Written by David Starr   

Bernie Sanders' New York primary loss-the primary was exclusive, whereby independents couldn't vote-was a stinging defeat. Now, detractors from the Clinton camp and elsewhere will want Sanders to throw in the towel.

Sanders' detractors have portrayed him as a "far left looney," incompetent or ignorant. While the establishment wants things just as they are, Sanders, with his progressive stand on the issues, has rocked the boat. His detractors have been hellbent on stopping him. They have been fearing the Bern.

In Sanders' own party, DNC chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz has favored Hillary Clinton so much so that she's been "trying to manipulate the presidential election process by limiting direct debate and tilting the national party apparatus in favor of one candidate," said Roots Action co-founder Norman Solomon.

The Washington Post ran a series of spiteful opinion pieces in March 2016 against Sanders. One, entitled, "Clinton is running for president, Sanders is doing something else," has Sanders entrenched in his "same narrow patch of ideological turf." With Sanders saying he would raise taxes on the wealthy, this is called "a politically ludicrous plan" during a recession. While Sanders is accused of making his "usual pitch" of important issues-Wall Street, campaign finance reform, a massive public works program and single-payer healthcare-"Clinton ran for president."

In another, entitled, "'Excuse me, I'm talking': Bernie Sanders shuts down Hillary Clinton repeatedly," Sanders acted "assertive--and at times outright feisty, as he shut down any attempt by Clinton to interrupt him" during the debate in Flint, Michigan.

In the New York Post, Sanders is called a communist, even though he is really a democratic socialist.

And in another opinion piece, entitled, "Alan Dershowitz: Don't be fooled America. Bernie Sanders is not pro-Israel," published on the FOX website, Sanders is subjected to the same reactionary accusations when one even has mild criticism of Israel. Dershowitz claims that Sanders' criticisms of Israel "reflects both abysmal ignorance about the conduct of the Israeli Defense Forces and a pervasive bias" against Israel.

The demonizing of Sanders has a pattern. Journalist Glenn Greenwald wrote a piece on the Intercept website where seven stages of establishment backlash are listed:

"1) Polite condescension toward what is perceived as harmless. [Sanders is in no way a serious candidate.]
2) Light, casual mockery [as support grows for Sanders.]
3) Self-pity and angry etiquette lectures [toward enthusiastic supporters].
4) Smear the candidate and his supporters, [misusing the terms sexist and racist].
5) Right-wing attacks to [demonize Sanders as his popularity grows in the polls].
6) Hysterical warnings [if the establishment candidate is rejected].
7) Unrestrained meltdown, panic, lashing-out and threats [if Sanders is elected the Democratic nominee for president]."

While it looks as though Clinton will clinch the nomination, it isn't over till it's over. If Sanders can pull off a "miracle," look for his detractors to reach stage seven.