As the Democratic primary contest finally arrives in states with more diverse voting populations, how candidates measure up when it comes to advancing racial justice will inevitably become a larger part of the discussion. For the Sanders campaign and its supporters, the primary contest has been chock-full of unfair attacks and mischaracterizations on this score. Despite the Sanders coalition being the most diverse overall, somehow his supporters of color have been repeatedly erased and denigrated by mainstream media outlets.

Last week, the Root joined the chorus with its “Every Democratic Candidates’ ‘Black Agenda’ Ranked” study. They enlisted “policy experts, legal scholars, and political pundits, all of whom were black,” none of whom were revealed, to create a policy framework and grade the candidates accordingly using a one-to-ten scale. The criteria included concrete categories such as economics, criminal justice, education, and the candidate’s history. It also used more abstract metrics like feasibility, intentionality, and impact. Even a cursory look at this study reveals major flaws and a puzzling logic at work.

Unbelievably (or perhaps believably if you regularly watch MSNBC), Bernie Sanders was ranked fifth behind Tom Steyer, Pete Buttigieg, and Joe Biden. First place went to none other than Elizabeth Warren.