Generally it was just a term of abuse from Clinton supporters, but I also heard it a few times from leftists who were disappointed by the failure of many Bernie supporters to decouple from toxic masculinity in the process of veering leftwards. This was not entirely untrue - Bernie energized many ordinary young folks without changing their upbringing or prejudices. There was a nonzero contingent of Bernie supporters who were all onboard with left economic policy, but saw matters like racial justice, LGBT rights, or women’s issues as ‘divisive’ or ‘irrelevant’ compared to Bernie’s economic leftism.
On average, though, Bernie supporters were considerably to the left of the Dem Party in general on social issues, so the actual applicability of the term was extremely limited compared to its usage as a general term of abuse.
Christ. Remembering marching in Philly chanting Black Lives Matter in 2016… we were so full of hope back then.
you’re saying these things about all bernie supporters like you really dug into it but you’re just repeating the same stuff….
it wasn’t just Clinton supporters, the DNC email leaks showed that there was a full on democratic party conspiracy to smear him in this way…
fact is, more women supported him than men, and yes you can find a slice of shitty interviews with supporters of any candidate but it was a lie…
his supporters were younger, louder, and more enthusiastic… but the corporations decided clinton was better for them so that’s what we got and how we got trump….
the DNC also conspired against him and made Biden win the nomination the next election…So you’re saying it wasn’t only abuse from the Clinton supporters, but it was also a result of purity tests. And we keep wondering why the left keeps failing…
Mostly abuse from Clinton supporters, but yes, there were some purity testers to the left.
I didn’t remember that it was about hating women. My experience of it was a certain group of Berie supporters who were super enthusiastic but also pretty toxic about their support for Bernie. I ran into it myself - it was impossible to talk to some of them without getting insulted for honest questions or concerns. And that was with them knowing that I’m pretty far left in my viewpoints. So it often just left a very bad taste in my mouth, which didn’t dissuade me from still supporting Bernie (still love him) but I could see how that would polarize a voting base in a moment when you want to unite it.
I didn’t remember that it was about hating women.
It wasn’t, there was just a sizeable segment of 4-chan types who liked Bernie and the left, being unable to rally together for anything, broadly attacked these dudes for existing and not adoring Hilary Clinton who was, in case you all missed it, a woman.
I’m sure there were some performative loud voices from assholes trying to poison the well, but our side hasn’t learned to ignore this shit, and never will. Leftists are as easily manipulated as MAGA but in different ways, ya’ll just haven’t figured it out yet.
Morons like this also thought,“let’s wait till it’s too late to have a primary when Biden drops out that way harris is a sure winner.” Womp womp
In my mind Bernie Bro refers to the people who voted for Bernie in the primary but didn’t vote for Hillary in the General. Claims of potential sexism aside it takes a really special type of moron.
But the term predated the actual vote. It was coined in 2015 before the primary.
I hear you, and that’s a fair thing to discuss, but what’s being discussed in this particular screencap is the smear campaign that occurred prior to the general election.
I also think it’s important to note the following, since you’ve mentioned this topic:
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An “Obama Boys” strategy was used in 2008 by Clinton supporters. (source)
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A higher percentage of Sanders voters backed Clinton in 2016 than her voters backed Obama in 2008. (source)
(edited to fix a broken link)
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In 2016 no one actually thought trump was going to win…
No excuse, all the info that he was a racist elitist piece of shit was already out there.
