Sanders is a great example case. As I recall, he was ultimately labeled as a populist with a negative connotation, framing him as a demagogue and “reminding” p

Sanders is a great example case. As I recall, he was ultimately labeled as a populist with a negative connotation, framing him as a demagogue and “reminding” people of the danger of direct democracies (as opposed to democratic republics etc closer to the actual US system). This narrative emerged only when he became a legitimate challenger to the Clinton and Biden campaigns in 2016/2020. Prior to that, his populist designation was generally framed as a positive: a man who represents and embodies the will of the working class voters. The establishment Dems and their media allies found him useful to engage their base, but never intended for him to be considered for the actual nomination (as was made clear from the guccifer leak). Very interesting case study and a blueprint for weaponizing a term like “populism” in public discourse.