The BernieBro criticism needs exposing as a cynical move fanned through corporate media. I have seen no competent evidence Bernie supporters are more likely to engage in online harassment than anyone else. Heck, start with how AOC and other leftist women get death and rape threats, photoshopping of the most vile type, and how Bernie's African-American political campaign leadership get the same threats with racist epithets included. And the idea there are "BernieBros" erases the fact Bernie gets more support from women than men, and more people of color than every other candidate running in the Democratic Party primary. Or who can forget, apparently our nation has, the PUMAs (Party Unity My Ass! which morphed into an awkward name thereafter), a bunch of bitter Hillary Clinton supporters in 2008, many of whom voted for McCain against Obama in the fall 2008 election.
So, why is corporate media ripping into Bernie fans? Because the pundits know Bernie has been, relatively speaking, a gentlemen who does not engage in personal attacks against rivals. He took Hillary's emails off the table in 2016, something that did not in the least stop Trump and even establishment media running with against her after her nomination (and yet we continue to listen to people in our social circles and on television who want to tell us Bernie cost her the election). Bernie has not attacked Biden over Ukraine. Bernie did not call out Warren for being less than stalwart or claim she is not trustworthy. Compare Bernie in this regard to Warren, who has personally attacked nearly every person with whom she shared a debate stage. I loved her attacks, and only bristled at her attacks against Bernie because they were not true and she knew better. But with "wine cave" Pete and Amy "Fill in the blank on health care on your website" Klobuchar, she was spot on, and Bloomie, well, she killed him, interrupting him, snarking at him, and drilling him through the head with her jabs. But funny, no civility police on her for those things, and no argument she behaved rudely or condescendingly toward Bloomie.
Here is something to watch if you believe in the BernieBro narrative. Saagar Enjeti is saying Bernie is too nice, which he says makes Bernie too weak. Where I disagree with Saagar is he misunderstands the Democratic Party electorate mindset, confusing it with the Republican Party electorate. The latter loves vitriol and personal attacks from their candidate. Hatred and ravings are what a sizable number appear to love. The Democratic Party electorate, however, clutches pearls if someone attacks the Establishment, and that electorate worries too much about offending their bosses, the Corporate Democratic Donor Base, which they will admit in quiet corners means "moderate Republicans." In the segment to which I linked, Saagar tells Bernie to attack Biden on Ukraine and get personally nasty. He says Bernie should say he refuses to support the Dems' nominee. I don't agree with that strategy, and neither does Bernie (Heck, does anyone not understand Trump will attack Bernie through Bernie's wife for allegedly running a nursing college into the ground and hiring her daughter for a vending position at the college? I know Jane Sanders was properly cleared of any wrongdoing, and I think it was only a case of the Peter Principle with a woman who was basically a nurse and nursing teacher. However, I am clear Bernie is wise to not go there with Biden, as people already know Hunter Biden is a Star Bellied Sneetch jerk.).
However, let us just stop, right now, this childish and ridiculous attack on the relatively few Bernie supporters online who are beyond nasty. It is a cynical weaponizing of civility standards in the service of continuing corporate power over American politics.
UPDATE, same morning:
UPDATE, same morning:
Oh, pearl clutcher alert. Robert Reich must now be called a nasty, nasty BernieBro for wondering how anyone who recalls 2016 can vote for Biden in this primary. Funny how rarely this former Department of Labor head, so popular among Democratic Party base advocates, is on television. I wonder why that is? Must be his nasty, nasty personality. Sure. That's the ticket.
