Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., raises a fist as he arrives for a breakfast meeting with Al Sharpton at Sylvia’s Restaurant, Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2016, in the Harlem neighborhood of New York. Sanders defeated former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Tuesday in the New Hampshire primary. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) now appears to be the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination for president for 2020.

After years of doing nothing in Congress and being a laughingstock for being an ineffective radical socialist, it’s hard to believe.

But as Anderson Cooper, who spoke to Sanders in a ’60 Minutes’ interview that aired Sunday said, the Democratic Party has moved left to him, not the other way around and that is “making a lot of people nervous.”

Sanders’ response to that in the past? They should be nervous.

Being the Democratic front-runner “is a bit shocking. I will agree,” Bernie Sanders tells @andersoncooper. https://t.co/TLfitFL64a pic.twitter.com/JXD3tbi5Oo — 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) February 24, 2020

When Cooper starts asking him about his call to “revolution” he hedges on what that means but says it involves “millions of people standing up for justice.” When asked to describe his “democratic socialism,” he invokes Scandavian countries (which are not socialist, but capitalist with extensive social safety nets).

"The president of the United States is a pathological liar," Bernie Sanders tells 60 Minutes. https://t.co/XLNR0ZNMcJ pic.twitter.com/jq7WTBV7XG — 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) February 24, 2020

From CBS:

Anderson Cooper: What is democratic socialism? Bernie Sanders: When Donald Trump was a private businessman in New York, he got $800 million in tax breaks and subsidies to build luxury housing. That’s called corporate socialism. What democratic socialism is about is saying, ‘Let’s use the federal government to protect the interests of working families.’

Uh, huh. No, that’s not what socialism is. That’s the lipstick on the pig, unicorn land non-definition. It sounds nice to all the millennials. But just like when asked about what he meant by revolution, he ducks a real substantive response as to what he truly believes.

But back in the 80s and 90s, he was much freer about what he said. And it wasn’t Scandinavian countries he was praising, it was hardline Communist regimes like the Soviet Union and Cuba.

Back then, in describing Fidel Castro he said “he educated their kids, gave them health care, totally transformed the society, you know?” That’s one way to put throwing people in prison, killing them and causing millions to flee for freedom in the U.S.

Now Sanders tried to spin those complimentary remarks a bit saying he really wasn’t for the “authoritarian” stuff. But still he couldn’t help himself, saying it wasn’t all bad, because they had a “literacy program.”

Bernie Sanders defends his 1980s comments about Fidel Castro in an interview on 60 Minutes. https://t.co/ySqvQKoiBU pic.twitter.com/lTwuXWp9sA — 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) February 24, 2020

Bernie Sanders: We’re very opposed to the authoritarian nature of Cuba but you know, it’s unfair to simply say everything is bad. You know? When Fidel Castro came into office, you know what he did? He had a massive literacy program. Is that a bad thing? Even though Fidel Castro did it? Anderson Cooper: A lot of p– dissidents imprisoned in– in Cuba.

Yikes. That’s the Democratic front runner, folks. Imagine how the folks in the critical state of Florida, many who had to flee Castro will feel about that. He already wouldn’t get Pennsylvania because he’s against fracking.

But leaving aside Florida, imagine thinking this way at all, feeling the need to have to defend a murderous Communist Castro in any way at all?

Bernie Sanders on Cuba: "It’s unfair to say everything’s bad…He [Castro] had a massive literacy program." Imagine defending Saddam Hussein or any other dictator like this. "It's unfair to say Iraq was all bad. Their soccer players tried very hard." pic.twitter.com/VQ24tJOPqo — David Hookstead (@dhookstead) February 24, 2020

On the same day that Bernie Sanders welcomed an endorsement from anti-Vaxxer Marianne Williamson, he's got a 60 Minutes interview where he praises Castro's indoctrination… I mean "literacy program." I can't wait to see how this plays with swing voters come November. https://t.co/aABSiAspDo — Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) February 24, 2020

Fidel Castro was a commie authoritarian but y’all, he had a literacy program. He makes me sick. Fidel was a disgusting bastard and so is Bernie Sanders. You don’t defend commies unless you are one. The level of ignorance is appalling. He’s literally mocking my family history. https://t.co/KMVySml3wh — Jennifer Estrada (@AuthoredByJen) February 24, 2020

Oh, Bernie just praised Castro for starting a Literacy Program. Goodbye, Florida! 😥 — ⚖️Liz Warren Committed A Murder on 2/19/20 ⚖️ (@KHiveQueenB) February 24, 2020

Yes, and Fidel Castro imprisoned dissidents, many of whom were fed ground glass in their food. Jesus. #60minutes https://t.co/uFeJ5ASfCj — Litsa Dremousis (@LitsaDremousis) February 24, 2020

It really makes a difference when those you murder at the firing squad can read & write. https://t.co/4DKbSKpI6t — Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) February 24, 2020

Go, Ted!

"Castro had a literacy program." You know what else Bernie? Mussolini made the trains run on time. Hitler built the autobahn. And, as you've noted, the Soviets built nice-looking train stations. https://t.co/B2iI9dyqhD — David Bernstein (@ProfDBernstein) February 24, 2020

And five years after the literacy program, he and his brother Raul initiated a round-up of tens of thousands of gay men and other disfavored group (e.g., Jehovah's Witnesses) and sent them to forced labor camps. But you have to take the good with the bad. https://t.co/G8GVJc7Hq7 — Charles Lane (@ChuckLane1) February 24, 2020