There's a lesson in Bernie Sanders' defeat. The next lefty candidate can't be afraid to be seen attacking. Sanders ran 2 unsuccessful but mostly positive campaigns centered on issues. He frequently retreated from his supporters who pushed back on media bias and incoming attacks.
Politics is a blood sport. There's a lot of bad faith pearl clutching. Successful candidates dismiss it or even disparage it for what it is. That's a big part of what put Donald Trump in the White House in the first place.
Sanders had fmr reporters like Sirota on his campaign staff. But he didn't use them effectively. He should have unleashed on Biden for all of the things Trump is about to call out. He should not have played nice with Warren either once it became clear she was attacking.
Sanders repeatedly disavowed his supporters before finally acknowledging something he should have been saying all along: It's not just them.

Sanders fueled these narratives of divisiveness by constantly trying to apologize.

He let his opposition control that conversation.
Compare:

"Your supporters are bullies."

"We disavow bullying behavior."

vs.

"Your supporters are bullies."

"My supporters are largely lower income folks who recognize that the political establishment has failed them. It's on my opponents to win them, not other way around"
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