops Mike Bloomberg is bypassing on his route to seeking the Democratic nomination.

Bloomberg is one of just three candidates in the crowded field who skipped the interview for the coveted primary endorsement, opening up the former New York City mayor to criticism that he is making an end run around the traditional primary vetting process by refusing to defend his record while financing an avalanche of TV ads burnishing his image.

The only other candidates to skip the interviews were Julián Castro, who has since dropped out of the race, and long-shot contender Tulsi Gabbard, who is mired in single digits in the polls.

Bloomberg’s team cited his late entry into the primary in explaining the most recent in a string of unorthodox strategy decisions. The Times, which had already established its own schedule for candidate interviews and will announce its choice Sunday, would not agree to bend to Bloomberg’s will by changing the newspaper’s timeline to meet his.