
People for Bernie / Mcbyrne on Twitter
Bernie Sanders hosted a rally today in Santa Monica, California at the Santa Monica High School Amphitheater. An energetic crowd greeted Sanders, who looked especially happy as he shared his platform for the 2020 election and promised to fight big money insiders. He reminded the crowd that he needs everyone’s help to make their dreams a reality. Here are highlights and photos from Bernie Sanders‘ rally.
The opening music for Sanders’ rally was by Chris Shiflett of the Foo Fighters. Shiflett donated $1,000 to Sanders’ campaign.
Other celebrities who’ve donated to his campaign include Norah Jones, Danny DeVito, Susan Sarandon, and Jonathan Fishman.
Someone at the campaign spotted a guy wearing a MAGA hat at the rally.
Although the crowd looked like it would be small at first, the venue quickly started to fill up as it got closer to time for Bernie Sanders to speak.
Matt Friedrichs was chosen to hold a sign and he couldn’t be more excited.
The crowd was looking good for the event.
The crowd really was significant tonight.
Here’s another video shared by Nina Turner.
About an hour after the rally started, Bernie and Jane Sanders took to the stage. Jane introduced Bernie, who then addressed the crowd. He looked very happy tonight.
Bernie started out by asking the crowd: “Are you ready for a political revolution?” And they cheered in response.
Sanders said that Trump believed he’d win by dividing people. “He thinks he can maintain power by getting us to hate each other… because our religion might be different, because our sexual orientation might be different. Well we’ve got some bad news for Donald Trump. We aren’t falling for that demagoguery… He wants to divide us up, we are bringing people together.”
Sanders reminded the crowd that no President can do this alone, and it’s why he focuses on “us not me.”
“Real change always, always, always takes place from the bottom on up, not from the top on down,” he said to more cheers. “So I am going to need your help the day after we get inaugurated. I’m going to need the help of tens of millions of people…”
He reminded people that they will be facing insurance companies and other rich and powerful industries. He reminded people that insurance companies will spend hundreds of millions to protect their profits (to which the crowd booed.) “But understand, those ads are paid for by people whose greed is destroying the lives of millions of Americans,” he said.
Sanders talked about his upcoming trip to Ontario so a number of people with him can buy insulin for 1/10 the price they’re paying in the U.S.
“Our people are paying by far the highest prices in the world,” he said. “And people are dying because they cannot afford the medicine they desperately need. Today we say to the pharmaceutical industry, whether you like it or not, we’re going to end your greed.”
Then Sanders said: “Today we say to the fossil fuel industry…” and someone yelled “F*** YOU!” Sanders laughed and said: “That’s one way of saying it… Not exactly the way I’d say it…” Then he continued his speech.
Sanders said it’s time to get our priorities right: “An economy and a government that works for all of us.” He said he’s tired of hearing people say they can’t get a home or have children because of their oppressive student debt.
“If Trump and his friends would give a trillion-and-a-half in tax breaks to the one percent and private corporations, then we can cancel student debt in this country.”
Sanders also focused on the need for affordable housing in California. He said they’ve gotten used to seeing people sleeping on the streets. “This is America, we must never, never accept homelessness as a norm… We will build the millions of units of affordable housing this country desperately needs.”
Just the day before, Sanders hosted a grassroots fundraiser in Los Angeles that had an impressive turnout. Unlike fundraisers from many other candidates, this one allowed people to attend for tickets of $27 or $100 each, along with other tickets that cost more.
Sanders and his wife took photos with anyone at the fundraiser who wanted them. At some other candidates’ fundraisers, photos require an extra charge. It’s one of many grassroots fundraisers that he’ll be hosting during his campaign.
At the end of his rally, Sanders said:
This is not a utopian dream… at the end of the day, the 1 percent is 1 percent. We are 99 percent. And if we stand up and do not allow Trump and his friends to divide us up, if we keep our eyes on the prize of creating the kind of humane society we can become, if we are prepared to become deeply involved in the political process… we can create an extraordinary country that the whole world will be looking to for leadership.”
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