Bernie Sanders Just Drew Almost 3,000 People In a Conservative Stronghold

[Catherina]

Last edited Fri Aug 21, 2015, 06:27 PM - Edit history (1)

Bernie Sanders Just Drew Almost 3,000 People In a Conservative Stronghold

Bernie Sanders‘ rallies around the country have been making headlines. Until Friday morning, he’s held them in large urban areas (like Phoenix and Dallas) or in liberal strongholds (like Portland, Seattle, Los Angeles and Madison, Wisconsin).

On Friday, Sanders brought his campaign to the TD Convention Center in Greenville, South Carolina. Here’s a look at the crowd he drew photographed by a supporter:




(photos courtesy of Katherine Mueller)

Estimates put the turnout at about 3,000. A Sanders supporter told me the campaign was hoping for 1,000.

...

Greenville is also one of the most conservative cities in the country. So, the fact that Sanders drew 3,000 people in one of the most Republican parts of the nation on a Friday morning in August…is not something to sneeze at.

...

http://bluenationreview.com/bernie-sanders-just-drew-almost-3000-people-in-a-conservative-stronghold/

I have to edit to add this great tweet concerning Bernie's talk in Columbia tonight:

Taylor Davids ‏@taylor_davids 9m9 minutes ago

I don't know who the hell Bernie Sanders is, but judging at traffic and people going to his speech in Cola- he's got SC's vote...

https://twitter.com/taylor_davids/status/634851713502085120

[RoccoR5955]

1. Looks like a full house there.

All right! Even in South Carolina Bernie has support!
This goes along with my long held belief that Bernie shall win the nomination, as well as the general election in a landslide!

[greiner3]

36. "Looks like a full house there."

I don't know, there's a lot of empty grass between each participant



And for those who can't tell 'fact from fiction'

[napi21]

2. That's terrific news. I used to live there and conservative is an understatement!

I hope this is indicative of the future for Bernie.

[Catherina]

12. I hope so too. I think it is

Thanks for adding that extra information.

[nxylas]

48. Me too

I still keep in touch with some of the people I knew there, via Facebook etc, and some of them are posting pro-Bernie stuff, people who I never would have expected.

[olddots]

3. those 3000 people heard something with substance

[arcane1]

4. Even better, those 3,000 people SOUGHT something of substance!

[The Traveler]

10. There is a deep appetite for substance out there in voter land

There really is. And Sanders is delivering. He is talking about problems that affect the majority of Americans. And he is pointing out the general direction in which we may find solutions. And people want that. They need it.

And Sanders is re-introducing the nation to what was once accepted wisdom: We are stronger when we stand and work together. Solidarity. We heard that before but this guy really means it, and won't get talked out of it.

Of course, there are those who really, really don't want that notion being spread around over much. But the idea is catching on. And that is part of what has the corporate punditocracy and 3rd Way types freaking out a little bit.

All this gives me hopes.

I just want Bernie Sanders to invest in some really good body guards. (But then, I have a nasty, dirty, suspicious kind of mind.)

Trav

[Enthusiast]

6. It's shocking in this day and age.

[sabrina 1]

16. And judging by how they were cheering, the liked what they heard.

[stage left]

5. My sister and I no longer believe we're the only liberals in Greenville.

The size and enthusiasm of the crowd was amazing. So very glad I got to go and hear the Senator in person.

[Catherina]

7. What! You were there? Come on friend, the report!

I watched online and was electrified at my computer. What was it like in person?

[stage left]

53. It was very exciting to be there.

Especially so as it was my first ever political rally. I was kind of nervous, too, because crowds are not really my thing.

I got to the TD Convention center about 9:15 and they were already parking people in the parking lot across the street from the center and there was already a long line waiting to get into the ballroom. The doors were scheduled to open at 10 and the Senator was to begin speaking at 11:00.

Most everyone was lined up patiently with their Bernie signs and Bernie y'all buttons, talking and laughing with each other. Meanwhile I was looking for my sister and Bil who were coming from Piedmont. I'd planned to coordinate with my sister by cell phone, but, in my excitement, I'd managed to leave it at home. I though I could get there early and get a good place, but it was not to be.

While waiting for her and checking the front periodically, I checked out the crowd. There were many people my own age--sixty and over, but also a good many younger people. i have to admit we were mostly white, however there were a few people of color and many women and they all seemed as excited to be there as I was. We met a woman there from Ireland by way of Atlanta who was with her college age son. We also ran into a bouncy group of teenage girls, practicing their cheer leading moves. Not to mention the young guy from Columbia sporting a ball cap with an embroidered marijuana leaf foremost and brandishing a three sided sign lashed to an old flagpole. The sign featured a depiction of Princess Leia and said "Help us, Bernie Sanders, you're our only hope."

We got in a little after ten and we're a long way from the podium, right behind the platform where the press is set up. We have a great view of the cameramen, mostly from behind. My Bil strikes up a conversation with one of the press who asks him to say a few words on camera. My Bil turns shy and so does my sister. The reporter turns to me, "What about you?"

I say to myself what the hell. So I tell him why I'm there. What I like about Bernie. Why I prefer him to Hillary. Turns out the guy is from Al Jazeera. I'm afraid to go to the website in case he actually used the footage. Being bold is no more my thing than crowds.

The crowd is excited, waiting for Bernie. The press look glum. Symone Sanders, a member of the Campaign, speaks from the podium. She introduces a recent graduate of Furman University, a black girl, who, in turn introduces Bernie. There is a roar from the crowd and a flurry of Bernie signs. When the signs come down I can see the Senator. He tells us how much he appreciates us coming. I'm a little disappointed that his hair is so neatly combed.

As he makes each of his points, the crowd literally roars. I won't reiterate the points. I think we all know what they are. When he mentions Citizens United, the Koch brothers, our Republican "Colleagues", or the.1% the crowd groans. I was happy to see him address police violence, the militarization of the police, the privatization of prisons, and our broken criminal justice system. I was sorry there weren't more people of color there to hear him.

When it's over we rush toward the front hoping to get a clear picture of the Senator, or maybe even shake his hand. My sister comes close. If only she was a little taller.

[Catherina]

55. Now I'm going to look for that AlJazeera clip! What a great report

and so well written. If you don't already, I encourage you to write reports for local papers or websites because you captured the essence of the meeting perfectly and have some really great turns of phrases for example "The crowd is excited, waiting for Bernie. The press look glum" as well as your ending paragraph.

I'm a little jealous it wasn't me but really happy for you.

I read that three times. Great report!

[stage left]

58. Thanks!

Bernie seems to be going everywhere, so maybe he'll be in your town soon.

[JDPriestly]

19. Wonderful that you went. Give us your full report when you feel like it.

[Eleanors38]

8. I'm waiting for Austin!

[onethatcares]

9. after work today

I had two beers with a lawn service owner in West Central Florida. He has 21 accounts, he told me the only person that makes any sense anywhere, on any issue is Bernie. Wow

[Catherina]

13. I'm seeing a lot of that online, especially twitter.

Have another beer with him

[onethatcares]

21. we already left the bar

two beers the dui limit for both of us. Better we keep our heads on and motivate more people. I think I helped him see the light, it was an interesting conversation to say the least. He's from Guatemala(?) and said he can't find Mexicans to staff his crews, then he laid out all the reasons and they contradicted every thing the pukes have said forever.

Keep on bro, keep on

[JDPriestly]

20. We visited a big bank recently (to withdraw a little money and put it in a credit union).

The bank manager was very nice and we apologized for closing our account. The bank manager looked so sad until my husband said there is an answer to this economy and it is Bernie.

At that the bank manager perked up, got a big smile and said, "Bernie Sanders," and we parted buddies.

Surprising how many people are all for Bernie Sanders. They are everywhere.

I went to a museum for an exposition related to a religious theme wearing my Women for Bernie button and made some new very excited friends that way.

Bernie is bigger than the mainstream media admits, much, much bigger.

Bernie fans are everywhere, in surprising places.

[mountain grammy]

46. I've been hearing that over and over...

in the most unlikely places.

[turbinetree]

11. To all of the South Caroline Bernsters------------------Thank you

Now for good old Nikki Haley------------------do you feel the BERN, because its coming to you and you will not like it----------------right along with your right wing Senator's------------------ one running for the president (how many attended his rally--------150+ for Graham) and other right wing hypocrite Scott


Honk--------------------for a political revolution Bernie 2016

[Robbins]

14. SC

don't dismess the idea what is happening In NH and Iowa can't happen In SC as well.

3,000 in SC at this time bodes well.

[Catherina]

15. A tweet that confirms what we agree on

Taylor Davids ‏@taylor_davids 5m5 minutes ago

I don't know who the hell Bernie Sanders is, but judging at traffic and people going to his speech in Cola- he's got SC's vote...

https://twitter.com/taylor_davids/status/634851713502085120

[sabrina 1]

17. Seeing a lot of that. all over Social Media. From Repubs, from Libertarians, from Dems, Indies and

from people who haven't voted in years.

AND from minorities who are discovering him for the first time.

You can understand why the effort was made to try to discredit him BEFORE minorities got to know who he was. But they didn't count on people LOOKING FOR THEMSELVES.

Comments I've seen from AAs, eg, go like this after checking him out because of the wreckage at NRN, 'hey, why are they going after THIS guy, he's been an ally for decades'?

[Catherina]

43. Some of the tweets are killing me

especially all the "Well Hillary you were my gal but (insert variation here) Bernie!

[slipslidingaway]

18. "I don't know who the hell Bernie Sanders is ..."

and that is one of the problems as evidenced by the questions in this poll.

http://www.quinnipiac.edu/news-and-events/quinnipiac-university-poll/2016-presidential-swing-state-polls/release-detail?ReleaseID=2271


"36. (Split Sample) Is your opinion of Bernie Sanders favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about him?

FL OH PA

Favorable 28% 30% 28%
Unfavorable 31 26 29
Hvn't hrd enough 41 43 43
REFUSED - 1 1"

Sorry about the formatting.

[JDPriestly]

22. We who are volunteering for Bernie are really just getting started.

We will make sure that everyone knows who Bernie is. Just wait and see.

[slipslidingaway]

25. :))) n/t

[KoKo]

34. ++++++..!

[Catherina]

44. People like you...

ROCK!

[magical thyme]

32. that's a great problem to have this early on

because it can be remedied and there is time todo it!

[Catherina]

42. That's a problem for sure but if the grassroots effort keeps up like this

the MSM will have no choice but to make him better known. And then there's the matter of the limited debates too...

[LiberalElite]

39. Ha Who is Taylor Davids?

Maybe I should get out more??

[Catherina]

45. An ordinary young woman I think

it was just a random comment I loved

[onethatcares]

23. get up stand up

stand up for the man.

Ya gotta admit he's 90 stories above the other candidates.

Get up Stand up

Don't give up the fight.

As I just said to my wife, without a real supporter of these programs, social security, medicare, obamacare, snap etc, we're gonna lose them and I would rather pay for them than other war making machines.

Stand up.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

26. Now you see the light - get up stand up!

[onethatcares]

28. there was a post

that said, "we are the seeds" we are, we definitely are. We thought we were getting close with President Obama and we did some things. We are stronger and we have the younger generation that doesn't care about racial orientation as much and that want's a better world. It's time to show them that the songs of the 70s are not just bullshit but that they plotted an entire new way until it got hijacked by the richies.

Peace

it's the only way.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

29. Yes change will come

[magical thyme]

31. they tried to bury us. they didn't know we were seeds. nt

[onethatcares]

35. thyme to sprout

don't cha think? Our children are depending on us. We will again scare the hell out of the ptbs, we'll probably lose some during the skirmishes, but the history of the movement will remain.

jeez, I can't believe I just wrote that.

[LiberalElite]

41. There was some discussion about

A theme song. Maybe that song??

[DinahMoeHum]

24. Remember, it's not about how many seats there are in a place,

it's how many asses there are in those seats.

Common theme with Sanders' gatherings: " I went to see him and I couldn't get a seat; it was jam-packed"

[stage left]

54. In Greenville, there were no seats.

There was no seating. We stood. But that's ok. Greenville liberals are a tough lot evidently. Just like Bernie. There was some space in the back of the ballroom. But I guess that's ok , too. I was afraid there were only going to be ten people there.

[Bohemianwriter]

27. And not a single word in the corporate media....

[Rosa Luxemburg]

40. They are worried

[Duval]

30. The country is "ready" for Bernie. eom

[mudstump]

33. Now that is a

BEAUTIFUL thing to see!

[Zorra]

37. And this was in early afternoon. On a weekday.

A weekday!

[MrMickeysMom]

56. And, nobody had to pay 20,000 people, did they?

But, seriously…. what a good point to make!

[AzDar]

38. August heat ? Nope...just feeling The Bern!

[pacalo]

47. I watched the Columbia, SC rally on C-Span earlier tonight

& it was good to see so many young people there. After the rally, a C-Span host & Bernie took calls from viewers; two of the callers were Republicans who are considering Bernie.

Here's the video for anyone interested in watching it. The viewer calls are included at the end of the video. There's a transcript below the video window, also.

http://www.c-span.org/video/?327669-1/senator-bernie-sanders-town-hall-meeting-south-carolina

[Betty Karlson]

49. The quote from Taylor Davids is the one that shows Mr. Sanders's potential.

There are days when I believe he could crush the GOP deep into its supposed strongholds.

[merrily]

50. Same date: 3000 in Greenville, SC; 5,000 in Columbia SC. I'll call it 8,000 in a Southern red state.

On a work day morning and a Friday night. Are you kidding me?

[bec]

51. I was a volunteer at the Columbia event

last night and we had a full house there, too. We even had an overflow in the lobby listening.

[Catherina]

52. That was such a great event! Welcome to DU bec

[paleotn]

57. wow!!

...The Upstate is arguably the most conservative part of the most conservative state this side of Utah. I lived in Greenville for 6 months once and found it the most right wing metropolitan area I've ever spent any time in. Extremely Dixie Republican and frighteningly fundigelically religious. Bernie getting those kind numbers there speaks volumes. Wow, just wow!!