MSNBC anchor Chris Matthews on Tuesday scolded the Democratic presidential field for attempting to pander to Sen. Bernie Sanders's (I., Vt.) supporters instead of attacking the frontrunner's "self-declared socialism."

"They're just pandering to the Bernie people and you know what pandering gets you? Nothing," Matthews said. "They've got to get out there and say, ‘I disagree with socialism. I believe in the markets. I think he's wrong. I think he'll never get it done and this country will never go that direction and by the way we'll lose 49 states.'"

Matthews, who has been a staunch critic of Sanders in recent weeks, reflected on the 1972 Democratic convention where he said he witnessed supporters of far-left Democratic presidential candidate George McGovern "dancing in glee" over defeating moderate Democrats and then losing 49 states in the general election against Richard Nixon.