Why does the Wash. Post (& Cable News) seem so afraid of Bernie?

[JoeOtterbein]

Last edited Tue Aug 13, 2019, 01:08 PM - Edit history (1)

I wonder if it is because it was not Bernie who helped the Repubs blunder us into the longest war in our history?

Or is it because, Bernie did not vote for a big tax break for Bezos and the big bosses in the big newsrooms?

Or is it because Bernie is pointing out that Bezos and the big-wigs pay little-to-nothing in taxes already?

Or is it just plain old self-interest? Instead of fighting for the rest of us on just about everyday of his adult life s Bernie has?

And why the hell does anyone care what some well-paid editor says about our candidates, when we have a filthy, rich, insane person right down the street from him in the White House?


Edit: More context:

[link:https://www.mediaite.com/tv/cnn-absurdly-compares-joe-biden-and-bernie-sanders-with-trump-over-media-complaints/|

Note: They are afraid of Joe too. Why?

[George II]

1. What makes you think they're afraid of BS?

[JoeOtterbein]

4. See who they are attacking.

And who they do not.

[George II]

10. I don't see it. The fact is neither the Washington Post nor the Cable News are attacking him.

[George II]

16. In fact, he's done more attacking of them than they have of him. He's a candidate, and....

...this time around there are no kid gloves.

[Hortensis]

27. Sanders-the-candidate is a media creation, RW MSM, RW, and Russian.

They're about as "afraid" of him as they are of their toenail clippers. Maybe less, actually.

[Skidmore]

54. +1

I can think of another media created candidate who Sanders sounds like and who doesn't have my vote either.

[Me.]

78. ToeNail Clippers!

[stonecutter357]

2. lol !

[jalan48]

3. Bernie wants to raise the taxes of corporations and wealthy individuals to pay for social programs

that would benefit average Americans.

[JoeOtterbein]

5. Bingo!

[Go Vols]

48. +1

[questionseverything]

53. yep

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign-polls/457235-sanders-overtakes-biden-in-new-hampshire-poll

[betsuni]

64. All Democrats do.

Democratic Party platform: "At a time of massive income and wealth inequality, we believe the wealthiest Americans and largest corporations must pay their fare share of taxes."

[comradebillyboy]

6. No one is afraid of Bernie.

[lapucelle]

7. They don't "seem afraid" of BS. It's dangerous when any politician sows the seeds

of general mistrust in reliable media and news sources because he or she is not happy with the degree or type of coverage.

[JoeOtterbein]

14. Trump lies about the "media" in general. Bernie is being very specific about his concerns.

And in this case, Bernie is correct.

[George II]

18. What are the specifics? I haven't seen any at all.

[lapucelle]

19. And the specific concerns include airing "flawed polls" and "inaccurate polling data".

That sounds a lot like a "fake news" claim against CNN and MSNBC, who were singled out by Weaver.

[yaesu]

8. Bernie is anti-fascist, the rich elite are scared to death of him. nt

[ehrnst]

44. So how do you explain Trump being scared to death of WAPO?

[Cha]

79. CRICKETS!!!!

Mahalo, lapucelle!

[JoeOtterbein]

12. +1000!

[lapucelle]

23. I doubt that the military-industrial complex wants BS silenced.

Why Bernie Sanders is backing a $1.5 trillion military boondoggle

Antiwar candidate Bernie Sanders faces backlash over the $1.2 trillion war machine he brought to Vermont

Bernie Sanders Loves This $1 Trillion War Machine
The socialist trumpets his antiwar record. But he doesn’t mind expensive war machines—if they’re based in his home state

F-35: Bernie Backs Trillion Dollar Weapons System that Could Provide Ten Years of Free College Tuition

Meanwhile today in VT:

Burlington City Council unanimously opposes nuclear mission for Vermont Guard’s F-35s

[lapucelle]

30. They don't when he's lobbying for trillion dollar military toys. N/T

[lapucelle]

37. But it does appear to put him on the same side as the military industrial complex

Bernie Sanders Loves This $1 Trillion War Machine

The socialist trumpets his antiwar record. But he doesn’t mind expensive war machines—if they’re based in his home state.

Sen. Bernie Sanders has railed against big defense corporations at rallies, but he has a more complex history with the military-industrial complex. Most notably, he’s supported a $1.2 trillion stealth fighter that’s considered by many to be one of the bigger boondoggles in Pentagon history.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/bernie-sanders-loves-this-dollar1-trillion-war-machine

[lapucelle]

41. What jobs did it create in Vermont?

Here's the economic argument by supporters:

Supporters say the jets help the local economy and national security

Those who want the jets in Vermont include Gov. Peter Shumlin, Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger and the state’s entire congressional delegation, along with thousands of Vermonters who sent postcards to the Air Force in support of the basing. Supporters say the Vermont Air National Guard needs the F-35s in order to maintain the number of jobs it currently provides. Having those Guard members in the area spending money at local businesses is vital to the economy, they say.

https://www.vpr.org/post/5-things-you-should-know-about-f-35-basing#stream/0

Here's a counter argument by non-supporters:

F-35: More jobs--or actually a lot fewer jobs?

Air Force does not even argue that the F-35 will bring more jobs to Vermont•Air Force acknowledges that F-35 system will provide fewer jobs than F-16 now provides•Air Force merely argues that Vermont might not lose as many jobs if the F-35 system comes to Vermont.

https://saveourskiesvt.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/F-35-More-jobs-or-actually-a-lot-fewer-jobs.pdf


Not everyone in Vermont seems to be buying the "job creation" talking point.

Groups hold demonstration against the F-35s

https://www.wcax.com/content/news/Groups-hold-demonstration-against-the-F-35s--519345701.html

F-35 protests to continue outside of Sanders' office

https://www.mynbc5.com/article/f-35-protests-continue-outside-of-bernie-sanders-office-burlington/28590844

Ahead of F-35s, questions about who will foot the bill for soundproofing

https://vtdigger.org/2019/07/29/ahead-of-f-35s-questions-about-who-will-foot-the-bill-for-soundproofing/

F-35 in Vermont: How to soundproof a home against fighter jet noise

https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/2019/06/10/f-35-vermont-how-soundproof-home-against-fighter-jet-noise/1331658001/

Mix of peace and justice groups gather to protest F-35 fighter jets

http://www.thecitizenvt.com/2019/08/08/mix-peace-justice-groups-gather-protest-f-35-fighter-jets/

Winooski residents: Sen. Sanders, listen to the people

Burlington City Council unanimously opposes nuclear mission for Vermont Guard’s F-35s

Senate votes to oppose nuclear weapons delivery systems in Vermont

https://vtdigger.org/tag/f-35/

[lapucelle]

61. No wonder so many people in Vermont are angry.

F-35 protests to continue outside of Sanders' office

Protesters, who began gathering outside Sanders' office in early June, said they will continue protesting every Friday from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. outside the office. The group is listing eight reasons to cancel the program, including that the city base violates military law, and will increase the risk of a nuclear war.

snip===================================================================

Other concerns by the activists, including increased noise, have been at the forefront of community conversation for more than a year.

Many Burlington residents have resisted the Sanders-endorsed project, which would bring an Air National Guard base to the city's airport and bring several of Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning II fighter jets along with it.

https://www.mynbc5.com/article/f-35-protests-continue-outside-of-bernie-sanders-office-burlington/28590844

Antiwar candidate Bernie Sanders faces backlash over the $1.2 trillion war machine he brought to Vermont

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/10/bernie-sanders-faces-backlash-over-war-machine-he-brought-to-vermont.html

******************************************************************************************

Supporters of having up to 24 fighter jets parked at the airport also contend that the presence of the Air Guard is a magnet attracting investments and jobs in aerospace. This is true, but only to a limited extent.

The largest contractors, which receive at least 75 percent of Vermont’s total defense funding, have nothing directly to do with the presence of the Air Guard. Other smaller firms produce equipment and services for diverse military purposes, and sometimes for dual military-civilian uses.

Even if the F-35 were canceled, the Air Guard would remain a magnet for jobs and equipment that were compatible with its location in a city.

https://vtdigger.org/2018/01/25/greg-guma-claims-f-35-basing-will-protect-jobs-overstated/

******************************************************************************************

A year ago, when the secretary of the U.S. Air Force announced the F-35 was coming to Vermont, Gov. Phil Scott noted, “After a national search, Vermont’s Air National Guard was the third unit to be assigned to the F-35 mission, and the only National Guard unit. … Our Air National Guard is one of Vermont’s most essential and valuable state assets — both in terms of security and our economy. Having the F-35 based here supports more good-paying jobs, strengthens our position in the aerospace economy, and helps us recruit equipment suppliers and manufacturers.”

In his statement, Scott said the Guard provides 3,634 jobs — “making it one of our state’s largest employers. … The Air Guard and the F-35 are an essential part of enhancing the quality of life, vibrancy and vitality of the region and state. We can be proud Vermont will continue to play such a significant role in the defense of our nation.

https://www.rutlandherald.com/opinion/editorials/no-to-the-f/article_3ce8aa99-86f4-51f3-8c4c-6e0a66adf731.html

******************************************************************************************

Lockheed Martin Corp.’s claims that the development and construction of the nearly $400 billion F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will sustain 125,000 jobs in 46 states is “greatly exaggerated,” according to a new report by a research center.

The Center for International Policy, a Washington nonprofit, released a report, “Promising the Sky: Pork Barrel Politics and the F-35 Combat Aircraft,” that says the number of program-related jobs cited by Lockheed is “roughly double” what it will actually create.

Lockheed, the world’s largest defense contractor, said that 32,500 direct jobs and 92,500 indirect jobs [in 46 states] will be created by the F-35.

https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-mo-f35-job-numbers-20140122-story.html

*****************************************************************************************

https://www.indeed.com/q-Lockheed-Martin-l-Vermont-jobs.html

[lapucelle]

66. That Vermont governor contracts with for profit prisons to ship VT's incarcerated

to a hellhole in Mississippi.

So far, 15+ jobs with the National Guard are coming to VT.

My name is Aaron Smith and I am a National Government Recruiter with Apex Systems. We have 15+ opportunities supporting a new program supporting the Air Force (F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program) for one of the nation’s largest government integrators.

https://www.clearancejobs.com/jobs/3803015/f-35-joint-strike-fighter-infrastructure-support

And Lockheed Martin listed 5 new positions in VT.

https://www.indeed.com/q-Lockheed-Martin-l-Vermont-jobs.html

******************************************************************************************
Lockheed Martin has estimated 32,500 direct jobs and 92,500 indirect jobs will be created by the F-35 across 46 states and territories. The LA Times questions the number.

There is no information about exactly how many jobs are coming to VT, and no components of the F-35 are manufactured in VT.

So far there are 20 new jobs listings

******************************************************************************************

But hey, the Republican governor who vetoed a raise in the minimum wage and contracts with a for-profit prison to put Vermont's incarcerated to work in a Mississippi hellhole thousands of miles away from family and other community support systems is in favor of the trillion dollar military boondoggle, so that's a plus.

[ehrnst]

75. Got nothing?

[brooklynite]

80. So Trump was right to make it easier for coal miners to kind coal?

“They need the jobs”

[ehrnst]

69. +1000. He would certainly accuse any rival who did that as siding with the MIC...

[betsuni]

36. What other candidates want interventionist wars?

[questionseverything]

52. biden helped get us into iraq

n/t

[lapucelle]

38. Remember that [2014] study saying America is an oligarchy? 3 rebuttals say it's wrong.

From Vox:

In 2014, a slew of headlines seemed to confirm what many had long suspected — that the rich were actually the ones in control and the rest of us chumps were just along for the ride:

"Study: US is an oligarchy, not a democracy"; "Princeton Study: US No Longer An Actual Democracy"; "Study: You Have 'Near-Zero' Impact on US Policy"; "Study: Politicians listen to rich people, not you"; "Rich people rule!"

All of these stories were about a study by political scientists Martin Gilens of Princeton and Benjamin Page of Northwestern, modestly titled, "Testing Theories of American Politics: Elites, Interest Groups, and Average Citizens."

Their conclusion was explosive: "Economic elites and organized groups representing business interests have substantial independent impacts on U.S. government policy, while average citizens and mass-based interest groups have little or no independent influence."

The paper soon went viral as proof that America is an "oligarchy" (the press's term, not theirs) where the views of the rich control what happens and the views of the middle class are ignored.

snip===================================================================

There's only one problem: Research published since then has raised serious questions about this paper, both its finding and its analysis. This is, of course, how normal science works; some academics put a finding out there, and their peers pick it apart.

You can read the academic rebuttals to the 2014 study here.

https://www.vox.com/2016/5/9/11502464/gilens-page-oligarchy-study

[ehrnst]

43. The dreaded "FAKE NEWS" "Lamestream Media" that we've heard so much about

that has the nerve to fact check candidates.... Especially WAPO! It's completely clear that the reporters totally toe the line for Bezos against certain politicians...

[SoCalNative]

11. Maybe they're not afraid

just tired of him like so many of us.

[JoeOtterbein]

13. Sorry, I'm too exhausted by Trump to notice!

[TreasonousBastard]

40. Bingo! Beat me to it by a few hours.

[LanternWaste]

15. Why do you seem so afraid of the Wash. Post (& Cable News)?

Is it because they're not kowtowing to a sacred cow?

Or is it because Bernie, being in a distant second- and third- place is being treated as a second place candidate?







(six of one, half a dozen of the other; as using 'appear' or 'seem' as a qualifier allows us the pretense that objective evidence to support our claim is irrelevant)

[JoeOtterbein]

20. Actually they are kowtowing to Trump.

While Bernie triggers them for some odd reason.

[Bradical79]

58. I'm not seeing the fear.

I think I need more context.

[George II]

21. Along those lines:

Link to tweet

[empedocles]

22. BS is BS

[lapucelle]

26. Is WaPo is under the secret control of the oligarchs

and the military-industrial complex?

[George II]

28. One would think so if we believe some of the responses here.

[Princetonian]

65. Most of us know a strawman argument so hopefully one would know better than to believe such drivel.

But then again, some consider it sport to mock people who support Bernie in any way by creating informal fallacies about them. I am glad Joe is not such a person.

Link to tweet

[Eliot Rosewater]

82. All I know is ANYONE who would have a Biden photo in their post saying they support

Biden in the primary can absolutely be counted on to support AGGRESSIVELY AND LOUDLY any Democrat who ultimately gets the nomination.

So I will look for ZERO criticism of whoever our candidate is from anyone supporting Joe the same way I KNOW FOR A FACT Joe himself will unconditionally support whoever it is if it is not him.

Lets bookmark these conversations for later.

[Princetonian]

63. That is quite a top lofty strawman you got there. Did you get that from the Informal Fallacy store?

Joe ❤️ Bernie.

Link to tweet

[lapucelle]

67. Actually, it's a humorous rhetorical question concerning some of the claims posited

in defense of an attack on the press.

And it's funny.

[betsuni]

68. LOL at anyone taking your comment seriously.

(But you forgot Wall Street.)

[SidDithers]

17. ...

Sid

[jcgoldie]

24. I don't know if they are but I know exactly why I am tepid on Bernie.

[crazytown]

25. Q: Why are they afraid? A: They want Trump to lose.

[Vegas Roller]

31. No one is afraid of BS

a soon to be in single digits candidate who will lose with an even wider margin this time.

BS is badly searching for relevance and in a few months it would be "Bernie who?"

[NYMinute]

32. aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahahahahahaha

That made me laugh. Thank you for the joke.

[mcar]

33. ...

[lapucelle]

34. WaPo is calling the BS claims a "conspiracy theory".

Washington Post editor responds to Bernie Sanders: Your 'conspiracy theory' is wrong

https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/12/politics/bernie-sanders-washington-post/index.html

Washington Post editor calls Sanders claim about campaign coverage a 'conspiracy theory'

https://thehill.com/homenews/media/457191-washington-post-editor-calls-sanders-claim-about-campaign-coverage-conspiracy

[Uncle Joe]

42. Bernie most assuredly threatens their gravy train.

Anyone that believes tens or hundreds of millions of dollars spent on drug commercials aren't taken into account by ownership and upper management is seriously deluding themselves.

Thanks for the thread JoeOtterbein.

[JoeOtterbein]

47. Great point!

I'm so sick of big pharma commercials and ads. Save the money and cut costs for us!

[Gothmog]

50. I've reported on Bernie Sanders for years. A free press won't give him what he wants.

This is an interesting article https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/02/26/ive-reported-bernie-sanders-years-free-press-cant-give-him-what-he-wants/

Though Sanders understands the problem, his solutions leave something to be desired. The way the senator sees it, the job of a journalist is merely to transcribe his diatribes unchallenged and broadcast his sermons unfiltered.

“He would not be happy with anything that did not basically publish his press release in its entirety — word for word, quote for quote,” said Graff, who spent nearly three decades reporting in Vermont for the AP.

Back when Sanders held regular news conferences in Vermont — it’s been a few years — he typically refused to answer questions unrelated to his chosen topic of the day. That’s problematic for local reporters, who rarely have the opportunity to quiz the members of Congress they cover without spokespeople running interference.

At a 1985 forum on the media, the late Vermont political columnist Peter Freyne complained to Sanders, then the mayor of Burlington, that he had reneged on his promise to hold regular press conferences, pointing out that “When asked a question you don’t want to answer, you leave the room.”

[ehrnst]

45. "Afraid?" Because they don't coddle him? Interesting, Trump thinks the very same thing about them

[comradebillyboy]

46. Nobody is afraid of Bernie.

[Gothmog]

49. These news organizations are not afraid of sanders

Link to tweet

[comradebillyboy]

55. Oh my God, I am forced to agree with Chris Cillizza's

comments on Bernie. Cillizza is otherwise a vacuous twit.

[Gothmog]

56. I feel the same as you do but I had to post this analysis

[comradebillyboy]

57. It was a good analysis.

[brooklynite]

51. Point out an actual expression of fear and I'll be happy to respond.

[kcr]

59. Where is the evidence they're afraid of him?

He is practically treated with kid gloves and given all kinds of airtime and press attention because the media love the Dems in Disarray narrative, and he's all too happy to give them fodder for it. The fact they won't give in to his demands isn't evidence they're afraid of him.

[SouthernProgressive]

70. .

One of the funniest falsehoods being presented. The media has carried Sanders. He is nothing without them.

Sanders is sounding just like Trump and it has some going nuts trying to do backflips to support him.

His going full Trump is directly linked to his floundering campaign hilighted by Holly Otter.

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/08/13/bernie-sanders-medicare-for-all-2020-election-1459217

She gets the stalled part right but as one of the many Sanders surrogates in the media she gets the rest absolutely wrong.

Amazing how many "journalists" are pushing Sanders from the inside. He has people on the inside making excuses for him left and right and still can't get any traction.

[ehrnst]

71. Apparently WAPO isn't afraid of busting Amazon for unethical activity. Why would they be 'afraid'

of Bernie?

That doesn't make any sense. In fact WAPO turned down an editorial praising Amazon's arrival in nearby Arlington, VA....

Prominent economist wrote op-ed about Amazon’s new headquarters at company’s suggestion

A prominent Washington-area economist wrote an opinion piece welcoming the arrival of Amazon’s new headquarters in Northern Virginia at the suggestion of a company official who hoped to build public support for the project before a key Arlington County Board vote, emails show.

Stephen S. Fuller, a professor at George Mason University, also showed the article to Amazon public relations staff before publication and invited them to suggest changes — although he rejected their revisions.

“I want to [be] helpful to your — Amazon’s — mission and objectives with respect to its move to Arlington,” Fuller wrote on March 1 to Jill Shatzen Kerr, Amazon’s policy communications manager, according to emails obtained by The Washington Post under a Freedom of Information Act request.

Fuller first offered the opinion piece to The Washington Post, which turned it down. The Washington Business Journal published it March 21 under the headline, “Don’t underestimate Amazon HQ2’s importance.”

Fuller’s interactions with Amazon, which were not disclosed to the Washington Business Journal or its readers, raised questions about whether he was acting independently and transparently in penning the article, according to some ethics experts. The journal’s editor said the publication would have handled the article differently had it known.

(Amazon chief executive Jeff Bezos owns The Washington Post.)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/prominent-economist-wrote-op-ed-about-amazons-new-headquarters-at-companys-suggestion/2019/08/09/42b206b8-b885-11e9-b3b4-2bb69e8c4e39_story.html

[Politicub]

72. Uhm, what?

And editors, print anyway, don’t make as much money as you may think.

[Gothmog]

73. Opinion: Bernie Sanders's real media problem

Link to tweet

So let me offer an explanation of what Sanders’s real media problem is: Right now Sanders 2020 is suffering from the comparison with Sanders 2016, when his candidacy was a captivating new phenomenon that turned what could have been a dull coronation for Hillary Clinton into a real contest. That made him compelling to reporters — again, always drawn to what’s new and what creates conflict — who wrote story after story about this fascinating campaign, particularly the unlikely fact that a rumpled 74-year-old had become the hero of college students everywhere. They covered his policy proposals, but they also covered all the attendant human-interest sidelights such as people getting Bernie tattoos.

Sanders’s current candidacy doesn’t provide that same narrative interest. He’s just one candidate among many, running somewhere between second and fourth in every poll — a part of the big story, to be sure, but not the primary protagonist/antagonist, depending on the framing. If during the 2016 primaries he was getting something like half the coverage, most of it positive, now he can expect only to get a much smaller portion of a pie that has been sliced into many more pieces. Is that fair? Perhaps not, but you’d have to define what “fair” coverage would look like for all the candidates to say for sure.

It’s not as though Sanders is being ignored. I did a search on The Post’s website and found 28 articles and videos mentioning him that appeared just this Monday and Tuesday. FiveThirtyEight monitors the volume of cable news coverage of the candidates, and what you see is that coverage pretty well tracks poll standing: Joe Biden gets the most, followed by Sanders, Warren and Kamala D. Harris clustered together. You might be able to make a case for why that’s wrong, but you can’t say it’s particularly unfair to Sanders.

And here’s the thing: I’m sure Sanders knows how this all works. He’s a smart guy, and he has been around for a long time. In most of the comments he and his aides make on this topic, you can tell they understand the incentives and proclivities of the media perfectly well.

[SouthernProgressive]

74. Your first sentence is highly inaccurate.

https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/107-2001/h342

[Eliot Rosewater]

76. ...

[greatauntoftriplets]

77. Is that a serious question?

[Gothmog]

81. From Nate Silver-sanders complaints about media coverage do not hold up

Senator Warren has just as liberal or even more liberal platform compared to sanders and she is not being hurt in the polls or getting bad press coverage

Link to tweet