March 31, 2016, New York

Lines stretched for several blocks as people hoping to “feel the Bern” patiently awaited their turns at airport style security checks set up outside Saint Mary’s Park in the Bronx. The occasion was a campaign rally for Vermont Senator and Democratic Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders ahead of the upcoming April 19th New York State Primary. NYPD and the Secret Service checked bags, backpacks, and baby carriages of anyone seeking entry to the park.

Once inside, an estimated 18,000 people cheered and chanted as Film Director Spike Lee and Actor Rosario Dawson warmed up the crowd and the sun set beyond the nearby Bruckner Expressway. By the time Senator Sanders took to the podium, they were ready to give him a rock star’s welcome. Chants of “Bernie! Bernie!” greeted the septuagenarian candidate. When the candidate referenced his New York roots the response was a huge roar of approval. His opponent is former New York Senator Hillary Clinton who was born in Illinois.

Touching on familiar themes he has championed throughout the campaign including free college tuition, a $15 minimum wage, and sparking a political revolution, Sanders upped the ante with a bold prediction that a win in New York might lead to another one in November.