Bernie doing his imitation of Der Fuhrer.
Via The State:
Enthusiastic crowds in the Midlands and the conservative Upstate rallied behind Bernie Sanders’ populist message Friday.
The Democratic presidential hopeful’s campaign estimated that 2,700 people filled the Medallion Center ballroom in Columbia. The diverse crowd overflowed into another room and the lobby.
Earlier Friday, Greenville got a taste of “Bernie-mania,” when Sanders drew a mostly – but not exclusively – white crowd of 2,800 to the TD Convention Center for the self-described democratic socialist’s first campaign event in the state.
Three women – two of them African Americans – introduced Sanders at his Greenville event, signaling his desire to appeal to two powerful S.C. Democratic groups.
Sanders said the election of President Barack Obama shows the nation’s progress. But, he added, “the bad news is that racism still remains a much too real part of American life.”
As examples of institutional racism, Sanders cited the nine slayings at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston and police violence against blacks.
The U.S. senator, an independent from Vermont, spoke for about an hour or more at both events, delivering a fiery speech outlining how he thinks the United States has failed to deliver enough jobs, wages, education and healthcare to the middle and working classes, and to protect them from discrimination, based on their race, sexuality or income.[…]
Supporters frequently spoke of Sanders’ authenticity, adding they are tired of business-as-usual politics.
“There are people that have been left behind,” said Loren Chapman, wearing a hat with his “dream team” on it — Sanders and U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a progressive Massachusetts Democrat who some party activists had hoped would run for president.
A 52-year-old mail carrier from Johnson City, Tenn., Chapman said he is supporting Sanders because he wants “young people who are underemployed to be able to make a decent wage.”
Increasing the minimum wage – which Sanders called a “starvation wage” – offering free college and paid sick leave for all worters are among Sanders’ positions that Chapman said he supports.