If you’re a reader here, you’re well aware of this topic.
WBUR Boston’s Cognoscenti writer Rich Barlow takes on the subject today:
There’s a lot to admire about Bernie Sanders. He capably ran Burlington, Vermont, as mayor in the 1980s. He’s a man of integrity: fashioning a successful political career despite a principled shunning of both major parties, while amassing a credible campaign war chest from small donations. He’s sincere in his convictions, at least three of which — full-throttle public works spending, free public college tuition and wariness about military adventurism — are sound ideas. I’m on record that I could vote for him or Hillary Clinton should Republicans nominate a nut, which seems likelier with each passing day.
So I feel entitled to voice an unpleasant truth, and since Sanders finished in a virtual tie with the supposedly invincible Clinton in Monday’s Iowa caucuses, I’ll kick him when he’s up: His most ardent enthusiasts are as cultish as Donald Trump’s. The founder of the left-wing Daily Kos blog was struck by their “irrational cherry-picking of news to convince themselves that victory is just around the corner.” If you don’t believe him, check out the comment threads on even respectful commentaries suggesting that maybe, just maybe, Sanders won’t win. His diehards demonize Clinton as a sellout and anyone who says a nice thing about her as a shill (an example of that in a moment). Sanders himself dissed Planned Parenthood, which endorsed Clinton, as “part of the establishment.”
Given this ideological rigor mortis, it’s no wonder some Sanderistas are clueless that on their man’s two signature issues — reforming Wall Street and health insurance — his ideas range from half-baked to bad…
Given this ideological rigor mortis, it’s no wonder some Sanderistas are clueless that on their man’s two signature issues — reforming Wall Street and health insurance — his ideas range from half-baked to bad, as smart progressives are pointing out.
Bolding mine. More at this link.