Bernie injected into the Democratic debate New Deal themes that the Democrats have shied away from, and that is good. Bernie is an unabashed New Dealer; he spoke of taking care of the folks in ways that there not being taken care of (healthcare, huge college loans) that are relevant concerns. Bernie used modern social media to reach folks and make himself a national figure, and folks responded favorably. As well they should have; healthcare and higher education represent access to the middle class. And he repeatedly hammered away on the issue of income inequality to where it's now in the national consciousness. Bernie also illuminated the fact that liberal Democrats have been complicit in at least some of the forces that have resulted in income inequality.
That being said, Bernie isn't even a Democrat. At one level, Zell Miller is more of a Democrat than Bernie at the level of commitment to the party; despite his apostasy, Zell Miller has done more in his lifetime to elect Democratic officials than has Bernie. People say this doesn't matter, but there is (and ought to be) resistance on the part of a political party in nominating for its standard bearer a candidate who won't even say, "I'm a Democrat!" and identify himself as (D-Vermont). Yes, he's a member of the Democratic Caucus in the Senate; that's a live-in boyfriend, maybe an eternal "fiance" or a long-term paramour, but it's not a spouse, and it's not a person who's been committed to the party.
Hillary Clinton, much as I loathe her, is at least married to the Democratic Party; she has labored for other Democrats over the years, including some that haven't been overly grateful. If the fix was in on the part of DWS and the DNC, they were not wrong in being concerned that someone who wasn't really a Democrat was the leading rival to the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination. If things go south, a spouse is less likely to publicly air dirty laundry than a mere boyfriend or girlfriend, because they are more vested in the relationship. And if you think being vested in a relationship to your party isn't important, I give you Governor Jim Justice (D-West Virginia) (R-West Virginia).
The Bernie Bros don't get it at certain levels. Presidential Politics is PARTY Politics, and their man is a member of the Liberty Union Party or Green Mountain Party, or whatever. He's identified as (I-Vermont); that's not a Democrat. Am I missing something here? I don't really think so. Bernie's not a Democrat; that's a bigger deal than Bernie Bros acknowledge.
This.
I don't think there's as much hatred for Bernie so much as there is for his hardcore supporters. I don't think Bernie is even remotely competent when it comes to policy, which is why I'm opposed to almost all of the the specific policies he has suggested, but actually tend to align pretty heavily to his movement's priorities (i.e.: reducing income inequality, reducing education costs, holding those at the top of the system accountable for its failures, etc.)
There are a lot of things Bernie Bro's won't acknowledge because they'll explain any opposition to their movement as the result of corruption rather than authentic disagreements. It certainly doesn't win them any favors to so broadly dismiss people's concerns as being illegitimate, but it's not unexpected either. It's typical for those caught in cults of personality to frame things in simplistic us versus them narratives (just look at Donald Trump's fanbase).
But I don't care that much about Bernie. He's the kind of an eccentric personality that will always win over its own base of support. I certainly don't hate him the way I hate Trump, I just think he's overhyped and wouldn't make for a competent leader or policy-crafter (in fact he'd be an actively terrible one). His most loyal identitarian fanboys are insufferable though.
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