Sanders brings message to Montgomery County
About 1,500 people came out to “feel the Bern” at a campaign rally for Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks Thursday.
“I look out and I see a political revolution taking place right here,” Sanders told the cheering crowd. “(This campaign) is about having the courage to face the reality of American life today and understand that reality isn’t always a pleasant reality, but have the courage to take on the special interests.”
Hours before doors opened at 4:30 p.m. throngs of Sanders supporters of all ages and ethnicities assembled outside of the venue waiting to hear the senator from Vermont.
Sanders supporters remained upbeat and optimistic despite the uphill battle facing their candidate in the wake of his loss to Hillary Clinton in the New York Democratic primary and the delegate deficit impeding his path to the presidency.
Even those resolved to the probability that Sanders, an Independent who caucuses with Democrats and is a self-described Democratic Socialist, won’t win the nomination, expressed gratitude for his bringing oft overlooked issues to the political forefront.
“I think that he has told the truth the most,” said Cheryl Joy Lipton. “He has ideals and standards I see haven’t changed but have only gotten stronger. He wasn’t going one way and then switched over. This is where he’s always been.”
Lipton said she appreciates Sanders’ consistent message of clean energy, stewardship of the environment and cost-free tuition at public institutions, but is not sure he can win.
“I’m actually worried about his chances,” she said.
“He’s got support from me because I believe in his policies about helping people on Main Street rather than people on Wall Street,” said 56-year-old Michael Minnich of Chester Springs.
“He supports a big issue that I support,” said Marquise, 25.
“I’m a felon and he offers a lot of things that can benefit my life,” he added, touting Sanders bona fides on criminal justice reform. “I appreciate the guy. He’s got a good character he’s honest and straightforward.”
Steve Shelley, a 60-something from Devon, is not a Sanders supporter but came to the rally because he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to hear a presidential candidate speak.
“I am in sympathy with him and I want to see what kind of public speaker he is,” said Shelley.
Shelley, who wore a button with Sanders’ likeness and the words “Not For Sale,” said he believes in Sanders’ messages about income inequality, fair taxation and breaking up the big banks, but said he wouldn’t be voting for him in the Pennsylvania Democratic primary April 26.
“I think he has a pretty good chance given the statistics he’s had in the past few states,” said Claire Mahoney, 25 of Boyertown.
Mahoney said she took the time to come out and support Sanders because of his stance on the environmental conservation and promotion of green energy.
Mary Shloss, 52, of Lansdale, said that fairness in the economy, the environment, and maintaining the social safety net are issues important to her as the mother of young adults.
“I completely agree with him on most issues. I think he represents a great opportunity for our country, a fantastic opportunity not seen since FDR,” Shloss said. “I think getting money out of politics — a lynchpin issue of the Sanders campaign — is number one because that probably affects all the other issues. I’m just a big supporter of Bernie. I have been with him from the start.”