As a fan and former colleague of Rep.  Tom Allen (“Bloomberg the best bet to unite Democrats,” Feb. 26), I’m disappointed that he doesn’t recognize that many of his pro-Michael Bloomberg arguments apply with greater force to Joe Biden. Bloomberg is a tremendous asset to Democrats, but Biden is the better candidate because he is the better politician.

Biden offers all the coalition-building skills of Bloomberg but has been able to do it without using a private fortune.

Biden also has far more experience working in U.S. and international politics. He’ll be ready on day one. Most important, he will be eager to reverse the autocratic precedents the impeached president has set. Like any successful solo businessman, Bloomberg is likely to chafe at the give and take required by our system of checks and balances and our traditions of transparency. Didn’t we see this in his debate behaviors – why his reluctance to give up non-disclosure agreements? Where are his tax returns?

All of his money and expertise should be at the disposal of the Democratic nominee if we can trust what Bloomberg has already nobly offered: to use his money to beat the impeached president, whoever the Democratic candidate may be.

If we’re concerned about voting out the impeached president and skeptical of Bernie Sanders (who seems to have his own trouble with give and take and transparency), Bloomberg and Allen should be working – right now – for the candidate in the best position to beat Trump, and that’s Biden. If we wait, Bernie, the less electable candidate, may be unstoppable.

Ellen Kandoian Sweeney

South Portland

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