You know, it’s hard to lose votes as a Democrat in San Francisco. It may be even harder to lose voters if you’re a self-identified democratic socialist. The Left coast is brimming with them. And yet, Sen. Bernie Sanders has managed to lose a voter in San Francisco for simply being a bad customer at a local restaurant. He was a miserable curmudgeon apparently. He was rude to the owner’s staff. That owner says he’s lost his vote. It may be just one vote, or more because we don’t know about the staffers who were subjected to Sanders’ abuse, but if there’s one thing we know about running for president—you can’t be an a-hole, especially in friendly territory. You’re always on the clock running for president. Sorry, Bernie—if you can’t handle the heat, stay out of the people’s kitchen (via SF Gate):
Sen. Bernie Sanders was in town for the Democratic National Committee's summer meeting and dined out with staff at San Francisco's iconic John's Grill on Thursday, according to Politico.
The presidential hopeful didn't impress the owner of the 111-year-old restaurant, John Konstin.
"It was all very nice, except for cranky Bernie," Konstin told Politico.
Konstin told SFGATE the U.S. senator from Vermont declined to shake hands and take photos and "was rude" to staff.
"He was just rude, not friendly," Konstin said. "I think he was just hungry and didn't want to be a politician. He lost my vote."
John's Grill opened in 1908 and was famously used as a backdrop in Dashiell Hammett's "The Maltese Falcon." Politicians frequent the restaurant and their photos adorn the wood-paneled walls.
The media relations person for John’s said that it was unusual for Konstin to talk about his patrons that way, but added that Sanders was a grumpy cat and that one should know when it’s time to just order room service. Sanders left a tip at least and his wife apologized when they left.