Cynthia Nixon shuts down Bernie Sanders supporters booing Hillary Clinton
Actor spoke on eve of New Hampshire primary
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Actor and Democratic campaigner Cynthia Nixon shut down a crowd of Bernie Sanders supporters who began booing at the mention of his former rival Hillary Clinton, telling them: “Oh no, oh no, we’re not going to do that here.”
Speaking at a Bernie Sanders rally in New Hampshire Monday night, Ms Nixon told the crowd she supported Ms Clinton four years ago, but was now backing Mr Sanders’ bid for the Democratic nomination.
Her reaction to the crowd comes in sharp contrast to Sanders-supporting congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, who at a recent campaign event booed Clinton herself and invited the crowd to join in, later facing a backlash over her actions and apologising.
Ms Nixon was speaking on the eve of the New Hampshire primary, where Mr Sanders is polling in the lead. He defeated Hillary Clinton in the state by more than 22 points in 2016, and is hoping to win the primary again; however, this time he is facing a crowded field of candidates, including the surging Pete Buttigieg and fellow left-winger Elizabeth Warren.
The booing fits a pattern of behaviour among a small number of Mr Sanders’s more fervent supporters, sometimes referred to as the “Bernie bros”. They are known both for their deep devotion to Mr Sanders and for tearing into anyone who criticises him.
In particular, they have a reputation for ferocious behaviour online, where the intensity of their attacks on Mr Sanders critics has seen them compared to the most vitriolic of Trump supporters.
Mr Sanders’s huge base of supporters is however a major asset when it comes to organising and fundraising. He raised $34.5m in the last three months of 2019, comfortably outpacing the other candidates even as the average donation to his campaign is a mere $18.
Ms Nixon is an outspoken Democrat who in 2018 ran against New York governor Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary. She attacked Mr Cuomo from the left, accusing him of working too closely with Republican state legislators and prioritising the interests of the wealthy.
However, her campaign was widely dismissed as a “vanity project”, and she ultimately lost to Cuomo by 31 points.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments