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: