A lot of ink has been spilled, and a lot of bandwidth has been occupied discussing endlessly how the #NeverTrump and the #NeverCruz forces threaten to tear the Republican Party apart. But little has been noted about the civil war that has broken out in the Democratic Party between the supporters of Hillary Clinton and the followers of Bernie Sanders. The Clinton people regard Sanders as a weird, radical upstart who has no practical way to win or having won put his socialistic policies into effect. The Sanders people look upon Clinton as a corrupt captive of Wall Street, who is seeking the presidency out of a sense of entitlement.
Both sides may have truth on their side.
To illustrate how much hatred exists between Team Clinton and Team Sanders, Politico noted an exchange that took place at the Clinton victory party on the night of the New York Primary. When told that Sanders campaign manager Jeff Weaver had vowed to take the fight to the convention floor, a senior Clinton campaign aide noted that ““We kicked his ass tonight. I hope this convinces Bernie to tone it down. If not, f— him.”
Publicly, Hillary Clinton is being magnanimous, reaching across the divide to Sanders supporters to achieve party unity. She recognizes that she will need a lot of people who supported her opponent if she hopes to win the general election.
However, while offering the olive branch, one of her operatives wields the stick, anonymously cursing the venerable socialist from Vermont, displaying the contempt with which Team Clinton indeed views him.
The Clinton people may be forgiven for their irritation with Sanders. Absent a criminal indictment or some other cosmic event, Sanders has no chance of being nominated.
Some have even expressed the hope that since the senator has retreated to his Vermont home to recharge that he will conclude that the New York Primary defeat is the last straw. Most other politicians would have taken the hint. But, not Bernie. He is on a mission, if not from God, at least from his inner voice that is the affliction of an old man in a hurry.
