Bernie gave a great interview on Rachel Maddow.

[KPN]

73. When has he called himself a socialist in recent years?

I’ve never heard him say that except in ancient videos (30-40 or more years ago as I recall)? He has said “Democratic Socialist”. That has a definition too. He’s also said corporate tax breaks, bail-outs and other forms of subsidization are a form of socialism as a means to counter the right wing narrative that welfare, Medicare, social security, and subsidized health care and higher education are socialism. In doing so, he’s talking to the undereducated and the relatively mindless people who fall prey to those RW narratives. It’s a simple and direct message that can be delivered as a sound bite. Of course, there are those who have a bias against him and ignore that entirely.

Frankly, he’s being attacked by “Democrats” using right-wing narratives. Not the other way around.