2020 Road to the White House
‘Sparks Joy in No One’: Internet Explodes in Anger as Howard Schultz Announces He May Run for President

‘Pulling a Jill Stein’
Billionaire and former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz says he is thinking of running for president – not as a Democrat but as a “centrist independent” – and it seems the only ones truly excited about the news are President Donald Trump and Howard Schultz.
Trump on Monday egged Schultz on – taunting him as Trump is prone to do – saying he doesn’t have the “guts” or smarts to run.
A Schultz third-party run would absolutely siphon off votes from the Democratic nominee, making very likely a Trump re-election win.
Schultz, a lifelong Democrat, on CBS’ “60 Minutes” appeared to not care about that liklihood.
Former Starbucks chairman and CEO @HowardSchultz says he’s seriously considering a 2020 presidential run as an independent candidate.
In an interview with @60Minutes, Schultz talked about why he’d run as a third-party candidate, rather than as a Democrat. https://t.co/pwRPTPFFhC pic.twitter.com/fr19adqiS1
— CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) January 28, 2019
He also said the primary reason he would run is to reduce the deficit.
Meanwhile, many on social media are blasting the once-popular coffee purveyor who spent decades turning Starbucks into a household name.
Former SDNY US Attorney:
I think @HowardSchultz should totally run for city council in whatever city he lives
— Preet Bharara (@PreetBharara) January 28, 2019
Progressive activist:
Howard Schultz is doing a book event in NYC tonight in case folks want to drop in and tell him not to run pic.twitter.com/XPHAs7jZPM
— jordan (@JordanUhl) January 28, 2019
Journalist:
The worst part about Howard Schultz’s announcement is that he did it on a day when Kamala Harris drew a huge crowd and gave a superb speech. That he still went forward is the equivalent of interrupting a female board member to talk over her. https://t.co/p95WpK98cS
— Jennifer Hayden (@Scout_Finch) January 28, 2019
Law professor:
I can’t wait until Howard Schultz winds up in Chicago, so I can thank him for his coffee’s usefulness and tell him his dangerous vanity project sparks joy in no one.
— Anthony Michael Kreis (@AnthonyMKreis) January 28, 2019
Chairman of the nation’s largest grassroots Resistance organization:
For the sake of our nation and future generations, @HowardSchultz, please set aside your ego and DO NOT RUN.
— Jon Cooper (@joncoopertweets) January 28, 2019
Journalist, chairwoman:
Not since George Washington has a non-major party candidate won the election. Many predict your candidacy would draw votes from whatever Dem emerges in the primary and your candidacy would hand victory to Donald Trump in 2020. https://t.co/gmrDQYL0ES
— Soledad O’Brien (@soledadobrien) January 28, 2019
Writer and scholar:
No one wants you. The only thing you will unite this country in is a mass boycott of Starbucks.
— Sarah Kendzior (@sarahkendzior) January 28, 2019
Law analyst:
I love our country too, for which precise reason I’m not considering running for president. Patriotism should put limits even on ego. https://t.co/ux8zAbxhwr
— Benjamin Wittes (@benjaminwittes) January 28, 2019
Washington Post opinion writer:
Have to hand it to Howard Schultz – I can’t think of another person whose potential presidential campaign was greeted with such universal contempt.
— Paul Waldman (@paulwaldman1) January 28, 2019
More:
One problem is the belief that the best way to improve the country is if I’m put in charge of governing it. Not a program, a team, a party organized around some set of principles, a record of public service, some trail of what changes & policies I think are needed—no, simply me. https://t.co/Lqcu6N0eo8
— Taniel (@Taniel) January 28, 2019
As I was saying, @howardSchultz, running as independent will:
1) infuriate 30 million democrats who who immediately boycott @Starbucks
2) infuriate your workers (prolly 80% of who are liberals)
3) paint you as a political neophyte at best, and Putin puppet at worst. #ThinkHoward https://t.co/gCOd0mDx5a— Shoqqed You’re Not (@Shoq) January 28, 2019
WOMEN are the majority voters, guys. And we’re really done with white men ruling our shit. So step aside. Democrats to Howard Schultz: Don’t do it https://t.co/6umbDF2eem
— Geri Gourley (@gerigourley) January 28, 2019
Dear @HowardSchultz.
Do you know how much of your coffee we’ve bought lo these many, MANY years? This is how you repay us? Trying to divide the electorate? Playing the ‘both sides’ BS? This is the last purchase we’ll make until you abandon this stupidity. #BoycottStarbucks pic.twitter.com/oreU50TFcI— 𝙲𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚊 𝚒𝚗 𝙽𝚅 🌊 (@bluelyon) January 28, 2019
HOWARD SCHULTZ: I’m not doing this for me, I’m doing it for America.
AMERICA: sir, your logo is your name with your name written over it. pic.twitter.com/nCH3lMNbo4
— Jesse Lehrich (@JesseLehrich) January 28, 2019
Sorry @HowardSchultz, but the ‘privileged billionaire white guy “outsider” who really cares about the little people’ theory has already been tried. Stand down, because just like 2018, 2020 will be women taking back this country’s moral compass. https://t.co/fS6satFfzy
— Amy Roark (@Todays_Pretty) January 28, 2019
Great. Another rich narcissistic businessman with zero political experience who thinks he alone can fix it. Your double-shot of arrogance will leave a very bitter taste. #SellSBUX #BoycottStarbucks
— “Russia, if you’re listening…” (@DotardMoron) January 28, 2019
You are in this to hurt the Democratic nominee. There is no other reason for you to do what you are doing. You are pulling a Jill Stein and a Ralph Nader. So get lost. BTW, we’re boycotting your coffee too. I never did like it anyway.
— The seeker 🌀 (@seekerwisdom1) January 28, 2019
There aren’t many paths to Trump winning re-election in 2020.
Democrats running an extreme candidate who can’t appeal to the middle is one such path.
Some billionaire staging an independent campaign that succeeds only in splitting the anti-Trump vote is another. https://t.co/BmU7pJc6Mx
— Yascha Mounk (@Yascha_Mounk) January 28, 2019
Early voting. #HowardSchultz pic.twitter.com/0X7ieyjx9Y
— Jim Kessler (@ThirdWayKessler) January 28, 2019
I love our country, and I am seriously AGAINST another bloated ego billionaire running for President.
DON’T DO IT, Howard Schultz.
All you would accomplish is to pull votes away from DEMs and hand the election to trump.
We will boycott the hell out of Starbucks. Don’t try us. https://t.co/a1E85hW2Sz
— BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@mmpadellan) January 28, 2019
Nothing says “I don’t understand U.S. politics” like running as a “centrist independent” https://t.co/5UDyJeaH4e
— Brandon Friedman (@BFriedmanDC) January 28, 2019
I appreciate your hopes, Mr. Schultz, but we are in such a unique & urgent moment in this country that anything that distracts is misguided. We don’t need businessmen to “make us better”; we need people experienced in the political process; we need diversity, WE NEED WOMEN.
— Lorraine Devon Wilke (@LorraineDWilke) January 28, 2019
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