Bernie Sanders in Phoenix: Senator encourages supporters to fight for change, riles opponents

Bree Burkitt, The Republic | azcentral.com Published 6:58 p.m. MT March 11, 2018

Excerpts:

The 76-year-old independent senator from Vermont rallied supporters — and riled opponents — alongside Democratic Arizona Congressmen Ruben Gallego and Raúl Grijalva at the Orpheum Theatre in Phoenix ... He drew a young and diverse crowd Sunday, filling the 1,200-capacity theater.

Sanders paused to praise U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer in July ... He was harder on other Arizona leaders, expressing frustration with the long wait times many voters faced when attempting to cast their ballot in the 2016 presidential primary.

"To the Arizona officials, whether they did this intentionally or not… (It) was a disgrace to democracy," he said. "People should not have to wait seven hours in order to vote."

Protesters made themselves known throughout the rally, chanting "Build the wall!" when immigration was mentioned and booing negative comments made about President Donald Trump and the Republican Party. Police escorted out at least 10 protesters clad in red "Make America Great Again" hats as they clutched signs depicting Trump.

Sanders wasn't fazed by the hecklers. He stayed focused on firing up support for progressive priorities, including increasing the minimum wage to a "livable" wage of $15 per hour, securing equal pay for women and shifting the national political agenda from benefiting billionaires to working families.

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2018/03/11/senator-bernie-sanders-phoenix-encourages-supporters-fight-change-riles-opponents/414576002/