2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: Sanders is losing the senior vote by wide margins.... [View all]bklyncowgirl
(7,960 posts)Among most people I grew up with and the generation before mine, there's a reflexive distaste for socialism. It is equated with communism which is equated with a terrible economic system and a complete lack of freedom. You may say these people were brainwashed and to some extent that is true but it does not erase the negative.
Another thing may be a sort of reverse ageism. Older people, feeling their own infirmities may legitimately wonder whether a 74 year old could hold up under the stress of the office. Of course Clinton isn't all that much younger.
The best thing Bernie can do to win these voters is to address their concerns, explain again and again what socialism means to him and without making a fool of himself show that he is the healthiest older guy in America--oh and win some more of those head to head polls against the Republicans.