The FBI investigation of Bernie Sanders is a test for the Clinton-hating media

[Goprox]

Politico (June 22, 2017):

The FBI, it seems, is looking into exactly what Jane Sanders did or didn’t do—and whether her husband Bernie, hero of the progressive left, tried to ease along one of the loans. http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/06/22/bernie-sanders-jane-sanders-lawyer-bank-fraud-investigation-burlington-college-215297

As you may know, Hillary Clinton FBI investigation was covered at nauseum and by the media during the campaign.

It remains to be seen whether Andrea Mitchell, the New York Times, etc., will devote even as much as half their energy to covering the FBI investigation into Bernie Sanders.]

Some might argue that Bernie Sanders is not a presidential candidate, therefore he does not deserve the attention that Hillary Clinton deserves. But be aware that I said "half their energy", which would still amount to a gazillion news articles and talk show minutes per day.

Besides, the endorsement from Bernie Sanders of candidates running for Congress is of utmost importance in future elections. if Bernie Sanders is found to have encouraged fraud, candidates will actually distance themselves from Bernie.

Also, is Bernie Sanders running again in 2020? It may all depend on the outcome of this investigation.

[Thirties Child]

1. Also a matter of his age. He'll be late 70s in 2020.

[Persisted]

2. It all boils down to what the bank told the Feds. Bernie is fucked

and I mean truly fucked if Toensing is correct and the bank filed an SAR.

[Tom Rinaldo]

3. Hillary was either the near presumptive nominee or an announced presidential candidate at the time

I get your point, and yes there is institutionalized Hillary hatred, but it is not equivalent. We are not in a presidential campaign cycle yet for one thing. If there is a Sanders potential "scandal" it has nothing to do with matters of any national concern, such as alleged security breeches, for another.

Granted how this plays out could effect a potential Sanders run in 2020

[bettyellen]

5. If the RW chose to play it up and send pundits out there, the media would eat it up w gravy.

But if they act like there's no scandal the media would not bother. I don't think they will go after Sanders though. He's not a threat like Pelosi. He criticizes Dems and they regurgitate those criticisms. They appear to like him just fine. I'd love to be proven wrong, but I don't think they'll go after him on this. They'd be hyping it already.

[Goprox]

8. If Hillaru had been investigated for bank fraud, the media would have freaked out the same

Unless, of course you think the media's obsession with the Clintons since the 90's has been limited to national security cases alone. Whether it's blowjobs or Whitewater, they hate the Clintons.

[Tom Rinaldo]

13. I agreed that there is institutionalized hatred of the Clintons

That's obvious. I only said that the situations are not equivalent. When the media really started going after the Clintons, Bill was already President of the United States. That made them big fish mega targets. Their every potential wart then got put under the microscope because they were the undisputed leaders of the opposition to the Republican Right, and they physically stood in their way. Since then Hilary has always been viewed as the "Crown Princess" who likely would someday ascend to leadership of the Democratic Party. She remained a high visibility target, on numerous occasions she was named the most admired woman in the world, she was not a previously obscure political figure. Hillary stayed in the spotlight cast both good and bad for decades. So yeah, had she been investigated for bank fraud at any point since she became First Lady, the media would have made a lot out of it. Though I do think they got added juice out of her having theoretically endangered National Security while in the office of Secretary of State. That created the opening for Congressional Republicans to stage endless high profile hearings about her activity, and that really fed the frenzy.

But what fed the frenzy the most was the fact that most people in this nation, starting in about 2010, viewed Hillary as the very likely next President of the United States. And for much of the FBI investigation of her, she literally was a declared candidate for President and campaigning actively for the office.

Hillary faces misogyny, unlike male politicians. She bears many extra unfair burdens Still for the reasons I mentioned above the two situations, hers and Bernie's, are not equivalent. If Bernie stays out in front of a major and growing national movement, and if he positions himself to run again in 2020 as the strong favorite to win the Democratic nomination, and we are talking about this again in early 2019 with the mid terms behind us and all eyes now glued instead on the 2020 race - then the circumstances could be called near equivalent

[Blue_true]

4. Unfortunately Hillary was an enormous target.

People seem to love bringing down the big person, even when that big person is a very decent human being. One sad aspect of the human condition.

[Goprox]

9. So give Bernie half the attention

Do you wanna go with a quarter of the attention, heck, I'll take one eighth.

[m-lekktor]

6. Well, if this Bernie investigation came about during the height of the presidential campaign like

Hillary's was I am sure it would be covered just as feverishly. To think Hillary's investigation during the height of the campaign shouldn't have been a hot news item is just plain LAUGHABLE. The act of just COVERING the investigation implies "Hillary hate" by the media to many of you. I mean seriously, why would they NOT cover a huge story like this, a presidential candidate under FBI investigation? And this idea that the media loved Bernie and hated Hillary is ridiculous and all it would take is a quick google search to prove it if one cared to even bother.

"Washington Post Ran 16 Negative Stories on Bernie Sanders in 16 Hours

http://fair.org/home/washington-post-ran-16-negative-stories-on-bernie-sanders

"Bernie Sanders Had to Overcome Media Consensus Around Hillary Clinton"

https://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2016/03/14/has-bernie-sanders-been-underestimated/bernie-sanders-had-to-overcome-media-consensus-around-hillary-clinton

"4 subtle (and not-so-subtle) ways the media undermines Bernie Sanders"

http://www.salon.com/2015/06/18/4_subtle_and_not_so_subtle_ways_the_media_undermines_bernie_sanders_partner/

I could go on but I am certain it is a waste of time...

[R B Garr]

7. Wrong. It's been around since at least January 2016, yet he is not asked

about it. He was on with Andrea Mitchell yesterday, and she didn't ask him about it. He has had beneficial treatment by the press.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/bernie-and-jane-sanders-under-fbi-investigation-for-bank-fraud-hire-lawyers/

[Goprox]

11. Don't expect Andrea to care

Her obsession is focused on one target.

[Goprox]

10. No, it wouldn't have. His name is not Bernie Clinton

If it were, you would be right.

[MineralMan]

12. Well, so far, Bernie Sanders' endorsement has not resulted

in any victories, so I'm not sure how much it actually means in real-world politics.

I don't wish Senator Sanders any ill, and hope he remains the Independent Senator from Vermont as long as his constituency continues to elect him. He is one of that state's voices in the Senate. I would prefer, though, that he concentrate on that job.

As for this investigation, I doubt if it will really get much attention from the media. It's just not that big a story.