Friday, February 26, 2016
West Lebanon — The Bernie Sanders campaign has acknowledged it erred when it posted a YouTube video that included the Valley News in a list of organizations and media that have endorsed the Vermont senator in his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination.
The Valley News editorial board has not made an endorsement in the Democratic race, chiefly between Sanders and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Both candidates are headed full steam ahead toward the first-in-the-nation New Hampshire primary on Tuesday.
What Happened
On Wednesday this week, the Sanders campaign posted a 30-second ad on its YouTube account, Bernie 2016, titled “Endorsed,” that has since been replaced by a new version, shown at the top of this page.
The original version, which was taken down, included the logos of seven organizations, including unions, an environmental group and news publications. The words “endorsed by” appeared above six of the logos, including the Valley News’.
The words “endorsed by” did not appear above The Nashua Telegraph. That newspaper has not endorsed anybody in the Democratic race, either, according to Executive Editor Roger Carroll.
The new version removed the words “endorsed by” from above the Valley News logo.
Both versions of the ad quoted an editorial that appeared in the Valley News more than a year ago, when the editorial board welcomed a Sanders candidacy as a way to introduce a number of issues into the presidential race.
The excerpted piece of the editorial from Jan. 1, 2015, said that “Sanders has been genuinely outraged about the treatment of ordinary Americans for as long as we can remember.”
Swift Reaction
Sam Frizell of Time magazine first noted the discrepancy Wednesday afternoon. The magazine’s website published a piece called Sanders Campaign Ad Misleadingly Suggests Endorsements.
Dean Barker, a Clinton supporter and Latin teacher in the Upper Valley who is a prominent Democratic activist, soon spread the story to his 2,200 Twitter followers.
Sanders Responds
A campaign spokesman acknowledged the mistake to Valley News Editor Martin Frank today.
The original version with the words “endorsed by” above the Valley News logo did not air on television, the spokesman said.
The incorrect YouTube video was taken down today and replaced with the new version.
Clinton Responds
The Clinton campaign today released a response to the video called “Not Endorsed,” which plays clips from the original ad and asks, “Why is Bernie Sanders knowingly misleading voters?”
Sanders Video Transcript
Here’s a full transcript of the narration from both versions of Sanders’ video:
“From postal workers to nurses, he’s been endorsed for real change.
“Bernie Sanders.
“Endorsed by Friends of the Earth Action as a bold fearless voice for the planet.
“ The Nation endorses Bernie, saying you ‘can trust Sanders because he doesn’t owe his political career to the financial overlords.’
“ The Nashua Telegraph declares he’s ‘not beholden to Wall Street money.’
“The Valley News says Sanders has been ‘genuinely outraged about the treatment of ordinary Americans for as long as we can remember.’ ”
Republican Race
In the Republican race, the Valley News editorial board endorsed John Kasich last month.
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Posted online Thursday. Follow the Valley News on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @VNewsUV.