I doubt Sanders was at liberty to say anything about the FBI briefing until it became public.

[mr_lebowski]

28. This is ridiculous criticism IMHO ...

He's supposed to come out and say ... what?

"Ladies and Gentleman I've learned that Russia is trying to help me in the Primaries. You know, like everyone already knows they did in 2016, seems they're doing it again. I didn't ask for them to do it, I want them to cut it out, but the rest of the Senate won't do anything about it!'

And then what?

IOW, what does anybody ELSE in the race do differently? Attack him and accuse him of welcoming it? Remind everyone he's a Socialist, just like Russia used to be? Remind everyone he's praised USSR? Question his loyalty to the USA?

The ones who don't go that route ... start saying, like everyone here does, that Russia is doing it because he's the weakest candidate against Trump?

So, everyone here expects him to undermine his own campaign and open himself up to all kinds of criticism ... Just because Putin made this decision ... against his wishes?

The outcome is basically ALL BAD for him, nothing good about it whatsoever. But in no way 'his fault'.

"But he NEEEEDED to tell us, because REASONS!"

AFAIC ... I don't blame him for saying 'fuck that'.

I also say ... we already all knew. We knew in 2016, and we knew the same would happen in 2020.