Sanders won't go quietly -- or go near a certain hot-button issue (the coronavirus)

Sanders must explain to his fellow Americans how he went from hardline Nativist Bernie to the person Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., calls "Tío Bernie."

For most of his 40 years in politics, Sanders has been a protectionist -- not just when it comes to trade but also when it comes to the labor force. He has warned time and again that immigrants take jobs from Americans and drive down wages for U.S. workers. He said it loud, and he said it proud -- to fellow nativists like Lou Dobbs. In 2007, the then-CNN host brought Sanders onto his show and let the senator brag about helping to kill the guest worker provisions in a once-in-a-generation comprehensive immigration reform bill, a move that ensured the demise of the legislation.

But now that Sanders is holding on to his presidential bid by his fingertips, the senator is singing a different tune. The new music is due to the fact that most of his primary victories -- including California, Colorado, Nevada and Utah -- are due to support from Latino voters who appreciate his efforts to reach out to them. The new, kinder and gentler version of Sanders talks about the contributions of immigrants and promises, if elected president, to do in the first 100 days what he has refused to support over the last four decades: legalize the undocumented.

During last Sunday's debate, Biden called Sanders on the contradiction, and Sanders tried to slip out of it by presenting his past legislative shenanigans as being fueled by his concern that guest workers would be treated like slave labor -- a concern he neglected to mention to Dobbs.

Sanders is as slippery as they come. He's a first-rate con man who divides people, plays to all sides, and will say anything rather than own up to his mistakes.

That sounds familiar. It's almost a shame we won't get the chance to see him square off this fall against his alter ego -- President Trump.

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Ruben Navarrette's email address is ruben@rubennavarrette.com. His daily podcast, "Navarrette Nation," is available through every podcast app.