On the Road: Bernie Wows Iowa Wing Ding

Press Release

Sen. Bernie Sanders received standing ovations on Friday night at the Iowa Democratic Wing Ding dinner in Clear Lake, Iowa, where he talked about the "enormous enthusiasm" across the country for his campaign.

He talked about a growing grassroots movement and called for a "political revolution" of people "who want a government that represents all of us and not just a handful of billionaires."

He singled out Iowans for praise. "You are working night and day and trying to change America. I congratulate you for what you are doing," Sanders told the audience in the historic Surf Ballroom.

Sanders reflected on the surging support for his insurgent campaign. Just four months ago, Sanders told the audience here in the historic Surf Ballroom, he wasn't even sure he would run for president. What has happened in the three-and-a-half months since he declared his candidacy, he said "has blown my mind because we are generating an enormous amount of enthusiasm." Just last weekend, he noted, he spoke big crowds in Seattle (15,000) Portland, Oregon, (28,000) and Los Angeles (27,500).

"The media often ask me why we seem to be generating so much enthusiasm and why we have so much energy on this campaign. My answer is that the American people are sick and tired of establishment politics, establishment economics and establishment media. They understand that corporate greed is destroying our economy. They understand that American politics is now dominated by super PACs and that the mainstream media is prepared to discuss everything except those important issues facing the American people."

He focused on economic issues. "We need an economy that works for the middle class and not just for the top 1 percent." He called for raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour. He said women deserve pay equity with male workers. He said too-big-to-fail banks must be broken up and Wall Street regulations reimposed.

He talked about the environment, saying the Keystone XL pipeline must not be built to carry the dirtiest oil on the planet from Canada to refineries along the Gulf of Mexico.

He talked about immigration reform, saying there must be a path to citizenship for 11 million undocumented people living in the United States.

On international affairs, he cited his vote against the war in Iraq. To prevent another unending war in the Middle East, he said he supports an agreement that President Barack Obama and other world powers negotiated with Iran.

The Wing Ding is a growing celebration by Iowa Democrats now in its 12th year.

The dinner of chicken wings and pulled pork sandwiches also featured speeches by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and other candidates crisscrossing Iowa this weekend with stops across the Hawkeye State including the Iowa State Fair.

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