Will the press turn toward Bernie?

[Admiral Loinpresser]

Hillary is definitely getting grumblings from the national political press (see link for video at bottom). Could that benefit Bernie? Don’t forget that would be another advantage in the general election. Three reasons the press could move favorably toward Bernie:

1. Access is the mother’s milk to campaign reporters. The video shows the dramatic lack of access to Hillary. Bernie has a plus there.

2. Bernie is the horse race story. The press always gravitates to a horse race.

3. Bernie is the Cool Kid in this cycle.

Campaign reporters have been likened to a “gaggle of Heathers,” when it comes to running down someone who isn’t the Cool Kid. Some are already running down Hillary for her lack of access to reporters and real people.

We know who the Cool Kids are. In the 2000 cycle, John McCain started out as the Cool Kid with the blessing of the pre-exiled and then powerful Don Imus. The press lionized McCain but he couldn’t overcome the Bush Machine. Hollywood types tried to anoint Ralph Nader, but it never really had the juice of McCain’s glorification. Gore lost the access battle with Bush and was crucified for the rest of the campaign. Hillary could be headed for that kind of relationship with the press and it might well mean the difference in the general election.

http://howhegotthere.blogspot.com/

In the 2004 cycle it was Howard Dean until his campaign was undermined in ways beyond the scope of this OP. In 2008 it was clearly Obama and to a lesser extent in 2012. In 2016 Bernie is the Cool Kid, with no end in sight to his momentum.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/04/politics/hillary-clinton-rope-line-reporters/

[brooklynite]

1. "Access is the mother’s milk to campaign reporters" none of which were behind the rope...

...the rope was controlling camera crews so they didn't obstruct Hillary's ability to interact with voters on the parade route./

[DemocratSinceBirth]

2. Explain it to me like I'm a six year old....

What gives the press the right to intrude on a parade march they aren't a part of?


Can I just join the Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade and start marching?

[Admiral Loinpresser]

3. Bernie interacts more with reporters and regular people than Hillary. n/t

[DemocratSinceBirth]

4. That wasn't my question

I want to know if I can willy nilly barge in on parades and start marching.

[Admiral Loinpresser]

5. A six year old often wants the big picture,

regardless of what question is asked. The linked video explains the bigger picture: lack of access to Hillary. Answering your specific question would not have hit the truth of the contrast in style between the candidacies.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

6. Hillary is like Elvis... She's a rock star... She doesn't need the press...

Again, do I have the right to just intrude on somebody's parade and start marching?

[Admiral Loinpresser]

8. Bernie is like the Beatles and the press was usually with the Beatles.

Of course, the answer to your specific question is no, but I don't think it is an important question in view of how the press ganged up on Hillary in the linked video. The press doesn't gang up on the Cool Kid.

I would much rather have a candidate treated well by the press than one not so well.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

11. Do you really believe that Senator Sanders is as well known as the Beatles?

eom

[Admiral Loinpresser]

13. No. My point was

that the Beatles are/were cooler than Elvis. Bernie has the big crowds and enthusiasm at another level.

[Fumesucker]

14. The Beatles weren't always well known

Hillary is Elvis and Bernie is the Beatles just on the verge of fame, Bernie says stuff none of the other candidates are saying.

Q: How do you find America?

A: Turn left at Greenland..

Romney Hood gave good advice.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

20. Joking, right?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

21. You talkin' to me?

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

40. Yep.

[peacebird]

26. In our town you are encouraged to hop in and join the parade!

Since you asked.... Willy nilly is best!

[appalachiablue]

15. This is evident to many. Different people and styles, and room for all.

Happy 4th of July Independence Day America and Senator and Mrs. Sanders!

[sadoldgirl]

7. It is understandable that HRC avoids

the media to a great extent. They have pestered her for too
long and too often.

Does that give Bernie a better chance? I am not so sure of
that. Media go where there is excitement or scandal. Bernie
sticks to his message though, and that may sound boring
to them in comparison to some of the outrageous remarks
coming from the clown car. Trump knows that and is using
it to the fullest.

[Admiral Loinpresser]

10. They seem to like playing video of large, enthusiastic

crowds. It is way too early to say how things will break with the press. But after being ignored and then ridiculed, Bernie may find an advantage in the press to the detriment of Hillary. I agree the clown car is still generating more press than anything, especially Trump, but the Democratic race is interesting now to the press it clearly wasn't even a month ago.

[MoonRiver]

9. Much ado about nothing, as usual.

How does Bernie stack up against the GOP rivals?

[stonecutter357]

25. He is a gun nut

so they should love him,

[appalachiablue]

12. The Media is covering Sanders because of his popular, fresh stances and rising support.

Success has many fathers, failure has none.

Go Bernie!

[BrotherIvan]

16. I personally think we cannot count on the media

Right now they are covering Bernie because they are left with no choice.

But Hillary is expected to raise $2 BILLION dollars, and a good chunk of that will go to the media. They WANT her to be the nominee, for the race to be about who can spend the most money because they will benefit.

Reading some places like Vox and Slate is rather interesting because they let their positions be known very early that they want HRC. Other places may want to appear more objective. But in the end, they will always go for the money and power. That is why Bernie and his campaign really has to take advantage of her avoidance of media right now. And I think that they are.

[Admiral Loinpresser]

17. That is a strong counterargument.

If editors feel the squeeze from management or simply want to avoid the "corporately incorrect" and potentially career limiting message, they may punt on Bernie. But as long as HRC is denying access to campaign reporters, I don't see her coverage improving from here.

[BrotherIvan]

18. If she is going to play this game with the media the whole time

It will be the worst campaign in the history of the United States for a serious candidate.

[Admiral Loinpresser]

19. yep. n/t

[Buns_of_Fire]

22. As long as the numbers remain in her favor, there's no reason to change tactics.

And there's always that juicy $2 Billion in ad revenue that the media will always keep in the back of their minds.

If things were to remain as they are right now, she could just go off and sit on a mountaintop and commune with the dandelions until the debates. Let the machine handle the ad buys and leave any direct confrontation to the surrogates (hopefully, more adroit ones than McCaskill). Not that she isn't CAPABLE of it, it just doesn't seem to be her preferred style of campaigning.

[BrotherIvan]

23. People will be very tired of the dance come election day

And so far, the main narrative is how many points she is losing. Not good press. If Biden jumps in, things will definitely shift. I think she's hoping he will.

[Buns_of_Fire]

27. You're probably right; hence the "if."

I don't know that she'd want Biden involved, though. Based on absolutely nothing that I could possibly prove, I think he'd siphon more votes from her than from Sanders -- they're probably closer in economic philosophy, and the Bernie folks are making it pretty clear that that philosophy just won't fly any more.

It's still early days. Anything can happen.

[kelliekat44]

24. Yes, in hopes of defeating Hillary. The press has a lot of influence on elections.

They helped Obama as they pilloried Hillary the last time out. They really didn't think BO would win because of his race. They went a little too far and to their amazement...we got the best President in modern history,

[mucifer]

28. I'm gonna vote for Bernie in the primaries. But, I think the press

will do to him what they did to Howard Dean.

Just my prediction.

[Cosmocat]

29. Most likely

nm

[Cosmocat]

30. Heads are going to explode

As sensitive and tightly wound as some Bernie supporters are, getting apocalyptic over garden variety political elbows to the ribs, folks here are going to absolutely lose their minds when the media actually comes after him.

The same fantasy that we will magically get single payer, universal health care if Bernie becomes POTUS is matched by the truly unicorn thinking that the media will breathlessly treat him like the second coming of Jesus.

Such point as his campaign progresses to the point where he would be seen as a truly viable threat to Hillary, he is going to see a shit storm of stupid like any other democrat.

THIS is the high point for positive press coverage for Bernie - he's getting the gutty underdog treatment now.

[Admiral Loinpresser]

31. Here is my unicorn vision:

Bernie will have long coattails and will change the environment in Congress. Also, Bernie will be asking millions of people to take to the streets AFTER his inauguration, especially Washington, to get his program passed.

[Cosmocat]

32. He is going to be lucky to win

first off ...

The rest of this stuff is putting the cart WELL before the horse.

BHO was going to change the culture in DC, and has been a fricken adult in a room full of 2 year olds for 6 years.

With Dems readily throwing him under the bus along the way beyond republicans being complete assholes.

If it provides the energy to help him get elected, I guess it serves a purpose.

But, sorry, the seas of stupidity in this country aren't going to part just because Bernie becomes POTUS.

[Admiral Loinpresser]

33. Bernie has a plan for Congress.

He's calling for one million people to march on DC after he is inaugurated. His crossover appeal would make him formidable in red areas and that can serve to give him longer coattails. Between changing the faces in congress and putting millions on the streets, I think he can have a good 2017. This is more than a campaign. It is a movement.

[Cosmocat]

34. OK

It is barely a campaign and pretty significantly removed from a "movement" at this point.

It could be a movement, but again 10 steps removed from that at this point.

Such point as he surpasses Hillary as the presumptive dem nominee, you will count on one hand the number of republicans who will support him.

This is the heady stuff of a VERY early stage campaign that has yet to see any real hiccups or even the first salvo of REAL anti-democrat framing from Rs and Ds.

I like him a lot, and this is NOT about him.

People are going from 1 to 100 on this without even so much as stopping at 2.

[Admiral Loinpresser]

36. I take your point.

Early mania can generate hyperbole. But there is something real there. As I organize in my own community and help connect communities in my region, I feel the ground is oh so fertile. I was involved in the Occupy Movement and this has a similar feel in terms of Net enthusiasm. This is different though, in that it can't be squelched by police brutality, the way the OWS movement was.

[Cosmocat]

37. Fair enough

and thank you working at the level you are.

I have been really impressed w how he has stayed the course to this point. Just has a great way of directly calling things for what rhey are.

But, he IS going to get hit with some SERIOUS bullshit by the media once the rs view him as the top d candidate.

How he responds and how the people of this country react to him when they start throwing shit at the walls to negatively frame him will say a lot about the campaign/movement.

[Admiral Loinpresser]

38. +1 n/t

[november3rd]

35. My Guess Is No

If you think they let the air out of Howard Dean's campaign in a hurry, they're going to do it to Bernie so fast, if we blink, we miss it. He has to run a completely grass roots campaign, by word of mouth messaging across the whole country.

[Admiral Loinpresser]

39. Yes, it is probably

much more about press hostility to HRC, than love of Bernie. Agree completely regarding your grass roots point.

[nc4bo]

41. It won't matter much what they think. Way too many people are hardwired into the internet

These people will then talk to their family, friends and neighbors. Social media has nearly made traditional media spectators.

Look at the stories DU reports on are usually light years ahead of traditional news and even 24/7 news brokers.

It seems each election season, the internet is becoming more and more important and powerful.

As long as Sanders continues to talk to the people, he holds the power.