It was a welcome surprise to see Monte Wolverton political cartoon on Aug. 27. It read: “I was going to do a cartoon about Trump, but he’s getting too much press because of his insane statements. So instead, here’s Bernie Sanders, who says sensible things and could use much more publicity!” — with a big picture of a smiling Bernie.

Sanders has been drawing the biggest crowds of any presidential candidate. His visit to Portland packed the civic center there. Wolverton got the reason exactly right: Bernie is sensible.

So it’s been disappointing to see the newspaper all but ignore him. It’s a shame, because readers deserve to know that Sanders:

• Supports paid sick and parental leave for workers.

• Opposes trade deals that send good Maine jobs overseas.

• Champions universal health care.

• Would extend free college education for all who can earn the grades (paid for by closing Wall Street tax breaks).

• Would stop the richest Americans from lavishing unlimited money on candidates who would make them richer.

• Favors breaking up any bank that’s “too big to fail.”

His advertising disclosure statement says it best: “Paid for by Bernie 2016 (not the billionaires).”

Some news outlets think he’s too much of a long-shot to cover. But so were Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama when they started running. So was Donald Trump, until recently.

The newspaper is right to cover Trump. He’s news. But so is Sanders. Consider: He’s the only person on either the Democratic or Republican ticket who isn’t a millionaire. He’s proud of his working class roots and stands up for the hard-working American majority.

Sanders stands for a fair deal. This newspaper should give him a fair chance. Running the Bernie cartoon was a good first step.

Charlie Bernstein, Augusta