Does excluding Senator Bernie Sanders from polls help build unity within the Democratic Party?
On June 17, 2017, MorningConsult.com/Politico published poll results along with the catchy headline, “The Most Popular 2020 Democratic Prospect Not Named Joe Biden.”
At the top of the list, former Vice President Joe Biden, 74 percent, and Senator Elizabeth Warren, 51 percent, on a graph titled, “Share of Democrats who view these politicians favorably (ranked by net favorability)”. The graph title: “Biden is the Base’s Favorite Among 2020 Contenders.” The survey was conducted June 8 to June 12 “among a national sample of 1,990 registered voters.”
How did Bernie Sanders do? He didn’t even make the list. The pollsters apparently didn’t even think he ought to be on the list of 19 names that included the likes of Disney CEO Bob Iger, Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington, and Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts.
It’s not like voters don’t like the guy. TheHill.com published a poll two months ago declaring, “Poll: Bernie Sanders country’s most popular active politician,” concluding that, “Sanders is viewed favorably by 57 percent of registered voters, according to data from a Harvard-Harris survey provided exclusively to The Hill.” That’s 57 percent of all registered voters, not 57 percent of Democratic Party registered voters!
Was he excluded because maybe he’s not a Democrat?
He is so much not a Democrat that, at the 2016 Democratic National Convention, Bernie Sanders received just shy of 40% of all delegate votes, and every one of those votes was from a registered Democrat!
He is so much not a Democrat that he recently went on a “Unity Tour” with newly elected Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez — as a way to help repair what pretty much everyone who isn’t clenching their eyes shut 24/7 says is a gargantuan schism within the Democratic Party.
What better way to heal than to pretend he doesn’t exist, right?
Could this be because, even on the Unity Tour, he has, at times, continued to blast the national party establishment?
It just hit me! For a minute, I thought it was the Russians! Thankfully, not this one time! This was all just merely nothing more than an innocent omission! That’s all! It would be SO easy to overlook arguably the most popular politician in America right now in a poll of potential 2020 Democratic candidates, right?! Could happen to any massive news organization! I really need to pull myself away more from all the fake news that I so closely follow and adore!
The article really should’ve been titled, “The Most Popular 2020 Democratic Prospects Not Named Bernie Sanders.”
I’ve reached out to MorningConsult.com/Politico asking why he was excluded, and will update if I hear back.
Whenever anyone questions media objectivity, reporters should really keep giving us that raised ‘how dare you’ look, and thumbing their noses at bloggers, YouTubers, Facebookers, and everyone else. Traditional media is so right to inoculate themselves by casting critics as conspiracy theorists, fake news clickbait, and self-entitled whiners incapable of and/or unqualified to be able to examine issues with the same critical eye they have.
Let’s face it, they have the market cornered on objective analysis, because they are just so much smarter than the rest of us. Look at the great job their crystal balls did in the 2016 election. Look how right they were when they scoffed anytime anyone remotely suggested then-candidate Trump had even half a chance. Ha!
Journalists should never recognize the biases we all have, acknowledge that prism, and report the facts, personal feelings aside. They most certainly shouldn’t be calmly saying that every news report and source is not only worthy of scrutiny — it requires it. That would be silly!
This is exactly the sort of exclusion that gives rise to the idea that, as George Carlin said, “the game is rigged.”
I have an open request for all media and pollsters:
Given his viability as a Presidential candidate in 2016, and his tremendous popularity (both inside and outside the Democratic Party), please include Bernie Sanders as a potential Democratic candidate for President in 2020 in every single poll asking registered voters who they’d like to see run.
Failing to do so only further damages the state of journalism, the Democratic Party, your preferred candidate, your credibility, and actually gives rise to more fake news.
If you don’t remember who he is, please feel free to ask the next random stranger you happen to run into. Everybody knows Bernie, even in Russia. By the way, keep writing exclusively about Russia. Don’t talk about the economy, like Bernie does, because, obviously his enormous popularity has nothing to do with the fact that he talks about income and wealth inequality, and how the middle class and poor have gotten and keep getting screwed at the expense of the rich. People can’t relate to that. People want to know what’s happening 6,000 miles away. Hey, by the way, how’s the 800 thread in your hotel suite? Is the fluffy robe soft enough? Oh, you’re right - what do I know? After all, I live in California, where taking a yoga class and an oath of veganism is required to get a Driver’s License, right?
B-e-r-n-i-e S-a-n-d-e-r-s. Some people sort of dig him. He even ran for President in 2016. No, really. 2016. Remember? Yeah, that guy. I think he might even still have a website too. Check him out. Some people think he has a really strong chance, and is an extremely viable potential 2020 candidate for the Democratic Party. No, seriously. You think? Really? That’s a great idea! I’m so glad you thought of that! You’re so smart!