Bernie Sanders has taken his socialist message to Fox News on the eve of a crucial election, saying it was “absurd” to rely on the generosity of billionaires to help with the coronavirus crisis.

In an appearance on the conservative network ahead of six primary contests in which the Vermont senator is hoping to do well to kick-start his campaign, he took aim at both the president and his Democratic Party rival, Joe Biden.

He also defended the democratic socialist policies he has pushed for more than four decades, and assured one member of the audience at the live “town hall event”, they were not the same as the “authoritarian communism” seen in the Soviet Union.

“I’m not an expert on the current economy in Sweden,” he said, when asked about recent moves calls for deregulation and lower taxes.

“They have gone a long way to eliminate poverty, to make sure that all of their people have the basic needs that they need to live good lives.”

Democratic primaries: Who won where? Show all 27 1 /27 Democratic primaries: Who won where? Democratic primaries: Who won where? Arizona: Biden wins Joe Biden: 39 delegates Bernie Sanders: 28 delegates Getty Democratic primaries: Who won where? Alabama: Biden wins Joe Biden: 41 delegates Bernie Sanders: 7 delegates Michael Bloomberg: 1 delegate Reuters Democratic primaries: Who won where? Arkansas: Biden wins Joe Biden: 17 delegates Bernie Sanders: 9 delegates Michael Bloomberg: 5 delegates AFP/Getty Democratic primaries: Who won where? California: Sanders wins Bernie Sanders: 179 delegates Joe Biden: 127 delegates Michael Bloomberg: 15 delegates Elizabeth Warren: 5 delegates AP Democratic primaries: Who won where? Colorado: Sanders wins Bernie Sanders: 20 delegates Joe Biden: 9 delegates Michael Bloomberg: 9 delegates Elizabeth Warren: 1 delegate AFP/Getty Democratic primaries: Who won where? Florida: Biden wins Joe Biden: 152 delegates Bernie Sanders: 53 delegates Getty Democratic primaries: Who won where? Idaho: Biden wins Joe Biden: 11 delegates Bernie Sanders: 9 delegates EPA Democratic primaries: Who won where? Illinois: Biden wins Joe Biden: 95 delegates Bernie Sanders: 59 delegates AFP Democratic primaries: Who won where? Iowa: Buttigieg wins Pete Buttigieg: 14 delegates Bernie Sanders: 12 delegates Elizabeth Warren: 8 delegates Joe Biden: 6 delegates Amy Klobuchar: 1 delegates Reuters Democratic primaries: Who won where? Maine: Biden wins Joe Biden: 11 delegates Bernie Sanders: 9 delegates Elizabeth Warren: 4 delegates AFP/Getty Democratic primaries: Who won where? Massachussetts: Biden wins Joe Biden: 37 delegates Bernie Sanders: 29 delegates Elizabeth Warren: 25 delegates AP Democratic primaries: Who won where? Michigan: Biden wins Joe Biden: 72 delegates Bernie Sanders: 52 delegates Getty Democratic primaries: Who won where? Minnesota: Biden wins Joe Biden: 38 delegates Bernie Sanders: 27 delegates Elizabeth Warren: 10 delegates Reuters Democratic primaries: Who won where? Mississippi: Biden wins Joe Biden: 34 delegates Bernie Sanders: 2 delegates AFP via Getty Images Democratic primaries: Who won where? Missouri: Biden wins Joe Biden: 44 delegates Bernie Sanders: 24 delegates AP Democratic primaries: Who won where? Nevada: Sanders wins Bernie Sanders: 24 delegates Joe Biden: 9 delegates Reuters Democratic primaries: Who won where? New Hampshire: Sanders/Buttigieg tie Bernie Sanders: 9 delegates Pete Buttigieg: 9 delegates Amy Klobuchar: 6 delegates EPA Democratic primaries: Who won where? North Carolina: Biden wins Joe Biden: 66 delegates Bernie Sanders: 36 delegates Elizabeth Warren: 2 delegates Michael Bloomberg: 2 delegates AFP/Getty Democratic primaries: Who won where? North Dakota: Sanders wins Bernie Sanders: 8 delegates Joe Biden: 6 delegates Getty Democratic primaries: Who won where? Oklahoma: Biden wins Joe Biden: 21 delegates Bernie Sanders: 13 delegates Michael Bloomberg: 2 delegates Elizabeth Warren: 1 delegate Reuters Democratic primaries: Who won where? Florida: Biden wins Joe Biden: 152 delegates Bernie Sanders: 53 delegates Getty Democratic primaries: Who won where? Tennessee: Biden wins Joe Biden: 33 delegates Bernie Sanders: 18 delegates Michael Bloomberg: 10 delegates Elizabeth Warren: 1 delegate Reuters Democratic primaries: Who won where? Texas: Biden wins Joe Biden: 111 delegates Bernie Sanders: 102 delegates Michael Bloomberg: 10 delegates Elizabeth Warren: 5 delegates Reuters Democratic primaries: Who won where? Utah: Sanders wins Bernie Sanders: 12 delegates Joe Biden: 2 delegate Michael Bloomberg: 2 delegates AFP/Getty Democratic primaries: Who won where? Vermont: Sanders wins Bernie Sanders: 11 delegates Joe Biden: 5 delegates AP Democratic primaries: Who won where? Virginia: Biden wins Joe Biden: 66 delegates Bernie Sanders: 31 delegates Elizabeth Warren: 2 delegates AFP/Getty Democratic primaries: Who won where? Washington: Biden wins Joe Biden: 46 delegates Bernie Sanders: 43 delegates AP

The appearance of the 78-year-old Vermont senator on Fox News, the second of the appearances he has done to answer questions in front of a live studio audience, comes at a crucial time in his bid to secure the Democratic presidential nomination.

After coming first in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada, Mr Sanders was the clear frontrunner to take on Mr Trump in November. But following a landslide in South Carolina, and then a very strong showing last week on “Super Tuesday”, Mr Biden has very firmly seized back the nomination.

On Tuesday, the man who relentlessly called for policies such as universal healthcare and free college tuition, needs a strong performance in the six states holding primaries or caucuses – Michigan, Washington, Missouri, Idaho, North Dakota and Mississippi.

Of these, the most important in terms of both delegates and electoral college votes is Michigan, where he defeated Hillary Clinton four years ago in the primary, but which Mr Trump won on his way to White House.

Sanders insists 2020 campaign still 'has a shot' after Biden comeback

While Mr Sanders would love to win again there, an average of polls collated by Real Clear Politics, gives the former vie president a lead of more than 20 points. Indeed, the only state in which Mr Sanders appears to be competitive on Tuesday is Washington.

Asked about the donations of people such as Bill Gates to help tackle the coronavirus crisis, Mr Sanders said it was “absurd” for the world’s wealthiest nation to be relying to be relying on the generosity of billionaires.

While he found time to say hell to the president – “Donald, you’re probably watching. How are you?” – he also attacked him over his handling of the crisis.

“Sadly, we have an administration in Washington that has shown the world that it does not believe in science,” he said. “When you appoint vice president Pence, an individual who also doesn’t much believe in science, what you’re telling the whole world is that you’re politicising this issue.”

Asked he would act differently, he said: “You listen to the scientists; you don’t say stupid things.”

Mr Sanders declined to comment on accusations that Mr Biden is not physically fit enough to be president. Yet he was quick to attack his rival for voting to “bail out the crooks on Wall Street who nearly destroyed our economy 12 years ago”.

Played a clip of his 2016 primary opponent, saying “nobody likes” Mr Sanders and that he “didn’t work until he was 41”, the senator: “Unlike secretary Clinton, I don’t want to relive 2016. We’re in 2020 now.”