Ringing in New Year, Sanders Urges Iowans to Make 'Political Revolution' Happen

Ringing in the new year in Des Moines, Iowa, Bernie Sanders told crowds that the state has the power to "lead the political revolution" as his campaign cheered rally turnouts that "seem to be getting larger every day."

The Des Moines Register

%20%20%20The%20Des%20Moines%20Register%20reports%20https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/elections/presidential/caucus/2015/12/31/bernie-sanders-iowans-make-history-2016/78132186/:

%20Sanders%20spoke%20twice%20on%20Thursday,%20as%20the%20[Renaissance%20Des%20Moines%20Savery]%20hotel's%20ballroom%20was%20jam-packed.%20So%20after%20dashing%20through%20the%20skywalk%20and%20the%20hotel's%20kitchen,%20he%20addressed%20hundreds%20more%20supporters%20in%20a%20nearby%20room.%20

%20"Together,%20we%20have%20an%20opportunity%20to%20make%202016%20a%20year%20to%20remember,"%20Sanders%20told%20the%20twin%20crowds%20.%20"You%20here%20in%20Iowa%20have%20a%20chance%20to%20make%202016%20a%20year%20that%20people%20in%20the%20future%20will%20look%20back%20on%20and%20say.%20'Thank%20you,%20Iowa,%20for%20leading%20the%20political%20revolution.'"

%20%20The%20Sanders%20campaign%20also%20release%20a%20statement%20on%20Thursday%20at%20the%20end%20of%20a%20three-day%20swing%20through%20the%20state%20trumpeting%20the%20over%2034,000%20people%20that%20have%20come%20to%20Sanders-sponsored%20campaign%20events%20since%20his%20White%20house%20big%20began%20in%20April.%20

%20%20"I%20am%20very%20pleased%20that%20the%20turnouts%20at%20our%20meetings%20have%20been%20large%20and%20seem%20to%20be%20getting%20larger%20every%20day,"%20Sanders%20said%20in%20a%20media%20statement.

%20%20%20"We%20sense%20real%20growing%20momentum%20here%20in%20Iowa%20and%20we%20think%20we%20have%20a%20great%20opportunity%20to%20win,"%20he%20added.

%20%20%20The%20Washington%20Post%20adds%20that%20the%20Vermont%20independent%20also%20told%20the%20New%20Year's%20Eve%20crowd:%20"Often%20as%20not,%20the%20turnout%20has%20been%20double%20what%20we%20expected."%20%20Just%20days%20earlier,%20the%20Ben%20and%20Jerry's%20Ice%20Cream%20co-founders,%20Ben%20Cohen%20and%20Jerry%20Greenfield,%20sent%20an%20email%20to%20supporters%20urging%20them%20to%20donate%20$3%20to%20the%20Sanders%20campaign%20for%20its%20year-end%20fundraising%20deadline,%20The%20Hill%20reported.%20https://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/264394-ben-and-jerry-hit-the-stump-for-sanders%20

%20%20"As%20we%20travel%20the%20country%20campaigning%20for%20Bernie,%20we%20hear%20a%20lot%20of%20people%20saying,%20'I%20love%20Bernie,%20but%20I%20am%20not%20sure%20he%20can%20win,'"%20Greenfield%20writes.%20

%20%20"But%20poll%20after%20poll%20shows%20Bernie%20is%20the%20most%20electable%20Democrat,"%20Cohen%20writes.%20"And%20that's%20because%20we%20all%20know%20in%20our%20hearts%20that%20the%20things%20Bernie%20is%20talking%20about%20are%20true.%20The%20system%20is%20rigged."

%20%20%20As%20Common%20Dreams%20has%20reported:

%20%20Despite%20the%20lack%20of%20coverage%20in%20corporate%20media%20about%20the%20Vermont%20Independent%20and%20his%20presidential%20bit,%20Sen.%20Bernie%20Sanders%20and%20his%20call%20for%20a%20political%20revolution%20have%20resonated%20nationwide.%20

%20%20Sanders,%20who's%20put%20a%20spotlight%20on%20economic%20inequality,%20has%20also%20slammed%20the%20U.S.%20incarceration%20rate%20as%20an%20"international%20embarrassment,"%20called%20for%20free%20higher%20education%20%20lambasted%20Wall%20street%20as%20"out%20of%20control,"%20and%20advocated%20for%20a%20single-payer%20healthcare%20system,%20has%20been%20speaking%20to%20record-breaking%20crowds.%20%20

%20%20He%20now%20holds%20the%20record%20for%20highest%20number%20of%20contributions%20for%20a%20White%20House%20bid,%20breaking%20the%20record%20held%20by%20President%20Barack%20Obama%20in%202011,%20and%20a%20Quinnipiac%20University%20poll%20this%20month%20found%20that,%20if%20the%202016%20U.S.%20presidential%20election%20were%20held%20today,%20Sanders%20would%20win%20by%20a%20landslide%20over%20GOP%20frontrunner%20Donald%20Trump.

%20">reports

Sanders spoke twice on Thursday, as the [Renaissance Des Moines Savery] hotel's ballroom was jam-packed. So after dashing through the skywalk and the hotel's kitchen, he addressed hundreds more supporters in a nearby room.

"Together, we have an opportunity to make 2016 a year to remember," Sanders told the twin crowds . "You here in Iowa have a chance to make 2016 a year that people in the future will look back on and say. 'Thank you, Iowa, for leading the political revolution.'"

The Sanders campaign also released a statement on Thursday at the end of a three-day swing through the state trumpeting the over 34,000 people that have come to Sanders-sponsored campaign events since his White house bid began in April.

"I am very pleased that the turnouts at our meetings have been large and seem to be getting larger every day," Sanders said in a media statement.

"We sense real growing momentum here in Iowa and we think we have a great opportunity to win," he added.

The Washington Post adds that the Vermont independent also told the New Year's Eve crowd: "Often as not, the turnout has been double what we expected."

Just days earlier, the Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream co-founders, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, sent an email to supporters urging them to donate $3 to the Sanders campaign for its year-end fundraising deadline, The Hill reported.

"As we travel the country campaigning for Bernie, we hear a lot of people saying, 'I love Bernie, but I am not sure he can win,'" Greenfield writes.

"But poll after poll shows Bernie is the most electable Democrat," Cohen writes. "And that's because we all know in our hearts that the things Bernie is talking about are true. The system is rigged."

As Common Dreams has reported:

Despite the lack of coverage in corporate media about the Vermont Independent and his presidential bit, Sen. Bernie Sanders and his call for a political revolution have resonated nationwide.

Sanders, who's put a spotlight on economic inequality, has also slammed the U.S. incarceration rate as an "international embarrassment," called for free higher education lambasted Wall street as "out of control," and advocated for a single-payer healthcare system, has been speaking to record-breaking crowds.

He now holds the record for highest number of contributions for a White House bid, breaking the record held by President Barack Obama in 2011, and a Quinnipiac University poll this month found that, if the 2016 U.S. presidential election were held today, Sanders would win by a landslide over GOP frontrunner Donald Trump.