Senator Bernie Sanders won the New Hampshire Democratic primary on Tuesday. But only according to the vote totals. You see, on the internet and cable news, his win wasn't the REAL win.

Just ask former Obama campaign manager Jim Messina, who on MSNBC argued that the real "big winner" was Mike Bloomberg. Or Washington Post's Jennifer Rubin, who said the real winner was Pete Buttigieg.

There were a lot of those takes. They didn't go over so well on social media. At all.

Perhaps the most extensive "Sanders won but didn't WIN win" take was from MSNBC's Chuck Todd on Wednesday afternoon. "I don’t understand how Bernie is considered a frontrunner," he said of the New Hampshire victor, (who also won the popular vote in Iowa...they think.)

Winning isn't everything. And it isn't the only thing, either. In fact, it is barely anything, apparently.

The Iowa Caucuses were a mess that will go down in history. A mess punctuated poetically by the simple failure of a sign to stick to a podium.

The state Democratic party agreed to do a limited recanvassing, at the request of the Sanders and Buttigieg campaigns.

And on Wednesday afternoon, party chair Troy Price announced his resignation.

Intervention

The sentencing recommendation change by the Department of Justice in the case of Roger Stone, which resulted in four prosecutors withdrawing from the case altogether, was not just big news in the media over the last 24 hours, but on the President's Twitter, as well.

That is not just because it was his attacks on the sentence that immediately preceded the change, but because his attacks continued into the night and began again early Wednesday morning. He attacked the judge, for one thing. He praised Attorney General William Barr for the change, mixed with some further bashing.

It all seems to confirm reporting by NBC that Barr is personally intervening in, and taking control of, "legal matters of interest to Trump." A development that was met with huge backlash, naturally. 

And which, equally naturally, the White House has attempted to deny, Trump tweets aside.

MSNBC's Morning Joe, notably among those objecting, featured host Joe Scarborough referring to Trump as a "would-be dictator" who would "arrest us tomorrow" if he could.

Gaetz's time in the wilderness. 

Noted yesterday in this space was the feud between NYT's Maggie Haberman and Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz over whether he'd been sent from Trump's sight over his vote on war powers.

Well if at least one Trump PAC had anything to say about, he certainly would be. And they paid for the Facebook placement to try and achieve it.

Badgers? We don't need no stinking badgers.

Or rather, we don't need them unless we're expected to answer questions from President Trump during high level briefings. Because apparently he had a LOT of badger questions for former Chief of Staff Reince Priebus. 

YouTurks

Green Room mentioned yesterday the big investment by Google's YouTube into progressive show The Young Turks, founded by Cenk Uygur. That was mostly about the objections from the right.

But why, exactly, is YouTube undertaking this venture? Mediaite's Matthew Kassel examines here.

Spicer things up

Ok, it's two days to Valentine's Day. You're scrambling. You haven't yet gotten that special someone in your life the perfect gift to show them your love. You've struck out at Kay Jewelers (too pricey), and 1-800 Flowers (too tacky), and Godiva (too chocolatey ... ok that's not a thing. Just go with us on this).

Fret not, procrastinator. We've got you covered. For the low, low price of $199, former White House press secretary Sean Spicer will record a personalized message for that irreplaceable person in your life.

"The best way to tell someone you love them," said Spicer — a well-chronicled master of the spoken word.

Not convinced? Check out Spicer's full pitch here. And be prepared to empty your wallet.