Chris Matthews appeared to stun the guest panel on MSNBC after the Democratic debate on Friday when he declared his opposition to socialism and told them it doesn't work.

"The issue of this campaign, it is that word socialism," Matthews said.

"Some people like it. Younger people like it. Those of us like me, who grew up in the Cold War and saw some aspects of it if you're visiting places like Vietnam like I have, and seen countries like Cuba, being there," he added.

"I've seen what socialism's like, and I don't like it. OK? It's not only not free, it doesn't frickin' work."



Matthews distinguished between Democrats, who he said were to the left of Republicans and preferred more social programs, to socialists that he identified with the communists and other revolutionaries.

He went on to opine that had the communists taken over that he would be among those who would be lined up and executed, and implied that people like Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and his supporters would be applauding his execution.

"I have my own views of the word socialist and I'll be glad to share them with [the Democratic party] in private, and they go back to the early nineteen fifties. I have an attitude about them. I remember the Cold War," Matthews said.

"I have an attitude towards [communist Cuban dictator Castro], I believe that if Castro and the reds had won the Cold War, there would have been executions in Central Park, and I might have been one of the ones being executed!" he continued.

"And certain other people would have been there, cheering, OK?" Matthews concluded. "So I have a problem with people taking the other side."

Socialist Democrats and Sanders supporters on social media excoriated the long-time Democrat on social media for his comments.

Here's the video of his comments: