CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Grant Park was full of blue posters, united cheers and high energy Saturday afternoon as thousands rallied for Bernie Sanders, who visited Chicago ahead of Illinois’ primary March 17.
The senator, who came to the podium after several local politicians and activists shared their support for him, was impressed at the diverse turnout of the event and said he couldn’t even see where the crowd ended. With a confident smile, he said the crowd represented the large voter turnout he hopes to see during the primary and general election.
“We need the largest voter turnout in the nation and it looks like Grant Park today,” Sanders said.
He spoke on issues ranging from education, minimum wage, healthcare, immigration and women’s rights, and made sure to set himself apart from his opponent Joe Biden, whom he called his friend.
He said Biden’s foreign policy record was not in the interest of the American people and that his presidential campaign is supported by billionaires and super PACs.
Sanders touted his campaign strategy, which has been a grassroots effort to raise money from individuals and not corporations. His campaign said it has received more than 4 million in individual contributions.
His criticism of President Donald Trump also received widespread chants from the crowd, who rang out Sanders’ 2020 campaign slogan: “Not me. Us.”
“We have the agenda that speaks to the needs of the long-neglected working class,” Sanders said.
Sanders supporter and Illinois Represenative Jesus Chuy Garcia spoke at the rally, igniting the Latinx community. Playing a call and response with the crowd, Garcia asked the crowd: “Se puede o no se puede?”
“Si se puede!” answered the crowd.
“Lo vamos hacer en grande?” he asked. “Che Bueno. That’s bilingual Chicago for you. It’s black and red and yellow and brown and beautiful.”
Chuy applauded Sanders’ progressive policies, citing the strong support in Chicago that saw Chuy elected, Barack Obama and Mayor Lightfoot on a local level.
"If you want to see progress in action, come to Chicago but if you want to make an end to corporate greed and fix a cruel immigration system, we need to elect Bernie,” he said.
Sanders, who has been criticized for not getting enough of the black vote, spoke to the importance of raising black voices and changing the corrupt criminal justice system, which disproportionally affects black and brown communities.
Chicago Teachers Union Vice President Stacy Davis Gates and state Sen. Robert Peters spoke to the crown on why they support the senator for president, saying he has been fighting for black issues when no one else was.
“I am troubled by a narrative of moderation that tells us to wait for Medicare for all and the narrative that tells us the shooting of black boys on the South and West Sides of Chicago is okay,” Gates said, wearing a CTU hat and a Bernie 2020 shirt. “Bernie is going to give us hope. This movement says that we deserve investment. Not (just) the run for president, (but) this movement says we deserve justice and equity.”
Peters, who shared his difficult family upbringing with the crowd, said Sanders has been the only one speaking up for him. Peters was deaf until age 6 and did not speak until he was 12, he said.
The state senator, who represents the 13th district of Illinois, pulled out a famous Barack Obama line.
“Bernie has fought for us,” Peters said. “Yes we can, yes we can win a home (election), guaranteed.”