Howard Schultz, who told CBS’s “60 Minutes” on Sunday that he’s looking into the possibility of an independent presidential bid, hasn’t been the CEO of Starbucks for more than six months, but it seems people are so unhappy about his decision to challenge President Trump that they’re harassing Starbucks baristas about it.
The problem appears to have gotten so widespread, the New York Post reports, that Starbucks has issued a series of guidelines to workers who may encounter patrons unhappy about Schultz’s plans.
In their weekly memo to baristas, the “Barista Need-To-Know,” Starbucks included instructions on how to “diffuse [sic] the situation” if customers decide to “share aggressive political opinions.”
“… partners [i.e., employees] may be asked questions by customers or hear media speculation about Howard’s potential political intentions. We encourage you all to take a moment to review the talking points below with your partners.
If a customer asks if we are selling Howard’s book at Starbucks:
No, the books are available at bookstores and online.
If a customer attempts to investigate, or share aggressive political opinions, attempt to diffuse the situation by sharing:
We respect everyone’s opinion. Our goal is simply to create a warm and welcoming space where we can all gather, as a community, over great coffee.
If asked about Howard’s political intentions:
Howard’s future plans are up to him.
Schultz’s book, “From the Ground Up,” a story of his rise to power as the head of the Seattle-based coffee chain, hit stores on Tuesday. Schultz was clear on “60 Minutes” that the book his first step in assessing whether he should run for president in 2020.
Baristas also told the Huffington Post that their managers instructed them to wave off questions about their personal opinion of Schultz.
“We were told not to talk to customers about it,” one employee told HuffPo. “If we are asked about his political goals or our opinions on it that we’re to say he was a great CEO to work for but that’s where our opinions end.”
Democrats have been quite clear in recent days that they don’t appreciate Schultz’s entry into the 2020 race. Several prominent leftists told media outlets earlier in the week that they’re concerned Schultz could pull votes from any potential Democratic nominee, thus helping President Donald Trump win re-election.
Some, like Center for American Progress president Neera Tanden, pledged that they would boycott Starbucks over the plan, even though Schultz has long since left the coffee company (he is still a stockholder): : “If he enters the race, I will start a Starbucks boycott because I’m not giving a penny that will end up in the election coffers of a guy who will help Trump win.”
Jesse Ferguson, a spokesman for Hillary Clinton’s failed 2016 campaign, warned that Schultz would usher in a second term for Trump without question.
“If you don’t want Donald Trump re-elected, you should be ready to unite behind the Democratic nominee as the best antidote,” says Ferguson told CBS. “In the end, the American people won’t take kindly to a billionaire who thinks his money entitles him to this kind of vanity experiment. People may not like the two party system, but they like a party of one even less.”
And a handful of Democratic groups, including David Brock’s American Bridge and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, have also promised to “unleash an arsenal” to “torpedo” Schultz’s bid, according to the Washington Examiner.