Bernie Sanders launches 2020 presidential campaign

NEW YORK - US Senator Bernie Sanders kicked off his 2020 presidential campaign as a second-time runner on Saturday in his hometown borough of Brooklyn, New York, reiterating his Democratic socialist views that have been reshaping the Democratic Party.

On the snow-covered campus of Brooklyn College, Sanders, 77, expressed his determination to fight for a "Medicare-for-all" healthcare system and a $15 hourly minimum wage. He also vowed to address climate change and other priority issues that altogether form a progressive agenda.

The Brooklyn native recalled his childhood living in a rent-controlled apartment as the son of a Polish immigrant who came to the United States without a nickel, saying this experience has well connected him with today's lower class.

"My experience as a child, living in a family that struggled economically, powerfully influenced my life and my values. I know where I came from," Sanders said. "And that is something I will never forget."

The Vermont senator positioned himself in opposition to Trump administration policies from immigration to climate change. Beyond the issues themselves, Sanders drew a stark contrast between himself and the billionaire in the White House who hails from Queens.

Sanders also said he "did not come from a family of privilege that prepared me to entertain people on television by telling workers, 'You're fired'" as Trump did on a TV show.

"I came from a family who knew all too well the frightening power employers can have over every day workers," he added.

Sanders' rally was his first campaign event since announcing a week ago that he would run for the Democratic nomination in the 2020 contest. Sanders will make his first trip to the leadoff caucus in the state of Iowa next week, with plans to campaign in Council Bluffs, Iowa City and Des Moines.

Hours before his speech in Brooklyn College's East Quad, a line of supporters snaked down the snowy streets.

A reggae band played before Sanders spoke, and he was introduced by supporters including Nina Turner, the former Ohio state senator who is a co-chair of Sanders' campaign this year, and Shaun King, the writer and civil rights activist.

King cited Sanders' participation in the civil rights movement as a student at the University of Chicago in the 1960s.

"This is the origin story of an American revolutionary," King said of Sanders, who will return to Chicago on Sunday evening for a second campaign rally, where he's expected to further highlight his own activism.

Paul Crewdson, 37, of Brooklyn, came to the rally carrying a hand-drawn cardboard sign that read, "Win Michigan, Win Ohio, Win Wisconsin".

"I think this was the reason that Democrats lost in 2016," he said.

As he began his speech, Sanders himself hinted at how he sees the race, a campaign that runs beyond the battlegrounds. "This is a 50-state campaign," he said. "We will not concede a single state to Donald Trump."

Xinhua - Ap

(China Daily 03/04/2019 page12)