Sometimes I ask rhetorical questions. This is not one of those times.

The Dem freakout over Howard Schultz’s potential 2020 candidacy is reaching Stage 3: Crazed Hissing. All that’s left is Stage 4: Frenzied Ravings and Stage 5: Screaming at the Sky.

We’re talking about a former Starbucks CEO, who is, technically a billionaire, but less so than Michael Bloomberg, whose potential candidacy didn’t touch off this much of a freakout.

Not hit pieces like this.

Heckler interrupts Howard Schultz book tour event: ‘Don’t help elect Trump’ – NBC News

Yes, that’s NBC News doing an entire “news story” about one heckler, who was almost certainly planted. That’s typical of the Pravdaization of the media which now exists only as an echo chamber for Dem special interests helping amplify its messages.

Then there’s the hysterical tone of this CNN piece.

Bill Burton, a former adviser to President Barack Obama, defended his decision to join Howard Schultz’s team as the former Starbucks CEO considers an independent presidential bid in 2020, pushing back against suggestions that Schultz could be a spoiler.

Burton was one of the original aides to the Obama campaign 12 years ago and went on to be deputy press secretary in the White House. His addition to Schultz’s team will lend the former Starbucks CEO credibility but it will also amplify the pushback to Schultz’s potential bid from Democrats who believe it would jeopardize their chances at defeating President Donald Trump.

That pushback was palpable in the statement released by Democratic public affairs firm SKDKnickerbocker, Burton’s previous employer.

“Bill Burton has left the firm to pursue projects he could not have pursued or participated in at SKDK,” said a spokesperson for the group.

“We wish him well.”In a more direct email to employees, SKDKnickerbocker managing director Josh Isay wrote, “Bill no longer works at SKDK and we will have nothing to do with this effort. We wish Bill well personally but all this firm cares about is beating Donald Trump.
“To be clear, will stand up against anything or anyone that gets in the way of putting a Democrat in the White House.”

Previous spoilers like Ralph Nader, who probably cost Gore the election, ran to the left. Schultz will, in theory, be running to the center, though all his positions are default Dem lefty stuff.

But there’s no reason to think he could pick up any real support without offering a real alternative.

There’s only one scenario where Schultz could hurt the Dems. And here I’m going to offer one answer to my own rhetorical question.

If the Dem candidate is an extremist lefty nutjob, then Schultz could gain traction as an alternative. That’s probably not going to be Biden. But if Bernie or Warren were the nominee, Schultz might be a threat. 

The only reason to freak out over Schultz is if the left is protecting its weak point to the center.