MSNBC's Chris Matthews wants to know what Bernie Sanders thinks of Fidel Castro
MSNBC's Chris Matthews isn't sure what agenda Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) really wants to promote.
In a post-Democratic debate discussion Friday evening, Matthews expressed concern about Sanders' politics, fearing he may usher in a socialist revolution akin to the one led by Fidel Castro. Matthews said that while Sanders generally talks about incorporating elements from countries like Denmark — which Matthews acknowledged is a capitalist country with strong social welfare programs — he isn't if that was where the senator really falls on the political spectrum.
"I don't know who Bernie supports over these years," Matthews said. "I don't know what he means by socialist."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Matthews made his worries personal and a bit extravagant, arguing that part of the reason he's averse to politicians with socialist leanings is that if the Soviets and their allies like Castro won the Cold War, he likely would've been a victim of those regimes.
For what it's worth, Sanders was called out in 2015 for praising Castro in the past, though he attempted to clarify by explaining that he considered Cuba's regime authoritarian. Instead, he said his past comments were about disapproval of U.S. interference in Cuba and other countries in the region, though he does appreciate aspects of Cuba's health-care system. It remains to be seen if that will come up again this primary cycle, but don't be shocked if it does.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.
-
‘The economics of WhatsApp have been mysterious for years’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Will Democrats impeach Kristi Noem?Today’s Big Question Centrists, lefty activists also debate abolishing ICE
-
Is a social media ban for teens the answer?Talking Point Australia is leading the charge in banning social media for people under 16 — but there is lingering doubt as to the efficacy of such laws
-
The billionaires’ wealth tax: a catastrophe for California?Talking Point Peter Thiel and Larry Page preparing to change state residency
-
Hegseth moves to demote Sen. Kelly over videospeed read Retired Navy fighter pilot Mark Kelly appeared in a video reminding military service members that they can ‘refuse illegal orders’
-
Trump says US ‘in charge’ of Venezuela after Maduro grabSpeed Read The American president claims the US will ‘run’ Venezuela for an unspecified amount of time, contradicting a statement from Secretary of State Marco Rubio
-
Mamdani vows big changes as New York’s new mayorSpeed Read
-
Bari Weiss’ ‘60 Minutes’ scandal is about more than one reportIN THE SPOTLIGHT By blocking an approved segment on a controversial prison holding US deportees in El Salvador, the editor-in-chief of CBS News has become the main story
-
CBS pulls ‘60 Minutes’ report on Trump deporteesSpeed Read An investigation into the deportations of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador’s notorious prison was scrapped
-
Trump administration posts sliver of Epstein filesSpeed Read Many of the Justice Department documents were heavily redacted, though new photos of both Donald Trump and Bill Clinton emerged
-
Trump HHS moves to end care for trans youthSpeed Read The administration is making sweeping proposals that would eliminate gender-affirming care for Americans under age 18
