Yes, Bernie Sanders.
Not my words, but the words of a former editor of the Burlington Free Press Mickey Hirten.
Not only that, but
Sanders was always full of himself: pious, self-righteous and utterly humorless. Burdened by the cross of his socialist crusade, he was a scold whose counter-culture moralizing appealed to the state's liberal sensibilities as well as its conservatives...
The author of this piece goes to great lengths to paint Bernie as fake, and the happy, smiling persona we see on TV is
not real.
More below the orange tuft of Bernie hair.
First, I am a strident Dem, and Bernie then Hillary supporter. I'm sure Bernie fans will discount this piece and HRC fans will gleefully post and run with it. I'm not sharing as a hit piece on Bernie, but these statements even in a small publication in a little market like Lansing Michigan can serve to depress turnout and dampen enthusiasm among democrats.
Typically, a very progressive paper, and they acknowledge agreeing with Bernie on policy, this is a takedown attempt based on style.
This seems to stem from a personal encounter where the author was allegedly told to f*** off by Bernie nearly 20 years ago. Additional quotes are presented by Paul Heintz, Steve Rosenfeld and Chris Graf. I'm not up for lots of research into these people, so have at it people!
Bernie has no social skills, no sense of humor, and he's quick to boil over.
At his best, Sanders is a skilled reader and manipulator of people and events," Rosenfeld wrote in his account of the campaign. "At his worst, he falls prey to his own emotions, is unable to practice what he preaches (though he would believe otherwise) and exudes a contempt for those he derides, including his staff."
What I hate is having an agenda in your writing, then finding pieces that only support that agenda. And calling Bernie fake seems a little close to the Rove playbook of accusing your enemies of your own weaknesses. I frankly can't believe that someone with this thin of skin has remained in journalism for 20 years. And I have to ask: if you agree with his policies, what is the point of the hit-piece? To elect someone whose policies you disagree with? Sheesh!