That strategy worked because nobody trusted "crooked" Shillary and Trump didn't have to try hard at all to establish that...That mindset was already established, this shady bytch and her husband had so many scandals it was comical...If Bernie ran there would have been bigger focus on Trumps shadiness and more policy talk since there is nothing negative you can pound Bernie for...There would have been no "I'll release my taxes when you release your wall street speeches"...Bernie would have absolutely destroyed him on that...They would have to focus on Bernies policies to try to label him as a commie (anyone with half a brain could see he's not) and would end up exposing Trumps lack of policy...
What else other than policy could they stick Bernie for?
That hes old? Trump is only 5 years younger than Bernie...
That he was a bad man in college that got arrested for protesting against segregation?

Bernies a commie? Trumps campaign manager Manafort was/is on the Russian payroll...
Also when paired up against Bernie there would be no question who the 'entitled elite" is...That was another big problem with Shillary, she's an elitist cut from the same cloth as Trump and couldn't play that card against Trump...
Bernie the anti-Wall Street scandal free independent never had these glaring image and trust issues with the average American...People were skeptical of his policies but never his character...they wanted to know how we would pay for all these things he's promising, nobody ever doubted who Bernie would be fighting for in the oval...