The Folly of Condemning Bernie for Going on Joe Rogan’s Podcast

Bernie Sanders has gone on Joe Rogan, and doubtless we will see a torrent of false outrage along the lines of:

“Bernie Sanders has appeared on a channel that also interviews far right figures!”

But I can’t help but wonder, where is the outrage when presidential candidates go on networks such as CNN, MSNBC and ABC that interview personages like:

1. George Bush and his inner circle, responsible for the deaths of millions
2. Obama- not quite so many deaths, as Bush, but plenty still.
3. Trump and numerous surrogates.
4. Many, many far right figures.?

It would be absurd to demand that a candidate not appear on these media outlets, as obnoxious as they may be. They offer an opportunity to reach a unique audience, whatever their massive flaws. The same is true of Joe Rogan. Should Joe Rogan’s show be verboten because he has interviewed, say, Peterson, whereas CNN, MSNBC, ABC etc. remain perfectly permissible despite having interviewed Henry Kissinger? Pretending that Joe Rogan is somehow qualitatively worse than, say, CNN is respectability politics.