Editor’s Note: This story first appeared at The Huffington Post. We reprint in part here.
DES MOINES, Iowa — While Hillary Clinton makes her way to the Hawkeye State following her first campaign rally in New York City on Saturday, crowds there are lining up to see Vermont senator and presidential candidate Bernie Sanders.
A horde of supporters applauded the presidential candidate more than 100 times on Friday night at his town hall, as he laid out his vision for the country at Drake University’s Sheslow Auditorium in Des Moines.
“Whoa, got a lot of people here tonight,” Sanders said, as he walked onstage to a standing ovation. Event organizers said there were more than 700 people in attendance.
The longest-serving Independent in Congress focused his speech on income and wealth inequality, climate change and campaign finance reform.
“This campaign is sending a message to the billionaire class, and that message is you can’t have it all,” Sanders said.
Sander’s remarks, which lasted about an hour, were frequently interrupted not only by applause but chants of “Bernie, Bernie” from the audience. Sanders’ topics ranged from student loan debt and President Barack Obama’s trade deal to the Citizens United Supreme Court decision. Sanders even brought three Iowa college students onstage to shed some light on their struggle with student loan debt.