Far-left Senator Bernie Sanders shocked many on Monday night as he lobbied for the restoration of voting rights for the Boston Marathon bomber, as well as those guilty of sexual assault. But you wouldn’t know this if you relied on the network morning shows. ABC, CBS and NBC, despite a combined six hours of available air time on Tuesday, ignored the startling comments, remarks that even baffled liberal CNN host Chris Cuomo.
Sanders appeared on CNN for the network’s night of town halls. Anne Carlstein, a student at Harvard University, pressed the 2020 candidate on insisting that felons should be able to vote: “Does this mean you would support enfranchising people like the Boston Marathon bomber, a convicted terrorist and murderer? Do you think that those convicted of sexual assault should have the opportunity to vote for politicians who could have a direct impact on women's rights?”
Yes. That’s exactly what he believes, even in the case of Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev:
Yes, even for terrible people, because once you start chipping away and you say, “Well that guy committed a terrible crime, not going to let him vote.” “Well that person did that. Not going to let that person vote,” you're running down a slippery slope.
Town Hall host Cuomo was so shocked by this that he tried to give Sanders a do-over:
Applause for the answer. My follow up question goes to this being, You’re writing an opposition ad against you by saying you think the Boston marathon bomber should vote, not after he pays his debt to society but while he's in jail. Are you sure about that?
The far-left candidate would have none of it, replying, “This is what I believe.”
ABC’s Good Morning America, CBS This Morning and NBC’s Today all avoided this exchange. But it’s not as though they were unaware of the town halls. All three featured clips of Sanders talking about impeachment and what the Democrats should do to Trump.
And it’s not as though there wasn’t time. With a combined six hours of air time, GMA devoted 6 minutes and 16 seconds to the new Pokemon movie. CBS This morning focused on England’s “royal baby watch” for 4 minutes and 22 seconds. Today fixated on singer Jennifer Lopez’s “ ”iconic Versace dress.” So it’s not like they were focused on more pressing topics.
As far as the incendiary statement itself, CNN’s Don Lemon on Monday night put the same question to Senator Kamala Harris. She equivocated:
DON LEMON: People who are in — convicted, in prison, like the Boston Marathon bomber, on death row, people who are convicted of sexual assault, they should be able to vote?
KAMALA HARRIS: I think we should have that conversation. [Audience murmurs.]
LEMON: Okay.
In another town hall, candidate Pete Buttigieg disagreed, saying, “No, I don’t think so.”
A transcript of the Sanders question and answer can be found below. Click “expand” to read more:
CNN
Bernie Sanders town hall
4/22/19
9:04PM ETANNE CARLSTEIN (Student, Harvard University): Senator Sanders, you said that you believe that people with felony records should be allowed to vote while in prison. Does this mean you would support enfranchising people like the Boston Marathon bomber, a convicted terrorist and murderer? Do you think that those convicted of sexual assault should have the opportunity to vote for politicians who could have a direct impact on women's rights?
BERNIE SANDERS: Okay. Thank you for the question, Anne. Let me just say this: What our campaign is about is creating a vibrant democracy. Today, as you know we have one of the lowest voter turn outs of any major country on Earth. I want to see us have one of the highest voter turn outs. And by the way, we're seeing more young people getting involved in the political process, but not enough. And in my view, if young people voted at the same percentage that older people voted in this country, we would transform this nation. But to get to your point, we live in a moment where cowardly Republican governors are trying to suppress the vote. And in fact, right here, as you may know, in New Hampshire the legislature and the governor are working hard to make it more difficult for young people to vote and to me that is incredibly undemocratic, un-American process and I say to those people, by the way, if you don't have the guts to participate in free and fair elections, you should get another job and get out of politics. All right?
So, Anne, to answer your question, as it happens in my own state of Vermont from the very first days of our state's history our constitution says everybody can vote. So people in jail can vote. If somebody commits a serious crime, sexual assault, murder, they're going to be punished. They may be in jail for 10 years, 20 years, 50 years, their whole lives. That's what happens when you commit a serious crime but I think the right to vote is inherent to our democracy. Yes, even for terrible people, because once you start chipping away and you say, “Well that guy committed a terrible crime, not going to let him vote.” “Well that person did that. Not going to let that person vote,” you're running down a slippery slope. So I believe that people commit crimes, they paid the price and they have the right to vote. But I do believe even if they're in jail they're paying their price to society but that should not take away their American right to participate in our democracy.
CUOMO: Applause for the answer. My follow up question goes to this being, “You’re writing an opposition ad against you by saying you think the Boston marathon bomber should vote, not after he pays his debt to society but while he's in jail. Are you sure about that?
SANDERS: [Audience laughs.] Well, Chris, I think I have written many 30 second opposition ads throughout my life. This will be just another one. But I do believe — this is what I believe. You believe in democracy? That every single American 18 years of age or older who is an American citizen has the right to vote? Once you start chipping away at that, believe me, that's what our Republican governors are doing.
10:38pmDON LEMON: People who are in — convicted, in prison, like the Boston marathon bomber, on death row, people who are convicted of sexual assault, they should be able to vote?
KAMALA HARRIS: I think we should have that conversation. [Audience murmurs.]
LEMON: Okay.
