A subtle media phenomenon on the campaign trail has not gone unnoticed. The press is perhaps overlooking a certain item from Sen.Bernard Sanders‘ resume.

“The Cold War is clearly over. In just a few decades, the media have dragged the U.S. from red, white and blue to just red. ABC, CBS and NBC have normalized the far-left views of socialist presidential candidate Bernie Sanders simply by refusing to say the word ‘socialism’ — ignoring it in 82 percent of stories,” says Joseph Rossell, an analyst for Newsbusters.com.

“Socialism, which used to be equated with gulag, bread lines and the deaths of tens of millions of innocent people, has become mainstream in the news media and an afterthought in their coverage,” he says.

The patient Mr. Rossell pored over morning and evening news shows on ABC, CBS, and NBC from April 1, 2014, to Aug. 17 to find that of the 94 stories about Mr. Sanders, only 17 mentioned he was a socialist, and “none included criticism of his views.”

REPUBLICANS GATHER TO DEFEND AMERICAN DREAM

Five Republican hopefuls and 3,300 grass-roots activists are poised to clamor for economic freedom and limited government at Americans for Prosperity’s Defending the American Dream Summit, which begins Friday in Columbus, Ohio.

“Freedom is on the march in the heartland,” organizers advise. And marching with them: former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Sens. Marco Rubioand Ted Cruz, Gov. Bobby Jindal and former Texas Gov. Rick Perry will have their say on reducing taxes, wasteful spending, stifling government overregulation and other factors which irk fiscal- and liberty-minded conservatives.

Also among those on the podium at the two-day event: Sens. Rob Portman and David Perdue, Reps. Jim Jordan and Brad Wenstrup, FCC commissioner Ajit Pai, Florida state Rep. Jose Oliva, and Jon Taffer, veteran nightclub entrepreneur and Spike TV host.

“Our goal is for our activists to leave Columbus renewed and better equipped to spread the message of freedom and free-market policies in their hometowns and neighborhoods,” says Luke Hilgemann, CEO of Americans for Prosperity.

‘SOMEBODY THAT CAN BE DEALT WITH’

An interesting observation from someone who has dealt with myriad personalities during his time on the global stage: Here are Donald Trump’s thoughts on Russian President Vladimir Putin, to the Fox Business Network:

“I actually think that he is somebody that can be dealt with. I think his dislike of President Obama is so intense that it really has affected the whole relationship. We’ve driven them into the arms of China, so that now these two are together, which is also the great sin. Don’t ever let Russia and China get together. We’ve driven them together. I think he is somebody that I would have a very decent relationship with if I ever win,” Mr. Trump told anchor Maria Bartiromo.

FIRST LADY MELANIA

Yes, Donald Trump campaigns on a jumbo scale: witness the “Donald J. Trump for President Pep Rally”, scheduled in Mobile, Alabama, on Friday, which drew such an overwhelming response from Trump fans that it had to be moved from an auditorium to the Ladd-Peebles Stadium, which can seat 40,000. The Republican front-runner may soon have a partner on the campaign trail, however.

Mr. Trump now says that his wife Melania could begin to make public appearances on his behalf by the end of August. The former model, jewelry designer and mother of his 9-year-old son Baron is ready for presidential politics, according to an extensive interview in The Hollywood Reporter this week.

Mrs. Trump will be along “pretty soon,” her spouse says. “She wants to do it. She is a very confident person. You’ve seen her on The View, and you’ve seen her on different shows, like Larry King. You’ve seen her being interviewed. She’s got a great style, and she would be an amazing first lady with heart,” Mr. Trump told the industry publication.

The couple first met in Manhattan and have been married for a decade. Inside Edition has already pronounced her to be the “Jackie O of the 21st Century.”

THE REPUBLICAN WAR CHEST

A dutiful accounting here: Republican National Committee chairmanReince Priebus reports that the GOP raised $7.7 million in July — bringing the grand total to $63.1 million for the 2016 election cycle so far. Ninety-nine percent of the donations are $200 and under, the average being $65.

“Regardless of who is nominated, the RNC will be ready to support that candidate with a nationwide infrastructure to take our party’s message of opportunity to every voter,” Mr. Priebus says.

WHERE ARE THE HOPEFULS?

And speaking of dutiful, here is your weekend update on where the presidential hopefuls will be in the next 72 hours. In Iowa, Sen. Ted Cruzplus Govs. Chris Christie and Bobby Jindal are the last to appear at the Iowa State Fair’s presidential soapbox on Friday and Saturday; Rick Santorum has nine events in nine towns through the weekend. Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, the lone Democrat in the Hawkeye State at the moment, appears at four meet-and-greets and one ice cream social.

Things are a little sparse in South Carolina. Sen. Bernard Sanders will stage three town halls in Greenville, Sumter and Charleston this weekend; Ben Carson arrives Sunday for six events; he’ll also formally file his papers to appear on the GOP primary ballot.

Things are bustling in New Hampshire. Govs. Scott Walker and Chris Christie, Carly Fiorina and Sen. Lindsey Graham are on hand almost statewide for myriad small-scale events — with Mrs. Fiorina making the most appearances. For the Dems, Lincoln Chafee has a single event in Hillsborough; the aforementioned Mr. Sanders arrives Sunday for a series of four town halls.

WEEKEND REAL ESTATE

For sale: “Donald Trump’s First Mansion,” occupied by Mr. Trump from 1982 to 1991. Georgian Colonial built in 1939 located on a 6-acre peninsula on Long Island Sound near Greenwich, Connecticut. Eight bedrooms, 10 baths, a 19,773-square-foot main house plus guest house. Three-story rotunda with double grand staircase, multiple formal gathering rooms and fireplaces, custom flooring, lighting and woodworking; theater, putting green, indoor and outdoor pools, multiple terraces and patios, sweeping gate drive, private dock, tennis courts and three staff apartments.

Priced at $54 million through TamarLurie.com; first listing under “homes for sale” heading.

POLL DU JOUR

• 67 percent of Americans say their job is “fulfilling”; 67 percent of Republicans, 61 percent of independents and 77 percent of Democrats agree.

• 63 percent overall say they are unlikely to change jobs in the next year; 67 percent of Republicans, 58 percent of independents and 65 percent of Democrats agree.

• 59 percent overall feel their job makes a “meaningful contribution to the world”; 62 percent of Republicans, 57 percent of independents and 60 percent of Democrats agree.

• 52 percent overall are “proud” of the job they have; 57 percent of Republicans, 45 percent of independents and 58 percent of Democrats agree.

• 40 percent overall are neither “proud nor embarrassed” by their job; 31 percent of Republicans, 46 percent of independents and 38 percent of Democrats agree.

Source: A YouGov survey of 1,000 U.S. adults conducted Aug. 11-12.