The two may be the same. A performer conforms to his market intuitively. His hopes and aspirations are their hopes and aspirations. On an organizational level if you recruit people who "get it" as far as this audience goes-voila, a deluded organization.
It reminds of the situation in youth athletics. Every single parent on one side of the field really truly believes and sees the play one way and says the ref is biased. The parents on the other side saw nothing deserving of a call and agree with the ref. They don't need to caucus to figure out what their opinion is.
Rather being "in a bubble" is entirely possible. I have a cousin who lives in the very liberal Austin, Texas. She considers herself conservative. When she ventures north of I-20 and east of I-35, she can hardly believe how "much more conservative" we are out here in "the outback."
Bernie was being kind to an old friend. Ann Coulter was right: the left hates the right; the right pities the left and prays one day they'll wake up and become adults.