Bernie Misses Out on NYT Endorsement as Paper Disses Dem’s Health and Age

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders is feeling the heat in January, with just over two weeks until the Iowa caucuses will propel the nation headfirst into the meat-and-potatoes of the 2020 election.

Sanders is certainly among the top tier of Democratic candidates heading into Iowa, joining fellow Senator Elizabeth Warren, former Vice President Joe Biden, and former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg in the upper echelon of possible nominees.

But Sanders is a controversial figure, due in no small part to his affinity for democratic socialism.  The Democratic establishment itself is none too fond of this, and, as such, a number of Sanders’ supporters believe that their candidate is being attacked by “powers that be”.

The latest piece of evidence in their theory comes from The New York Times.

The Times officially endorsed both Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) on Sunday. While the editorial board commended Sanders for his decades of “advocating revolutionary change” and noted that many of his ideas, like universal health care and paid family leave, are now embraced in the mainstream Democrat Party, the Times demonstrated concern about his age and health:

Mr. Sanders would be 79 when he assumed office, and after an October heart attack, his health is a serious concern. Then, there’s how Mr. Sanders approaches politics. He boasts that compromise is anathema to him. Only his prescriptions can be the right ones, even though most are overly rigid, untested and divisive. He promises that once in office, a groundswell of support will emerge to push through his agenda. Three years into the Trump administration, we see little advantage to exchanging one over-promising, divisive figure in Washington for another.

The paper would go on to call Warren a “gifted storyteller” – a designation that certainly has some humorous connotations for those who’ve been following her career.