MSNBC host Chris Matthews gets emotional and says he's 'not happy' with any of the Democratic candidates

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Ahead of the first votes cast in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary during the Iowa caucus, MSNBC host Chris Matthews was roundly mocked by progressives after he somberly warned that "Bernie Sanders is not going to be president of the United States" while declaring that he's "not happy" with the field of contenders.

With his arms crossed while staring at the ground, Mr Matthews appeared on MSNBC's Morning Joe to call Mr Sanders' potential nomination a "problem" though he predicted that "he's gonna win big tonight, real big".

The Hardball host and longtime political commentator and operative, seated next to former Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill, said "I don't think it's a revolutionary period in our country's history".

He said if he becomes the candidate, "Bernie is gonna ride high and he's finally gonna get scrutiny" for his ambitious Medicare-for-All plan for nationalised healthcare as well as his democratic socialist ideology.

Mr Matthews compared the Vermont Senator to Democrat George McGovern, who was easily defeated in 1972 by incumbent Richard Nixon in a landslide and whose loss forced the party to move to the centre as Republicans moved radically right.

Critics pointed to the nearly 50-year history between his political analogy and 2020, as progressive platforms and Mr Sanders' surrogates have become more popular among young people while party leaders remain resolutely moderate.

"The Bernie surge has Chris Matthews on the verge of tears", wrote Samuel Finkelstein. "It's okay, Chris."

Rob Rousseau wrote: "Moronic cable TV millionaires like Chris Matthews truly believe nothing good can ever happen in America because of an election that happened 50 goddamn years ago. Cry more Chris, we love to see it."

Mr Matthews also compared Mr Sanders to demonstrators with "non-negotiable demands ... yelling at the administrative building during the anti-war movement".

Shuja Haider said: "Chris Matthews says Bernie is like an old guy distributing socialist literature at an antiwar rally, as though that's a bad thing."

Mr Matthews also appeared on MSNBC to predict a primary battle between Mr Sanders and billionaire former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

"I think it's going to be tight as a drum in that fight", he said.