APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) – Thousands of people showed up to see Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders host a town hall event at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center in Appleton Tuesday.
Appleton police estimated about 5,000 supporters of the Vermont Senator lined up, snaked around the back of the building in city’s downtown. The earliest arrived around 2:30 a.m., seven hours before the doors even opened.
“The establishment is doing everything in its power to block this candidate, to marginalize him, to write him off,” says Susan Howe, one of the many showing up in support of Sanders. “The money in politics is controlling everything so people aren’t being represented. That’s the number one thing a candidate has to do to be accountable to people, and Bernie is doing it.”
Many of those in line were young or disenfranchised voters, who are attracted to Sanders for his message. Tom is one of the many who are confident in Sanders’ chances.
“Aside from his message of equality and bringing the working class up and redistributing the wealth a little bit from the elite who’ve been extracting it from the middle class, I’d say his consistency, his integrity and his character,” Tom says. “Time will tell, but he’s got it. This is gonna happen, he’s going to be our next President, I guarantee.”
Inside the PAC, Sanders was introduced by former Wisconsin Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton. Lawton says Sanders is the one candidate who’s a bold, experienced leader who can input serious campaign finance reform.
On stage, Sanders described the momentum of his campaign.
“We have won 6 out of the last 7 elections, often by landslide victories,” Sanders said, disputing the corporate media myth that young people aren’t interested in politics. “They understand that they are the future of this country and they are determined to help shape that future.”
Lots of cheers, chants and even the wave was performed by the enthusiastic bunch in the run-up to the start of the event. Some of the loudest cheers were made after Sanders called out Republican governors for voter ID laws, including Wisconsin’s.
“I will tell you this, that if elected President of the United States, we’re going to take on the Scott Walker’s and all these people,” bellowed Sanders.
Other issues Sanders highlighted were wealth redistribution, college affordability and repairing broken economic and criminal justice systems.
This is the first event held in Northeast Wisconsin featuring Sanders, just a week before Wisconsin’s April 5th presidential primary election.
