Red-baiting Bernie: Republicans are itching to turn Sanders into Trotsky or Lenin

One aspect of the 2016 presidential cycle that has genuinely surprised me is the degree to which Vermont senator and self-described democratic socialist Bernie Sanders has managed to avoid being red-baited. There have been perfunctory attempts by partisans within both parties to slag Sanders as an agent of the international communist conspiracy – some pro-Hillary groups and surrogates tested out a few “Bernie is a socialist” attack lines last fall, and Rand Paul sounded the ala