The article threw out a lot of potential reasons but the unsaid part about all of them was that they wouldn't be an issue if so many people weren't so goddamn stupid.
Isolation?
Mistrust of the government?
Poor treatment of women's health?
In all cases, it takes two parts to drive someone to conspiracy theories. A catalyst like one of the above, plus fuel of pure goddamn stupidity.
Two Jewish men are sitting at a train stop. One takes out a paper and starts reading it. The other glances over, and says "What? Why are you reading a Nazi newspaper??"
The first one says, "if I read the normal newspaper it's all doom and gloom. But when I read the Nazi newspaper, they say we control the banks, the government, Hollywood...makes me feel better."
Especially nowadays with so many people looking up menu prices online before going somewhere, it's a way to present your prices as lower than they actually are.
The point is people will vote for him in the primary, get butthurt when he loses, and then not vote for Biden in the general. Or worse, vote for the Republican candidate.
It's not a pure mathematical game, it's about getting people to pick a team.
You're missing the fact that he's a Republican shill and even if he said he'd give us universal healthcare, ban all fossil fuels, and end all student debt, it doesn't mean a damn thing because he's a liar and grifter. He's trying to ride the "I'm a stupid conspiracy theorist bothesideser" train to get payouts from his Republican masters.
It's the traditional soup of the gazpacho police