The television on the wall in the basement of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 604 was set to CNN. The news channel’s ticker counted minutes and seconds until the Democratic Party’s debate: 38 minutes, 22 minutes.
Members of the Bernie Sanders for President group gathered — most clad in Bernie for President memorabilia — to watch their candidate challenge the other Democratic candidates. The debate began at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Since early July, Bernie Sanders for President has been picking up supporters and spreading the word about the Democratic candidate across Bloomington. More than 300 volunteers have been canvassing neighborhoods and registering voters.
Jessica Martlage, a volunteer since July, said she started as a Hillary Clinton supporter, but Sander’s decision to run changed her mind almost immediately.
“When he announced, I changed within a day,” Martlage said.
Sanders’ rhetoric against the current system of politics and economics appealed to Martlage, who said she wanted to go to college but never did.
“I could never afford to go, even with help from the government,” Martlage said.
Among other issues, Martlage said Sanders won her support when he said he believed higher education needed to be accessible to all people, regardless of their family and financial background.
“I’m almost 30 years old,” Martlage said. “I’ve worked in manufacturing. His candidacy means a lot to me. I’ve had to get up and speak in front of people and do things I would never do to get the word out.”
Martlage wasn’t the only person present whose candidate of choice changed suddenly and dramatically. Andi Haynes Avery, another volunteer, said she too was once a Clinton supporter.
“I was on board for Hillary,” Haynes Avery said. “But when Bernie ran, he was different. He’s the only candidate not taking money from corporations. To change the system, we have to get the money out.”
When the lights dimmed for the debate, volunteer Sherry Mitchell-Bruker quieted the supporters. She pointed to a piece of white cardboard behind her. A line divided it down the middle, and there was a name on each side: Bernie and Hillary.
“This is our biased scoreboard,” Mitchell-Bruker said. “We’ve got star stickers for when Bernie says something good, and we have these ‘boo’ (Halloween) stickers for when Hillary says something bad.”
Her crowd laughed in acknowledgement.
Before the debate began, Sanders already had a sticker. CNN’s introductory montage of the candidates that showed a video clip of his saying “If we stand together, we can do anything” received applause and cheering.
A volunteer stood with the cheers and stuck a smiley face below Sanders’ name.
Other candidates received reactions as well.
In the introduction, Lincoln Chaffee’s proud statement “I have had no scandals” received good-natured chuckles. Jim Webb told the crowd he had been a journalist and one of the viewers said “Wow.” Martin O’Mally received a smattering of polite applause.
But when Sanders spoke, the reactions were different.
Cheers broke out. One woman shouted: “Yes!” Nearly 40 people clapped vigorously as he concluded his introduction.
“Bernie said this campaign is not about him,” Martlage said. “He needs us to create the change. He needs us the day after the election to get this done.”
