Bloomberg’s debate performance shows that Facebook ads will only get you so far

Main Idea: Michael Bloomberg’s huge ad spending could not save him from a weak first debate showing, which suggested money and Facebook ads have limits in politics.

Key Points:

• Bloomberg had spent hundreds of millions of dollars on digital and TV ads, more than any other Democrat and more than President Donald Trump.
• His campaign had seemed like a test of whether heavy Facebook-style ad use could power a presidential run.
• In the debate, Bloomberg spent much of the time on defense while rivals attacked his record, making him look less polished than in his ads.
• The article says the debate exposed a gap between online campaign spending and real voter judgment, while Bernie Sanders looked stronger heading into future primaries.