In my opinion, one of the most entertaining things about this primary season has been the way that certain Kossacks will adopt particular anti-Sanders talking points en masse, push them relentlessly for a day or so, and then abandon it (again en-masse) only to move to yet another. Last week it was that Bernie won’t release his tax returns. Two days ago it was that Bernie is woefully ignorant of banking regulations. Today it seems to be that Bernie is a Obama-hating, Big Dog-criticizing, Bush-loving non-Democrat.
In the wake of Sanders’s win in Wisconsin and the lead up to the New York primary, I imagine that the attacks will increase over the next week. The memes and talking points change so quickly, however, that I imagine that it must be quite hard for the aspiring anti-Sanders activist to keep up. In that spirit, I’d like to offer the following list of anti-Sanders talking points. Most of these are quite stale now, so if you find yourself about to use an anti-Sanders talking point, please check this list to make sure that it hasn’t passed its sell-by date. Everyone needs to stay current.
- Bernie Sanders can't compete outside of Vermont and New Hampshire
- Bernie Sanders is needlessly extending the primary by continuing to compete
- Bernie Sanders is a racist
- Bernie Sanders is not a Democrat
- Bernie Sanders has a 20% demographic ceiling
- Bernie Sanders has a 25% demographic ceiling
- Bernie Sanders has a 30% demographic ceiling
- Bernie Sanders has a 30-35% demographic ceiling
- Bernie Sanders is a one issue candidate
- Bernie Sanders's supporters are misinformed
- Bernie Sanders is ignorant of how the banking system works
- Bernie Sanders is unelectable
- Bernie Sanders is a Communist
- Bernie Sanders honeymooned in the Soviet Union
- Bernie Sanders stole data from the Clinton campaign
- Sandinista!
- Bernie Sanders hates President Obama
- Bernie Sanders doesn't do anything to support downticket races
- Bernie Sanders can't raise enough money to compete in a general election
- Bernie Sanders is raising too much money that could otherwise go to other candidates
- Bernie Sanders wants to fill the Democratic Party with Nazis
- Bernie Sanders is anti-Israel
- Bernie Sanders is pro-Israel
- Bernie Sanders vacations in a Stalinist kibbutz
- Bernie Sanders doesn't criticize George Bush
- Bernie Sanders was MIA during the push for universal healthcare in the 90's
- Bernie Sanders is a no-good photobomber
- Bernie Sanders hasn't been attacked enough
- Nothing sticks to Bernie Sanders. WTF? Is this thing on?
- All of Bernie Sanders's supporters are young
- All of Bernie Sanders's supporters are white
- All of Bernie Sanders's supporters are male
- All of Bernie Sanders's supporters are bros
- Bernie Sanders's supporters are uneducated
- Bernie Sanders only attracts the highly educated
- Bernie Sanders is a misogynist
- Bernie Sanders is afraid to release his tax returns
- Bernie Sanders won't listen to Black Lives Matter protesters
- Bernie Sanders is too quick to hand over the microphone to Black Lives Matter protesters
- Bernie Sanders is angry
- Bernie Sanders is old
- Bernie Sanders is unkempt
- Bernie Sanders supports the NRA
- Bernie Sanders only wins caucuses
- Bernie Sanders's rallies are too large
- Bernie Sanders wants to pretend the superdelegates don't exist
- Bernie Sanders wants to win over the superdelegates
Sadly, this is probably an incomplete list. Sanders declared his candidacy approximately one year ago, which means that there are probably upwards of 200 anti-Sanders talking points that have been floated. Please help me add to the list in the comments.