As expected, Bernie Sanders’s rally at Rec Hall was packed to capacity with lines stretched out for blocks nearly two hours prior to the speech, while the arena was already nearly filled. You could feel the excitement of the campaign throughout the rally as the crowd chanted “Feel the Bern” and other slogans. Having attended Penn State wrestling matches hearing the roar of the Nittany Lion crowd after a big win, I can say that the crowd here tonight met or exceeded that level of enthusiasm. One of the greatest ironies of this election is that the oldest of the field of candidates is generating the most support among young voters. But if you listen to his message, this comes as no surprise.
Video of Sanders at Penn State:
As Bernie took the stage, he responded to the enthusiasm of the crowd by stating, “Penn State is ready for a political revolution!” He would go on to give, with vigor, his basic stump speech about income wealth and inequality, campaign finance reform, criminal justice reform, health care reform, and education reform. On the issue of paying for some of these initiatives, Bernie indicated he would support a Wall Street speculation tax. He also explained how his vision of a single-payer health care system would help not only those currently uninsured, but small business owners and corporations alike. Much of his speech spoke of how his agenda proves that his campaign is listening young people, women, and minorities. Much of his speech centered around that premise, and really seemed to resonate with the crowd.
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Prior to Bernie taking the stage, we spoke with several attendees. Though they spoke of different issues, the general consensus was that they were concerned with more than the so called “hand-outs” that are commonly used to describe Bernie’s campaign. Jessica, a cancer survivor and small business owner, expressed support for Bernie’s stance on medical marijuana and other health initiatives and stated that Bernie is more apt to support small business. Brian, and undecided voter, was interested in Bernie’s foreign policy agenda. Jon, a Hillary supporter, was concerned with how Bernie can appeal to moderates in the general election and answer attacks from Republicans.
Whether Bernie was able to win over Central PA remains to be seen, but this rally and others likely coming up are crucial in his bid to win the state and maintain some level of momentum… especially on the evening of a decisive Clinton victory in the Empire State.
Editor’s Note: Dominic Maines is a youth reporter who is covering the 2016 Democratic primary for PoliticusUSA.
