Washington Post Retracts Bernie Sanders Image After Charges of Anti-Semitism
Photos courtesy of Getty Politics Features Bernie Sanders
In the ongoing war between WaPo and Bernie Sanders, the latest salvo is truly bizarre; in a story about Sanders raising $34.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2019, the paper chose a very strange picture to accompany the digital version:
I’m not saying The Washington Post was being deliberately antisemitic when they used this photo for Bernie’s fundraising article, but…
It’s an odd choice for an article about a Jewish man raising a lot of money.
Not a photo of him smiling, or speaking. It had to be this one. pic.twitter.com/MoxxqEG3T7
— Samuel D. Finkelstein II (@CANCEL_SAM) January 2, 2020
Here’s the contrast with the image used in the Pete Buttigieg fourth quarter story:
Mayor Pete: American flag backdrop, well lit photo, giving a speech
Bernie: Dark photo, backdrop is the word “not,” rubbing hands together
These aren’t accidents, they’re editorial decisions. pic.twitter.com/eCMiI8w11d
— Samuel D. Finkelstein II (@CANCEL_SAM) January 2, 2020
The choice of image, as many on Twitter were quick to point out, reflected a classic anti-Semitic trope that the Anti-Defamation League calls “The Happy Merchant.” The reactions were instantaneous:
by contrast, here’s how bernie—a jewish man—was depicted compared with pete. pic.twitter.com/9OQFgZWz9S
— jordan (@JordanUhl) January 2, 2020
bernie sure does love money and rubbing his hands together huh @washingtonpost? pic.twitter.com/IN6qgysnGT
— radicle (@real__radicle) January 2, 2020
Seriously, what the fuck is WaPo doing? pic.twitter.com/guW2601xfU
— Walker Bragman (@WalkerBragman) January 2, 2020
On Thursday afternoon, after more backlash, WaPo changed the article image:
After backlash, WaPo changed its photo. pic.twitter.com/Dp10G99cxB
— Walker Bragman (@WalkerBragman) January 2, 2020
As of now, no statement has been released and there’s no explanation of how the picture came to be used in the first place.