When is a socialist a liberal Democrat?

OpinionJournal - Best of the Web Today On Howard Dean and Bernie Sanders: when Dean said Sanders (who calls himself a Socialist) was basically a liberal Democrat, OpinionJounal notes

Sanders actually is not a Democrat; although he usually votes with the Dems, he is officially independent. But if, as Dean claims, a socialist "is basically a liberal Democrat," then a liberal Democrat is basically a socialist. Which, as we say, is something you'd expect to hear from a right-wing kook, not the Democratic chairman.

We are always asking for honesty in politics. Maybe Dean is just being honest.