Would it matter which?
The DNC insiders clearly have no intention of letting the public have a voice in the party. Having a couple socialists around is supposed to secure the vote from the left. Neither Sanders nor AOC(nor other progressives) are leaving the party anytime soon.
It's fair to argue that splitting the party means losing to the right but the current strategy doesn't seem to be working out either.
Technically he's always been independent but primaried for office under a democratic ticket.
So fair? The dems still use him in this way and he is a close enough ally to be synonymous. Unless there's more recent news?