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Bernie Sanders makes his last pitch to Iowa voters

Monday, February 01, 2016 - 01:59

Democratic president candidate Bernie Sanders stages last rally before the Iowa Caucus. Rough cut. (No reporter narration.)

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ROUGH CUT. NO REPORTER NARRATION. STORY: On the last night before the Iowa Caucus, U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders on Sunday (January 31) made his last speech before Iowans cast their vote for a party candidate. Speaking inside the Grand View University gymnasium in Des Moines to a standing room-only crowd of about 1,700 people, according to organizers, the liberal Democrat hammered home his ideas of economic change and social justice and reiterated that his campaign has not taken money from special interest groups known as political action committees (PACs). "My opponent yesterday announced that she had received some 45 million dollars for her super-PAC. We announced that we received zero dollars for our super-PAC. But this is what we also announced. We announced that we have received throughout this campaign and this is so unbelievable, never in a million years would I have thought this possible. We have received up to now 3.2 million individual contributions. And that is more contributions than any candidate up until this point in a campaign in the history of the United States of America." Sanders told the audience that the average contribution to his campaign has been $27. During the event, many in the audience pledged their support for Sanders. "I like that he doesn't take money from corporations and that he wants to make college affordable. He wants free college and she needs to go to college. And that's my main concern. I'm out here for her," Iowa voter Jessica Smith said, referring to the young girl standing next to her. On Monday, February 1, Iowa will offer the first measure of how strong outsider candidates like democratic socialist Sanders and billionaire businessman Donald Trump and stand against more traditional politicians like Republican Senator Marco Rubio of Florida and Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton. "I love being a part of this. This is what it's all about, the political revolution. I don't think Hillary has that going on. And the young voters, he's turning out the young voters. He's like the cool grandpa," said Iowa voter and Sanders supporter Mike Bates, A Des Moines Register/Bloomberg News poll of Iowa voters released on Saturday showed that among Democrats, Clinton, a former secretary of state, senator and first lady, clung to a narrow 45 percent to 42 percent lead over Sanders, putting the senator from Vermont in position for a potential upset win.