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Howard Schultz heckled at event: ‘Don’t help elect Trump’

The heckling comes after his tweet announcing a possible 2020 run was met with ire online.

 

Andrew Wyrich

Tech

Posted on Jan 29, 2019   Updated on May 20, 2021, 8:27 pm CDT

The resentment against former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz‘s 2020 aspirations is no longer just online.

Schultz, who said he was considering a presidential bid as a “centrist independent,” was heckled during a book tour appearance in New York City on Monday.

The former Starbucks head was being interviewed by New York Times journalist Andrew Ross Sorkin, according to Bloomberg, when he was interrupted by someone.

“I am seriously considering running for president as a centrist independent,” he said, echoing his ratioed tweet from Sunday. “I wanted to clarify the word ‘independent’ which I view merely as a designation on the ballot–”

“Don’t help elect Trump you egotistical billionaire asshole!” someone shouted, as video of the incident shows.

The heckler added that Schultz should “go back to Davos with the other billionaire elite” and referenced his “centrist independent” tweet that was met with scorn.

If the former Starbucks CEO does run in 2020 it is exceedingly unlikely that he would win the presidency. However, as the heckler obviously fears, some have speculated that his candidacy could draw votes away from a Democratic candidate who runs against President Donald Trump.

2020 Democratic presidential candidate Julian Castro also said a possible run from Schultz as an independent would be Trump’s “best hope of getting re-elected” according to CNN.

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*First Published: Jan 29, 2019, 8:28 am CST