Cognitive dissonance is a psychological discomfort, and the human reaction to eliminate the discomfort, experienced by 60's Dems who find themselves as part of the Establishment. A discomfort develops between their core political beliefs - which are largely based upon their coming of age during Vietnam, Watergate and the Civil Rights movement - and the facts and circumstances of the political world existing almost 40 years - 2 generations!- after Vietnam, Watergate and MLK.

Again: Modern facts don't match up with their 40-year old worldview. Alas, their brains are bombarded by daily doses of facts** that conflict with their core paradigms