Howard Schultz says Democrats need ‘a little bit less caffeine’ as protests against him mount

Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz pines to run for president in 2020 as an independent, a notion that has rattled Democrats and progressives who fear he will split the vote when the time comes and bring President Trump another win.

’I think the Democrats need a little bit less caffeine right now. It’s very possible that if I run for president as a centrist independent, that more lifelong Republicans will come my way than Democrats. So I think the whole thing is just an overreaction. Let it all play out. Let people get to know me,” Mr. Schultz told Fox News anchor Dana Perino.

“I think the real question is what kind of country do we want to live in? Do we want to live in a country that is so far to the left and that is moving toward socialism? Or a country in which the American people no longer trust the leaders in government, no longer have any respect for someone in the Oval Office. Or is there a better opportunity?” he asked.

Two formal efforts have been launched this week to counter Mr. Schulz.

#NoHowardNo, an independent protest organized by a coalition of progressive activists and operatives, encourages the public to take a “No Howard No” pledge, sign a petition and even boycott Starbucks in the future.

“We’re going to organize, fundraise and challenge Howard Schultz. The consequences of his independent run are profound,” said Bud Jackson, chairman of American Working Families and one of five board members of the new group that went public on Thursday.

The Progressive Change Campaign Committee, a million-member grassroots group, launched SchultzHelpsTrump.com on Tuesday, It also includes a public petition plus an aggressive social media campaign to persuade Mr. Schultz to give up his White House aspirations.

“If Schultz wants to run and lose in the Democratic primary, that’s fine. But our petition tells him he better not dare re-elect Trump by running as an independent and siphoning off the anti-Trump vote,” said spokesperson Marissa Barrow, who is also a former Starbucks barista.