one of those.. "What were they thinking?" moments.

What is amazing is that as the Daily Beast article below shows, Bernie has had a long history of ignoring minority constituents assuming that if you just focus on economic issues, racism will go away, which is similar to the arguments made by many on the right.

By December 2018 as noted in the OP, Bernie should have been trying to make amends and connect with Vermont's local civil rights leaders. Instead, he once again did not invite them to a forum covering racial justice issues, and relied on folks like Cornel West to somehow validate him over the voices of his own local constituents.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/vermonts-black-leaders-we-were-invisible-to-bernie-sanders

seem to be getting much better, afaik.

[link:https://www.politico.com/news/2019/12/10/biden-diverse-staff-data-2020-080753|

This is not just a one off. As the articles in this thread show, Bernie has consistently ignored his constituents of color. The December 2018 snub is inexplicable. Here is a local Vermont civil rights leader commenting on the December snub:

https://www.benningtonbanner.com/stories/tabitha-pohl-moore-overlooked-by-the-bernie-sanders-conference,558055

...why?

Does he worry you?

Bernie has received criticism for ignoring Vermont's civil rights leaders for over a decade. However, rather than respond to the concerns of minority constituents, he doubles down and exclude local NAACP representatives, brings in Cornell West and Nina Turner, and his supporters dismiss critics as being biased or haters.

I would think after four years of this type of behavior, Americans would want something better, not more of the same victimhood about how critics are just out to bash Bernie. It is appalling that Bernie's campaign would simply dismiss the Vermont black community's concerns as just folks unfairly trying to bash Bernie.

...why?

Are you worried by Sanders' poor campaign and horrid polling?
(six of one, half a dozen of the other... and each as without merit or substance as the other as well)

and get with is program of "economic justice" instead which means a lot of promises of free things, none of which is likely to pass congress.

There is no listening ability there -- the dialog is only one way.

or tone deaf when it comes to social issues.

Sanders himself just doesn't get it though he is trying to learn for political reasons.

Here is a more recent example.

Sanders recently hired Darius Khalil Gordon as deputy director of constituency organizing. Few will question Darius and his history of fighting for economic justice. He was a National Field Organizer for the Center for Popular Democracy and other recent jobs that clearly highlighted and worked to address the economic problems in society. That is what the Sanders campaign saw.

Here is the other side of Darius Khalil Gordon.

“Working hard so one day I can make that Jew Money.”

"To any Jefferson JR high Fags!! Deal was the best KJB days every Friday yall muthafuckas sucked dick all day!! lmao"

"Steelersnation=Fags"

"Now I like Jennifer Hudson but its that other fat bitch I don't like. Lol"

"Fuck this dumb ass trick BiTCH blowin the shit out of me."

"I got a black mans body, white mans power, jew man money, and an asian man life span...lol"

Of course this is just the most recent example. I can't fathom why anyone still tries to make up things for Sanders in this area after his immigration reform position in the 90's. He worked hard to block a pathway to citizenship for economic reasons. BTW, the Visa's Sanders was so worried about were gotten in the end. Just like in the end we maintained slave labor status for over ten million people.