Sen. Bernie Sanders

The Public Interest Research Group came up with a matching-funds plan that would benefit candidates who have raised the most money from small donations.

The Jewish Democratic presidential candidate admitted differences with his conservative Christian audience at Liberty University, but called for civil discourse on social justice and morality issues.

The biggest conventional names in American politics — Clinton and Bush — have stumbled this summer as Americans look to channel their frustrations through unconventional outsiders.

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders has the energy, the enthusiasm and now showing strength in the poll numbers as the Democratic nomination contest looks more and more like a race every day.

The wisdom of the crowd is at the heart of the democratic ideal. Someone is saying something others want to hear. But if you've looked at crowds from both sides, you know they can also be misleading.

In the long run, "the Sanders summer" is likely to boost Hillary Clinton's bid for the White House. Indeed, from her perspective, Bernie Sanders may be the ideal rival en route to the nomination.

But his congressional salary puts him in the top five percent of income earners.