Chuck Todd occupies a singular position in broadcast journalism: host of the oldest program in the history of American television.  Yesterday, he did something that must have Tim Russert, Lawrence Spivak, and Martha Rountree spinning in their graves.  He hosted Bernie Sanders, arguably the leader of the American electoral left, and did not ask him about the FBI investigation of his wife for suspected $10-million bank fraud, nor about reports that he and his wife are lawyering up.

Stephen Miller tweeted:

Oh weird... Chuck Todd has Bernie Sanders on and doesn't question him about being under FBI investigation. https://t.co/S9WgiCvwqU

— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) June 25, 2017

I am sorry: this is pretending that a potentially huge story does not exist, presumably to spare Sanders fans the pain of discovering that their idol might not be quite the idealist they supposed he was.  The guy who once lived in a shack with a dirt floor now has three houses.  But instead of even acknowledging that the topic exists, Todd let Bernie off that hook.  (He did press Sanders on his rhetoric of people dying if a GOP bill becomes law.)

The point of asking Sanders about the criminal law counsel he has hired is not the answer he would give.  The only prudent answer would be that as a matter under investigation, he cannot comment on it on advice of counsel.

But that would have the fact of the investigation publicly acknowledged by Sanders on Meet the Press.  That is footage that would make news for the program and be in the best tradition of its broadcast legacy, one of the few remaining glories NBC News can point to.  "Sanders declines to comment on FBI investigation" would be the headline on Drudge.  It would spread via social media to Bernie's entire fan base.

But that ain't gonna happen, thanks to Chuck.

The obvious comparison to all the fuss made over a nonexistent FBI criminal investigation of President Trump's "collusion" with Russia only highlights the importance of Silent Chuck's help for Bernie and the left. 

Hat tip: Soopermexican, The Right Scoop