Democrats seeking signatures for Socialist Bernie Sanders

The AP reports:

BURLINGTON, Vt. --State Democrats announced Friday they were collecting signatures to put Rep. Bernie Sanders on their primary ballot for the U.S. Senate even though he's running as an independent.


The party claimed it was doing it to prove how much support the self-described socialist has among Democrats. But the effort also could have the effect of denying the party's nomination to anyone else who happens to get into the race.

A Franklin County man, Peter Moss, 77, announced earlier this week that he was running for the U.S. Senate as a Democrat.

The Democrats made no mention of Moss' candidacy Friday when they announced their petition drive on behalf of Sanders.

They pointed out that the party already has formally endorsed Sanders' campaign to succeed the retiring Sen. James Jeffords.

"While he is running as an independent, we are fully supportive of his efforts," Democratic Chairman Ian Carleton said of Sanders. "Over the course of his tenure in the House of Representatives, Sanders has worked closely and effectively with his Democratic colleagues in the U.S. House against the radical, right wing Bush agenda, and he will do the same in the U.S. Senate."

The Democrats are one big tent.You've got to love a Democratic party Chairman saying comrade Sanders is fighting "against the radical, right wing Bush agenda".Obviously,the Democratic party feels that promoting a socialist isn't radical!Is outright socialism the future of the Democratic party?