Sanders has been known to express annoyance at reporters who comment on his cantankerous image. Spend a little time with him, though, and he doesnt do much to discourage the caricature. On the April day I trail Sanders in Washingtona month before the Progressive Democrats of America confabhe stands for 20 minutes on a deserted Senate floor, delivering what his press secretary Michael Briggs calls "the oligarchy speech." Sanders will later complain that he has now given the speech three times, and not once received any media coverage for it.
Well he got the speech out there now, didn't he?
I knew about his economic populism which is why I never seriously considered supporting him. As an example, I was just in Ohio, visiting my daughter. She had a friend over, a teacher in the school district. It became clear the woman was a conservative--but I can deal with that in polite society, and this woman was quite gracious--but she kept mentioning the "one issue" that was an absolute deal-breaker for her. I didn't ask her what it was, because there was only one thing it could be, and yup I was right. An anti-choicer. There *is* no changing minds like that. There is no saying "ok, we will agree to disagree on abortion, but vote for me because of economics"
even if this women leaned even a little bit toward progressive economics Which she did, in matters of school funding.
My daughter was shocked to find that I didn't support Sanders, was more shocked by my little rant about him. She knows me you see, thought his "message" was tailor-made for my brand of politics. She had listened to the superficial message, and not the lack of obtainable goals in the details, not the lack of true consideration for social justice.