News 8 years ago

LIVE: Bernie Sanders at the Liacouras Center at Temple University

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Thousands of people have been waiting since 6:30 a.m. outside of the Liacouras Center to see Senator Bernie Sanders, candidate for the Democratic Presidential nomination.

Temple is clearly feeling the Bern as a massive amount of students, and those from the surrounding areas, have been waiting all day and wrapping around the block for hours.

Bernie Sanders is expected to begin speaking at 8 p.m.

Follow this post for live updates and The Tab Temple’s Facebook page for a live stream.

21:50

“We have to go into our hearts and determines what kind of country we want and what our options are. And what is happening today is that millions of people are looking around questioning why we are the only major country on earth without paid parental leave. Why is it that corporations do not pay taxes? Why is it young people are leaving school with tens of thousands of dollars in debt? Why do we have the higher a incarcerated population? We can stay the status quo.

“We have a vision of what this country can be, and we fight for that vision, there is nothing we can’t accomplish. On April 26, I hope you will make sure that Pennsylvania is part of the political revolution.”

21:45

“The gay community and their straight allies stood up and they said that in America people should have the right to love whoever they wanted, regardless of anything. And to accomplish that, the gay community had to struggle through bigotry and hatred, and they did it.”

21:40

“Americans coming together will always trump selfishness. At the end of the day, love trumps hatred.”

21:35

“Let me assure you, Donald Trump is not going to become president!”

“Healthcare is a right of all people.”

“Climate change is real and caused by human activity. We have a responsibility to make sure the planet we leave our children is a healthy and habitable planet.”

“We are listening to Native American people. We owe the Native American people a debt. I was talking with a tribeswoman about how they make decisions. And she said they make decisions about how they impact the next 7 generations. There is a lot we can learn from them.”

21:20

“Secretary clinton is getting nervous. We have won 7 out of 8 of the recent primaries and caucuses. Secretary Clinton has tried to say I am unqualified to be president. I would say that she is unqualified she and her superPAC are funded by Wall Street. I don’t think you are qualified if you voted for the war in Iraq. I don’t think you a re qualified if you support every disastrous trade agreement that has cost American jobs. I don’t think you are qualified if you support the Panama trade agreement, which as you have heard, has allowed individuals and corporations avoid paying taxes.”

“Our campaign is working because we are listening. We are listening to working people. And what workers are telling me is that we need a national minimum wage of $15/hour.”

He also threw out one of his key points: “In America, if you work 40 hours a week, you should not be living in poverty.”

“50 years ago in the United States, our public colleges and universities were virtually free. I want children to know that if they do well in school, regardless of the income of their families, they will be able to get a college education.”

21:10

The whole crowd has been on it’s feet since Bernie came out.

He’s now addressing how we need to reform the criminal justice system.

21:05

He’s discussing wealth inequality and railing on Walmart: “Walmart pays wages so low that many worked are on Medicaid and foodstuffs. And it is the middle class that pays for this stuff.”

“All over America, we have people working 2 or 3 jobs just to cover the healthcare they need.

58% of all new income goes to the top 1%. Together we are going to create an economy that works for all of us, not just the people on top.”

Again, the crowd chants: “Bernie.”

21:00

Bernie is now at the podium.

20:56

“When we started we were 60 points behind secretary Clinton. A national poll came out today that we are up by two points. Four weeks ago we were 35 points behind in PA. A poll today showed we are four points behind now. In national poll after national poll we are defeating Donald trump big time.”

20:47

State Senator Howard is now speaking.

“We have a choice about who we believe in. . . A future to believe in.”

“I heard about a man. The man who believes that we should encourage higher education. The man who believes that we should make college tuition free. The man who believes the billionaires should pay for it to pay for what they’ve done.”

“Our challenge is so great that we have to shout black lives matter just to remind us that African American lives count.”

After he said this, there was a loud cheer from crowd.

“Bernie sanders believes we must end racial discrimination. We must invest in our education system. We must change our criminal justice system . . . This agenda can only be achieved if we get millions of people to vote to take our government back. To get big money out of politics. I have decided to stand with his man. to support him. His vision. And the political revolution.”

The crowd has started to chant: “Bernie.”

“This is a loud raucous crowd tonight. And it is the sound of a political revolution. It is the sound of a people who want a government that represents all of us, not the wealthy one percent.”

20:38

People are still filing in to the Liacouras Center, causing a delay. The rally was supposed to start at 8 p.m. Some people are dancing while they wait for Bernie.

20:16

Simone Sanders, Bernie Sanders’ national press secretary, says, “The people of the political revolution believe we need to invest in education, our school systems, like the ones in Philadelphia, and they believe in black lives matter and that we need to invest in communities of color.”

20:05

The crowd cheers as a Bernie staffer talks about the win in Wisconsin and says Bernie is the only candidate that discusses mass incarceration. He says Bernie sanders wants to change the criminal justice system.

“Pennsylvania will prove the establishment wrong once again if we mobilize to get Bernie to win.”

A registered nurse, president of the Nurses’ Union, speaks on behalf on Bernie. She says it’s a “Complete no brainier to endorse Bernie. He believes that healthcare is a human right.”

“Millions of people are still uncovered by the ACA and it is still expensive because it is the same big pharma corporations. Pennsylvania’s Nurses’ Union is demanding change to the system to better nurses and patient care.”

She says, “We want specific kinds of change. A living wage of $15/hr. We want an end to racial and economic injustice. An end of the school to prison pipeline. An end to insurance companies that deny patients. An end to jobs being shipped overseas. And the only person that can bring that kind of change is Bernie Sanders.”

20:00

People are doing the wave, and this cutie showed some support.

19:15

The crowd is chanting “Bernie” while more people take their seats.

18:50

Philly Jesus has just made an appearance.

18:40

School children for Bernie Sanders just walked in. It’s democracy at its cutest.

Apparently, even some republicans came to support Bernie. Jay Fulster drove here from Maryland. He said what attracted him to Bernie is that Sanders’ platform concerns the future generations and inspires young people to come out and vote.

17:50

The doors opened at 5pm, and people are filling into the Liacouras Center.

Temple University