MSNBC host Chris Matthews offered a surprising critique against presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and the form of extreme socialism he represents.

Matthews was answering a question from Brian Williams about Sanders defending socialism when he made the comments.

"Well, you know that's a big question for him. I've looked at the old tapes of his interview with Phil Donahue interview, where he really does defend the notion of socialism," Matthews answered.

"Not just the welfare state like in Scandinavia, but real socialism, no profit motive, no free markets, the government basically runs the economy," he continued.

"And of course a good question for him I don't think a Democrat will ask it, name the government that has run an effective economy in the history of man," Matthews said. "Governments are not good at running economies, the free market tends to work."

"I think that'll be an issue, but ideologically I think most of the Democrats are afraid to go after Bernie," he concluded.

The Democratic party has been rankled by the division between centrist and establishment partisans and the more extreme socialist and progressive fringe.

Some have opined that only a centrist can garner the moderate vote to beat President Donald Trump in 2020, while others have argued that the passion of the far left is needed for greater turnout at the polls.

Here's the video of Matthews' comments: