A crowd estimated at more than 1,200 filled the exhibition hall at Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center Wednesday to hear from Senator Bernie Sanders in support of Hillary Clinton’s bid for the presidency of the United States.
Sanders spoke for just over 30 minutes touching on a laundry list of topics including education, employment, minimum wage, taxes, health care, jail and prison reform, climate change, race relations and LGBT equality.
Sanders reiterated his proposal, now endorsed by Clinton, to make public colleges and universities tuition-free for students in families who make less than $125,000 per year, as well as a plan to offer a so-called “public option” for health care in every state.
“We must raise the minimum wage to a living wage,” Sanders said. “If you work 40 hours a week in the United States of America, you should not be living in poverty.”
He also touched on wage equity.
“Hillary Clinton understands that in 2016, women should not continue to be making 79 cents on the dollar,” he said. “This is not a radical idea. Equal pay for equal work is what this country must be allowed to do.”
“From the inception of our country people have struggled against racism,” Sanders said. “We remember and will not forget what happened to the Native American people, which is why we need today to build relationships with Native Americans. We will not forget the abomination of slavery and racism and discrimination. … We are tired of the videos of unarmed African Americans being killed by police. We will never forget that 100 years ago, women didn’t even have the right to vote, never mind getting the education or job that they want. Donald Trump wants to take us back. We will not allow bigotry to resurface in the United States.”
Introduced by former Senator (and current Senate candidate) Russ Feingold, Sanders said he “cannot wait to have Russ back at my side.”
Feingold expressed surprise to be campaigning against Donald Trump.
“I expected to be here talking about Jeb Bush or Marco Rubio, and I’m sure I would have demonstrated some differences,” he said. “I never thought (the Republican party) would be this reckless.”
Tiffany Williams was there to hear from Sanders, whom she voted for in the primary, as well as to get excited for Clinton.
“I think he has some valuable insight on Hillary, the candidate in question right now,” she said before the rally. “It is bittersweet being here. I’m really just excited to hear him speak, but also here to support the candidate that I have to vote for.”
