"Are Democrats stepping out of the Socialist/Communist closet?"
They are here in Minnesota. Notice the Soldiers of Solidarity banner right beneath the Minnesota Democratic link and the DSCC link. They're not so quiet about it here.
http://www.xpdnc.com/links/cnclusmn.html
When John Kerry visited Cleveland during the 2004 campaign, CPUSA had banners, a booth and was selling Workers World Daily inside the pavilion on the mall where he was speaking.
I find that "liberal", "leftist", "progressive" and "socialist" are nothing but new-speak bullsh*t for hard-core, unrepentant "neo-Stalinist".