It’s important to remember the Democratic Party is a private coalition of politicians whose goal is to obtain and maintain personal power and wealth. Bernie Sanders was not and is not a Democrat, didn’t owe them any favors, wasn’t playing their game, and would have directly and effectively reduced their personal power and wealth. Stopping Sanders at the expense of the party was the right move given their goals.

It just sucks for everybody else. Well, except the rival coalition of politicians who had an outsider that they could use as a puppet to increase their own personal power and wealth.