During the presidential debate on Wednesday in Nevada, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders responded to a question about some of his supporters who can be vicious online: “We have over 10.6 million people on Twitter, and 99.9% of them are decent human beings, are working people, are people who believe in justice, compassion, and love. And if there are a few people who make ugly remarks, who attack trade union leaders, I disown those people. They are not part of our movement.”
But Pete Buttigieg pushed back: “Senator, when you say that you disown these attacks and you didn't personally direct them, I believe you. … But at a certain point, you’ve got to ask yourself, ‘Why did this pattern arise? Why is it especially the case among your supporters that this happens?’ ”
So what’s going on with the “Bernie Bro” phenomenon?