On March 10, 2016, I had the privilege of receiving a press pass for the Bernie Sanders rally in Kissimmee, Florida. I arrived roughly two hours before Bernie was set to address the thousands gathered outside in the Florida heat. Walking into the event, I saw no protesters, hostile behavior or large booths of merchandise. Do you get where I'm going with this? Instead, I saw thousands lined up with hope and love in their hearts simply with the goal of seeing even a glimpse of the man who put that hope into their hearts.
As the day went on, I was able to have a behind-the-scenes look at what happens at a Bernie Sanders rally and I realized how strongly the scene contrasted reportings from rallies for a certain candidate by the name of Donald Trump. From all the Trump media horror stories, I had no interest in attending for the purposes of my own safety and well-being, but I couldn't have been more satisfied with my experience at the Bernie rally. (OK, I could've been happier if I got a hug from Bernie, but that's a whole other issue.)
Check out my live Snapchat coverage (with a few technically difficulties):
Let's go through the greatest differences I encountered.
Bernie rallies have a large blocked off area for press.
Trump often bashes the media calling reporters disgusting and dishonest which explains his treatment of the press. At these rallies, there have been multiple examples of media reporters suffering physical injuries and being penned up like animals in the tightest of spaces not allowed to move anywhere and forced to endure the insults Trump never fails to throw at them.
All I wanted was not to be choked. But to my benefit, I was free to walk and mingle with the crowds, go in and out of the gated area and leave whenever I wanted. Nobody questioned me or asked for my credentials after entering and the area was so large I could access different areas of the crowd, plus those with disabilities were welcome to join us for comfort. The press area complete, with rows of chairs, outlets, camera platforms, a bathroom and water was so much more than I expected. I was nervous that I wouldn't be able to see anything, getting there only two hours in advance, but I had a great view and other reporters were even allowed to go up close into another closed off area to take pictures of Bernie.
I couldn't even get the whole press block off in this picture.
Bernie's volunteers had the best seat in the house.
If it wasn't obvious by the way the people behind Trump dressed, then the reserved VIP seating at Trump rallies do not exist for his volunteers. These are not the people who worked together to set up the rally and sweat for their candidate. No, instead these people pay $132.87 for a pre-party with "heavy Hors d'oeuvres and soft drinks. Cash bar serving beer and wine."
Almost all of Bernie's volunteers were the ones who sat on the bleachers directly behind him during the speech. Bernie also made sure to go by and thank them after his speech. Clearly his campaign cares about being fair to the people who freely give their time instead of making money off of his voters.
Bernie's campaign made sure to keep us hydrated.
Trump's rallies often showcase overly priced stadium food, and definitely nothing free, but maybe Trump T-shirts (probably made in China) that he may throw to the crowd.
Bernie's stadium rallies may feature the same food options, but at least at this outdoor rally in the Florida heat, volunteers paraded in with water bottles and began passing them out to the crowd. "Pass it down! Pass it down!"
Liberation versus deportation.
Trump rallies are often focused on fear and the "othering" of minorities. Chants of "build the wall" are often the highlight for his supporters.
Contrastingly, Bernie made a point to his supporters saying, "We stand here today, rejecting the Trumps of the world who want us to hate Mexicans." Sanders called for an end to anti-Muslim, anti-Hispanic, anti-Black, anti-LGBT and overall anti-minority sentiments rather than scapegoating groups of people as the problem.
The rally was peaceful and inviting.
Trump rallies are infamous for hosting supporters that start fights, yell racial slurs and are overall jerks. I would be afraid to cut through the crowd at a Trump rally because "my friends are up there."
I saw no incident of any such events, and contrastingly was successfully able to cut through the crowd in a matter of seconds to meet up with a few friends. Nobody was hostile, and instead I was met with a sense of community and love. Faces from all areas of race, gender, sexuality and class were in attendance in solidarity behind Bernie. Plus, he had a sign language interpreter. I have yet to find a photo of accommodating disabilities like this at a Trump rally.
Overall, I'm happy to have witnessed a rally that brought people together instead of promoting violence or hate. Following the events in Chicago, I can only predict that the Trump rallies might continue to get out of hand. Regardless of party affiliations, I think we all can agree that politics should be civil and hope that Trump can learn to foster an inviting environment. We have to ask the questions: Why are people feeling the need to get violent? What is making them feel so strongly for or against these candidates?
Bernie released this statement about the Trump rally in Chicago on March 10:
“What caused the protests at Trump’s rally is a candidate that has promoted hatred and division against Latinos, Muslims, women and people with disabilities, and his birther attacks against the legitimacy of President Obama... What Donald Trump must do now is stop provoking violence and make it clear to his supporters that people who attend his rallies or protest should not be assaulted, should not be punched, should not be kicked. In America people have a right to attend a political rally without fear of physical harm.”
Since the shut down of Trump's rally in Chicago on March 11, Trump has responded as such on Twitter:
