The lesson from 2016 should be, nominate someone who is inspiring to voters and brings with them too little baggage to be buried under. The media types who are Republicans and lean to the center/right or right, are more preoccupied with filling the Dem nomination slot with someone reflecting their more conservative, establishment sensibilities. That is very different from picking the candidate most likely to beat Trump and best bring change to the country.
The message here to the media is, quit playing dumb. Accept what is obviously true about Trump and stop asking "neutral" or fair" questions about what he says and does in the pursuit of appearing impartial.
A new MSM motto may be adapted from an old cliche (that G.W. Bush is famous for messing up), "Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice, works for me if our ratings go up!"
MSNBC wants to pretend that its moneymaking self-interest is best masked as being "fair and balanced", finding a weak excuse to go after Democrats after criticizing Trump and Republicans for two straight months (wow, what endurance, that's the lifespan of two houseflies!).
If 2016 was personified as a human being, it would be more often referred to as an unbelievable asshole who would not be welcome back even if it came to our door with a giant box of chocolates in one hand and an eternal youth potion in the other.
"I'm telling you, Hillary's a full blown zombie, she eats brains! If she becomes president, look out! Do you really want a zombie for your President, I mean, come on," Trump exhorted his white male, pale and jagged toothed audience who responded in unison chanting, "Brains!!!"