Bernie-Bros, Biden-Bros, MAGA-Hats, and Toxic Personalities

When you are a reporter, you tend to talk to many people. And when you do political reporting this includes fans from all political stripes. This is why I have been both in the receiving end of operatives, and fanatics. Yes, there is a difference.

Political campaigns are a mixture of hope, work, and yes, toxic personalities. Let me make this clear, most people who join a campaign are not in this type, but with the right leader, a majority of fans become true believers. Let me state this from the outset. I have had my run-ins with Bernie Bros, Biden-Bros, MAGATS, and other assorted types. This can manifest itself in local campaigns as well. In 2016 this included Clintonistas who were way over the top. And to be honest, every one of those encounters does follow a pattern.

The first is that the fan of a candidate will be very enthusiastic about their chosen candidate, to the point of seeing that person as the only one who can solve the present crisis. If you are thinking as an outsider that this sounds like Trump fans, it does. It is a classic cult of personality. This is not a policy matter. Or even the willingness to see a problem with the policy. Or maybe, perish the thought, see another candidate as having some solutions.