Politico's hit job on Bernie Sanders is proving awkward for journalism

[UCmeNdc]

Politico often embodies the worst of American political journalism, but this is bad even by those standards. "The socialist surge," the headline reads, continuing with the subhed "The rise of Bernie Sanders is proving awkward for the Democratic Party." What's awkward for Politico and the four reporters who contributed to the piece is that not one actual Democrat is quoted saying that they feel awkward about the rise of Bernie Sanders.
The closest the article comes to a Democrat saying that Sanders' success is awkward is Joe Trippi saying that it makes establishment Democrats nervous. Yeah, Joe Trippi. Pardon me if I don't take this as definitive. Nor are the quotes from Ralph Nader indicative of a whole hell of a lot.

If Joe Trippi's assessment of the mindset of establishment Democrats is a flimsy hook for an article, other claims are equally flimsy. According to the article, Sanders' comments lauding the Greek vote against extreme austerity politics "are a reminder of just how far the second-place Democratic presidential candidate stands from the American mainstream on some issues, and the looming reckoning Democrats face with their party’s leftward drift."

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/07/07/1399895/-Politico-s-hit-job-on-Bernie-Sanders-is-proving-awkward-for-journalism

[winter is coming]

1. They sure took the long way around the barn to regurgitate the "fringe" talking point. n/t

[JaneyVee]

2. Politico is a rightwing rag. Eff them.

[pansypoo53219]

3. i never EVER pay attention to politico. i smelled rite wing from the start.

[MineralMan]

4. Politico will always be trying to throw a proverbial monkey wrench

into Democratic races. It's what Politico does. I ignore everything from that website as GOP propaganda.

[pa28]

5. The original Politico article is comic book level insular thinking.

They spend the whole piece claiming his views are radical and out of touch with mainstream Americans.

When it comes to citing examples the best they can do is a couple of quotes pulled from 40-year old newspaper articles. As usual their conclusion is that everybody who counts knows he's far too radical left. No actual thinking required.

[TwilightGardener]

6. Politico exists for hit jobs. It's gossip that serves an agenda, usually supporting

establishment politicians, neocons, Dem hawks. Their go-to interviewees are always insider jagoffs. Jane Harman is a regular, for example.

[GeorgeGist]

7. ooooo

a looming reckoning.

[PatrickforO]

8. Yeah, well, fringe or not...

I'm FOR Bernie because he is the only one out there who seems to be FOR me.