You probably remember the virulent plague of Bush Derangement Syndrome, which debilitated parts of America in the early 2000s. The illness was discovered and named by a most eminent former psychiatrist named Dr. Charles Krauthammer. He described it as an 'acute onset of paranoia in otherwise normal people' when reacting to George W. Bush.

The outbreak began soon after Bush took office and metastasized throughout his presidency. Some on the far left wrote books and movies that actually fantasized about the president's murder. Meanwhile, loons like Howard Dean hinted that Bush may have been warned about 9/11 in advance.

BDS infected some of America's wealthier zip codes, places like Malibu, Manhattan, and Cambridge. Wherever liberal elites congregated, they pretty much all agreed that Bush was not merely incompetent, he was downright evil. The media didn't call them out on that hatred because, let's face it, many editors and reporters essentially agreed.

To be fair, some folks on the right have also been infected with a bad case of Obama Derangement Syndrome. They claim the president is an America-hater who is hell-bent on destroying this country and its traditions. It has been observed that people with severe ODS would find some way to blame the president even if he discovered a cure for cancer.

Now, of course, there is now a variation of the same mental sickness. Trump Derangement Syndrome, first diagnosed when the tycoon announced that he would run for the presidency, has become a full-fledged pandemic after Tuesday's vote in New Hampshire.

Minutes after Trump's huge victory, the online Huffington post ran this understated headline: 'New Hampshire Goes Racist Sexist Xenophobic.' Not to be outdone, the failing New York Daily News, desperate for attention, called the election the 'Dawn of the Brain Dead.' Naturally, the tabloid featured an image of Trump in clown makeup. Not on the editorial page, but the front page! Is it any surprise that owner Mort Zuckerman literally can't give that paper away?

Many self-proclaimed journalists eagerly joined the hate-fest. Columnist Joe Klein, who could serve as poster child for the mainstream liberal media, went on taxpayer-supported PBS and insulted any taxpayer who supports Trump. He described pro-Trump Republicans as 'low information voters' who pose 'a real threat to this country.' And this is just the start. If Trump actually goes on to win the nomination, he will be attacked like no politician in American history. TDS will make BDS look like a mild cold.

But what about Bernie Sanders, who is every bit as unconventional and bombastic as Trump? Media types, repulsed by Trump's shouting and grandiose promises, are generally smitten by Bernie's shouting and grandiose promises.

Want to know what's in store for the GOP? Consider that MSNBC's Rachel Maddow, after moderating a Democratic debate between Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton, sprinted on stage to hug both candidates. Yes, she enveloped them in a loving embrace. Try to imagine Megyn Kelly doing that after the recent GOP debate. The media would have eviscerated her and Fox News.

The fact is that Donald Trump's insurgency is a grave threat to liberal America and the media, pardon the redundancy. True, he has put forth policies that will be impossible to achieve, whether mass deportation or a ban on Muslim immigration. But Bernie Sanders' policies are perhaps even more implausible because they require many trillions of dollars. Nevertheless, Donald gets smacked while Bernie gets hugged.

Republican candidates, even those named Kasich and Bush, must understand that they will never, ever receive fair and balanced treatment from the mainstream media. To borrow from Walter Cronkite, that's the way it is.