Just back from the L.A. Bernie event

[villager]

Kinda wired up -- almost tempted to do this as an AMA (wait -- that's a different website where people snark at each other...)



*Very diverse, very L.A. crowd. People from all strata, pockets, areas of the metropolis were there.

*Bernie got a lot of first-time users of the subway system packing the transit lines! (I like to use it a lot as an alternative to driving anyway, so helped some Bern-ites figure out how to get their tickets, etc..)

*Amazing lay-it-out-there rhetoric from the Senator. Don't think I've ever heard another Presidential candidate in my lifetime say, simply, "the economy is rigged."

*Bernie talked extemporaneously for about an hour! Talked a lot about racial justice, economic justice, what "family values" really mean, the insanity of denying climate science, and more.

*Being L.A., as I stood in line for a beer at the Sports Arena, before going inside (I stood on the arena floor), there was a reasonably well known actress just hanging out in her Bernie t-shirt, waiting for her beer, chatting away. L.A. is always good at the surreal touches.

*Subways and light rail packed again going back. Lots of "Bernt" folks tonight. Will be quite interesting to see what/how all this energy translates...

[Live and Learn]

1. Here are some photos I got:

We got there more than 2 hours early and still ended up at the top. It was wonderful. Lots of energy.



Standing room only in the isles:

[villager]

2. Great stuff! I was down on the Arena floor, looking up at ya!

[Live and Learn]

3. Did you see me waving at you?

I was the one at the top wearing the JackPine Radical original "I'm for the fringe candidate" t-shirt.

It was really something.

[villager]

6. Oh man, I would've looked for that shirt...!

...had I but known it was only a few rows above me!

[Ichingcarpenter]

4. wonderful reporting...

I'm amazed at Bernie's energy doing this day after day.

Every photos I've seen so far on everyone's reporting of this event
shows the solid diversity of his support.

[villager]

5. It was really amazing -- the false narrative of division/separation about these events...

...was definitively laid to rest in L.A.

[Ichingcarpenter]

7. Yep..... someone needs a wake up call

Yep a wake up call indeed

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1251&pid=428686

[djean111]

20. Gee, at least there wasn't a stupid-assed "I support Bernie, BUT" disclaimer on that.

Kinda funny. And, I think, there might be wee bit of delusion regarding effectiveness.

[lovemydog]

8. Thanks. That's awesome.

His candidacy is picking up steam. Thanks L.A. for showing up in full force to stand united against wealth inequality.

[villager]

9. L.A. really did -- hopefully this is a pivot point for the campaign

Special interests weren't able to stifle it in its starting blocks, after all...

[Luminousman]

28. Right on

Thank you for saying it exactly my sentiments.. It warms my heart to see him succeed... In Jesus were a politician he would be Bernie Sanders... The man can do no wrong and every time they try to make him look bad they just make him look better... He has the personality that we need to lead this country and the knowledge of how to get it done and the track record that shows his dedication what more could we ask... Thank you for being here so selflessly Bernie Sanders

[artislife]

10. So cool

I love this OP!!

[Spitfire of ATJ]

11. Just posted a pretty good video of it with some pans of the crowd cheering...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1017285533

[JDPriestly]

12. I went. Sat in the top portion of the Arena.

Great, huge crowd. Exciting. Long wait just to get in. Wonderful people to wait with.
So many, many young people.

Sarah Silverman introduced Bernie and spoke of his morality.

My generation was idealist. There were a good number of us there.

But the young people were out in the biggest numbers, and are not so much idealistic as realistic about the lack of opportunities for their generation. They are not angry bitter, rather they are just resigned and aware bitter. They know that their opportunities are a lot more limited than their parents' were. They are not blaming other races or immigrants. They just seem to be aware that we need a different organization of our economy if they are to provide for their families and repay their student loans.

Lots of talk about student loans, about the cost of living, about how there are no good jobs for college grads.

The crowd in the balcony screamed and screamed when Bernie said that if you smoke a little marijuana you may go to jail, but if you are a banker and you bring down the economy, you don't. I'm paraphrasing pretty liberally, but wow! The crowd went crazy.

Also the crowd was extremely supportive of the Black Lives Matter message and the need to reduce our incarceration rate.

Also very enthusiastic about the Iran agreement and making sure that war is really a last resort. No war mongerers im the Bernie crowd.

Great reaction against trade agreements.

Lots of support for Bernie's environmental stance.

The crowd was with Bernie on every issue, loud and clear.

It was thrilling to be there, to hear Bernie, to be a part of the crowd.

Bernie, as Sarah Silverman said, is the moral candidate. Moral in every respect.

I'm just so grateful for the experience.

[villager]

17. Good overview! Liked when Silverman came out in glasses, and said Rick Perry gave them to her

... to make her look "smartier."

[JDPriestly]

18. Yes. She should travel with Bernie. He tells very few jokes. She could balance his sobriety.

[cui bono]

13. Wish I could have gone!

Thanks for the report!

Looks like a lot of 'outliers' showed up.

[gordianot]

14. We will wake up in the near future and find Sanders is the front runner.

I have not been this excited about a candidate in 40 years.

[passiveporcupine]

16. Those crowds are beautiful

I can feel the energy.

[CountAllVotes]

19. No matter how the media tries ...

They cannot ignore this!

We the People are Feelin' Da Bern and we'll vote as such!

& recommend.

[villager]

21. Part of why they're doing what they can to share down more democratized media like online forums

...whether through overt, or covert means...

[olddots]

22. I hope someone here got a pic of the St. Bernard for Bernie

last night was great because people were there for all the right reasons .

[villager]

23. There was a St. Bernie for Bernie!?

I missed it....

[Le Taz Hot]

27. I got one.

It's in this bunch:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/128036510

[OneGrassRoot]

24. I really appreciate all the first-hand reports...

that must have been an AMAZING experience.

Is this the largest crowd ever gathered at this stage of the process for a candidate? I know Obama drew huge crowds but were they THIS huge at this stage?

Thanks again.

[Pastiche423]

25. The largest crowd so far...

was in Portland, Oregon - 28,000!

I can close my eyes now and still feel the electric energy all around me - the roar of the crowds, the happy faces, the stomping of feet, people doing the wave, the youth and Bernie's wonderful words.

It's been three days and I am still high.

[OneGrassRoot]

26. Nice...