Tipsheet

Why Bernie Sanders Got Testy During His MSNBC Segment With Jen Psaki

It happens more often since the progressive wing is becoming a louder voice within the Democratic Party: bloodsports between the leftist and more traditional sects of liberal America. The latter is viewed as not revolutionary enough, a dated throwback to the Clinton days of the 1990s, which these rebels can do without. Sen. Bernie Sanders, a self-identified democratic socialist, is on a little book tour, plugging his screed against capitalism. You’d think that MSNBC would be friendly territory, but that wasn’t true for the Vermont lefty. 

Of all people, MSNBC host Jen Psaki proved insufficiently outraged at the many issues facing America. Either that or she wasn’t left-wing enough; both are probably true. Psaki is a liberal Democrat but not a full-blown Trotskyite. Kevin Tober of Newsbusters clipped the testy exchange:  


When MSNBC's bias isn't far-left enough for you, that tells you all you need to know about how out of touch with reality that person is. Such was the case on Sunday's Inside With Jen Psaki when former Biden press secretary and current MSNBC host Jen Psaki interviewed Socialist Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders about the news of the week and his new book "It's OK to Be Angry About Capitalism" which the hypocritical Socialist is selling on Amazon for $17.89. Things quickly got heated from there.

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Of course, Sanders just wanted to be sucked up to and greatly resented someone even meekly challenging his pro-socialist/communist agenda. He predictably got nasty and melted down:

Jen, what’s important–abortion is a huge issue. Social justice is a huge issue. But you, know sometimes the corporate media forgets about it and Congress forgets about it. You and I were chatting today. You know that there are tens and tens of millions of Americans who cannot afford health care who are scared to death that if their kid or their parent gets sick they don't know what's going to happen. There are people working for starvation wages. There are moms who can't afford to send their kids to decent childcare. Can't even find a slot! Those are issues of enormous consequence, we don't talk about. You tell me! We’ve got three people on top today, who own more wealth than the bottom half of American society. Is that an issue we should be talking about? Does that sound like we have an economy that works for all of us? Or just the few? Is that an issue worth discussing?    

After Sanders demanded to know why MSNBC and other corporate media outlets weren't screaming like a demented homeless person about his socialist priorities as he does every day, Psaki shot back that "we’re talking about it now, Senator." She then tried to ask Sanders about Biden's nominee for Labor Secretary, but Sanders wouldn't let the subject go. 

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Psaki once again responded, "I have you on today we are having a conversation about all of these issues." 

And people wonder why the far-left is unpalatable to most voters. Here’s a prime example—they cannot get out of their own way. While Sanders is the face for this ascending, riled-up, and unabashedly left-wing slice of the Democratic Party, they’re hemmed in by geographic appeal. The Sanders wing is mostly young, white, college-educated, urbanized, and wealthy. That’s not a winning coalition for national elections. Could it cause trouble for the Democratic Party establishment? Yes. Could they mount a fight? 

Yes, and they have, but it always fizzles out once these primary contests head to the southern states. And given how Democrats allocate their delegates, it makes it impossible for someone like Bernie, to catch up and win. We’ve seen that twice now. How long will that voter wall, which is mostly comprised of black Democrats, hold up is unknown. But Bernie isn’t doing any favors getting this irritable on MSNBC, of all places.