Wealthy Democratic Donor Stephen Cloobeck appeared on MSNBC with Stephanie Ruhle. It was an interview that illustrated all that is wrong with the Democratic Party. Many get upset when we illustrate the similarities between the Establishment Democrats and Establishment Republicans. But this Democratic donor is exhibit 1.
Wealthy Democratic Donor Stephen Cloobeck Threatens Party
“When Democrats continue to say, ‘Down with the billionaires. We can’t stand the rich,’ said Stephanie Ruhle. “A lot of people want to be rich. So is it the right message that Democrats are going with?”
“It’s so effing wrong,” said Stephen Cloobeck. “I’ve talked to Schumer. I’ve talked to Wyden. I’ve talked to Pelosi. And I said if you use the term billionaires again, I’m done. Because it’s aspirational. I didn’t start with anything. Just penalize everyone that’s done well? We all want to do well. And we should be the party of doing well. We should be a party, of business and leadership. And it is very very disturbing when I hear the millionaire or billionaire word. And I told them to stop it. Knock it off.”
“Then are you worried that the Democratic Party is going too far to the left?” Ruhle asked.
“So much so it drives me nuts, Cloobeck responded. “So much so it would make me quit the party. And I’ve made it very clear I’ll cut your money off. And others will do the same.”
“Right now there is an opportunity,” Ruhle said. “If Democrats lose for example in the state of Virginia. If that isn’t a wake up call, that the Democratic leadership needs to get together and say we’ve got to find a middle ground, because if the Democrats continue to go far to the left, you’ve got that whole group in the center that just aren’t going to go the way of Elizabeth Warren or Bernie Sanders. And then you’re gonna fracture the party even more.”
“It’s fractured,” Cloobeck replied. “It’s broken. We need a new brand. It needs to be simple. Keep it simple — tax reform. Keep it simple, — infrastructure, no bumps in the road. What more do we have to say? They need to have a new brand created.”
“Are we going to see Democrats pull it together and vote together?” Ruhle asked. “A lot of Bernie supporters did not turn and vote for Hillary. They just didn’t vote at all.
“I know and I can tell you that if we go far left, I’m out,” Cloobeck said. I’m out. We need middle-ground.”
“So when you tell the Democratic leadership this when you meet with Wyden and Pelosi and Schumer,” Ruhle asked. “What did they say to you?”
“Well,” Cloobeck responded. “So far they’ve given me great signals that they’re willing to participate and get there. We shall see.”
Watch the entire segment here.