Staff reports

Just one week ahead of the New York state primary, Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders told a crowd of thousands at a Brighton rally on Tuesday that Donald Trump will not become president.

"When we stand together and we don't let the Trumps of the world divide us up, there is nothing we can't accomplish," he said.

Sanders promised to reform a "rigged economy" by instituting a $15 minimum wage, making healthcare a right, and investing in inner cities.

"It's too late for establishment politics and and establishment economics," Sanders said, speaking at the Bill Gray's Regional Iceplex. "We need a political revolution where millions stand up... when we stand together there is nothing we cannot accomplish."

Sanders spoke for about an hour in a wide-ranging address, touching on other key points of his campaign, including: reform of the criminal justice system, pay equity, tuition-free college education, reform of the campaign contribution system and a clear rejection of corporate culture.

"You can win a campaign without being dependent on Wall Street money and big interest," he said.

Sanders called New York's a "very, very important primary." The candidate — who is facing former Secretary of State and one-time Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y. — urged the crowd to get out and vote.

"When the voter turnout is high, we win. The the voter turnout is low, we lose."

Return to this page for more updates throughout the day, and follow our continued team coverage with:

@SharpRoc, @meagmc, @tyee23,@sdowdphoto, @AmericanGlow, @sjtaddeo and D&C Instagram.

IN PHOTOS: BERNIE'S ROC RALLY

WATCH THE SPEECH

LIVE BLOG: NOTES FROM BERNIE SANDERS' SPEECH

12:40 p.m.

11:30 a.m Bernie Sanders' speech has ended.

11:24 a.m.

Sanders encourages people to get out and vote and and encourages crowd to make this the largest Democratic turnout for a primary in New York state ever.

11:16 a.m.

Sanders says Trump will never become president because the American people will never elect a person who insult Latinos, Muslims, women, veterans, and the African American community.

11:10 a.m.

Sanders: This campaign is listening to the Latino community. *Crowd cheers*

"This campaign is listening to a group of people whose voices are very rarely heard, and that is the Native American community. Anybody who has ever studied the history of our country...understands that the Native American people were lied to, were cheated and the treaties they negotiated were broken."



"And yet we owe the Native American people a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid."

11:05 a.m. "How can we have funds for a war in Iraq but we don't have funds to rebuild inner cities? This campaign will rebuild inner cities."

"It is insane that people have to pay off [student] debt for decades."

"This some of my opponents think is a very radical idea. It is not a radical idea. It already exists in Germany and Scandinavia and other countries around the world."

11:03 a.m.

"This campaign is listening to young people and they are telling me: how does it happen that when they do the right thing, when they get the best education, they are ending up 30-70 thousand dollars in debt. We should be rewarding people for getting an education, not punishing them."

Sanders says he wants to make colleges and universities tuition-free.

11:02 a.m.

I know every man in this arena is going to stand with women in the fight for campaign equity.

11:00 a.m.

Sanders: We aren’t going to cut social security benefits, we are going to expand them.

10:56 a.m.

"When we talk about drugs, all of you know this country is facing a tragic crisis. All over America, people are becoming addicted to opiates and to heroin and everyday people are dying from overdosing. We need to make drug addiction a health issue, not a criminal issue.

"We can argue the pluses and minuses of marijuana... but marijuana is not a killer drug like heroin."

"This campaign is a winning campaign because we are listening to the American people."

10:54 a.m.

"We need to demilitarize the local police department. We need to make police departments reflect the communities which they serve. We need to end the private ownership of prisons and detention centers. We need to rethink the so called award on drugs."

10:52 a.m.

"We will create an economy that works for all of us, not just the people on top.”

Sanders says it's not just a rigged economy and corrupt campaign finance, we need to address a broken criminal justice system.

"Think about this for a second, 100 years ago workers all over this country engaged in demonstrations. They said we are not beasts of burden. We want a 40 hour work week. That is what they said 100 years ago. You know what, most still don't have a 40 hour work week. So something is wrong."

10:45 a.m.

Truth 1: "We have a corrupt campaign finance system which is undermining American democracy. Democracy means one person one vote, not billionaires buying campaigns."



Sanders calls out billionaire families like the Koch brothers for "buying elections" and spending $900 million on campaigns.

10:42 a.m.

Sanders: There is a looming crisis over clean drinking water. Sanders says we must prevent people from drinking toxic water.

"People have a right to know the water they’re drinking is clean. We will fight for a national ban on fracking."

Sec. Clinton's views are different: She still has refused to come down firmly nationally on fracking. This campaign is doing well and it is because we are doing something radical: We are telling people the truth.

10:39 a.m.

Sanders: All over this country what major corporations have down is shut down factories and lost millions of jobs as they have moved to Mexico, China and other countries.

10:34 a.m.

"Our campaign does not represent corporate America. We do not not represent Wall Street. We do not want their money.

"We did something revolutionary. We went to the American people, to working families and we said, ‘If you want a candidate that’s going to stand with you and take on big money, help us.’ And what happened over the last year is unbelievable. We have received over $6 million in campaign contributions. That is more campaign contributions than any candidate in the history of this country.”

"Anyone know what the average contribution [to my campaign] is?

*Crowd screams*: '$27'

"You can win a campaign without being dependent on Wall Street money and big interest. That, in the context of contemporary American politics, is revolutionary."

"Hillary Clinton has chosen a different path. The path she has chosen is to establish a number of super pacs out raising large sums of money from special interests."

Sanders is calling on Clinton to reveal transcript of the speeches she gave to Goldman Sachs.

Sanders said millions have suffered due to bad trade deals like NAFTA.

10:29 a.m.

"I say to corporate culture: those days are over."

"They are not going to destroy the middle class of this country just to make more money. Those days are over. "

10:25 a.m.

Sanders says major corporations are doing their best to avoid paying taxes. They are going to have to contend with me when I'm president.

He goes on to say: the truth is not always pleasant and it’s not something we always want to hear: We have a corrupt campaign finance system which is undermining American democracy.

"Major corporation after major corporation has shown contempt for its employees and for the people of our country ... [they say] you worked for me for 30 years, it doesn't matter. We're shutting down and moving to Mexico and China... and then they do their best to avoid paying taxes."

10:22 a.m.

"In the last month we have won eight out of nine caucuses and primaries."

"In general election matchups, in the last poll by CNN we were beating Donald Trump by 20 points. And in almost every instance is wider than Secretary Clinton's."

10:20 a.m.

Bernie Sanders thanking Hightower and other people who introduced him.

"But mostly, thank you all for being here."

10:16 a.m. Jim Hightower is introducing Sanders now. He is a a forer Texas Agriculture commissioner and talk radio host. He describes politicians as "confused as goats on Astro turf" when it comes to what the American people need and want.

"If ignorance is bliss they must be ecstatic.

You don't tweak a broken system. You overhaul it."

"We have an overhauler running for president."

"My message to us you is it up to you and me."



"We can't be a nation of button wearers." Enlisting people to get out in the communities and spread Sanders' message.



"This is the campaign we've been waiting for. This is the candidate we've been waiting for. This is the chance we've been waiting for to reclaim our nation. So let's do it Rochester."

Photo gallery

9:54 a.m. Get a look at the huge crowd - over 4,500 people who turned out to hear Bernie Sanders speak in Rochester this morning.

9:50 a.m. We are hearing that the crowd inside the Bill Gray's Regional Iceplex numbers at least 4,500 as people continue to file into the venue to hear Bernie Sanders speak just one week before the New York primaries.

9:46 a.m. Another shot of the end of the line.

9:45 a.m. Reporter Brian Sharp @SharpRoc has a one-on-one interview with Bernie Sanders this morning. Stay tuned for more.

9:40 a.m. Rochester singer Tegan Ward warms up the packed Bernie Sanders rally.

9:37 a.m. It appears MCC students are having a tough time getting to class this morning due to the crowds that came out to attend the Sanders rally.

9:36 a.m. The goal is to get everyone who arrives to the venue location inside to hear Bernie Sanders speak, says a volunteer. And that's even after Sanders starts talking. Our Meaghan McDermott has reached the end of the line. Here's what it looks like:

9:24 a.m. People inside the rally are chanting, "Bernie, Bernie," and holding up signs as they anticipate his 10 a.m. speech.

9:21 a.m. "They didn’t even let us into the parking lot at first so we at least got into the line of the parking lot so we’re excited about that."

9:18 a.m. We are hearing they expect to get everyone in. If a few are left outside, they can broadcast the speech. Via @meagmc

9:08 a.m. Monroe County Sheriff's Corporal John Helfer said they are using a capacity of 3,000 which includes both seating and standing room on the rink. No estimates on the crowd size was immediately available, however.

9:03 a.m. People continue to flow inside the iceplex at this hour, though officials from the sheriff's office says people can no longer enter the campus for the rally.

9:01 a.m. The Trammps "Disco Inferno" playing over the loudspeaker inside the rally venue.

8:55 a.m. We don't yet have a number from officials on the maximum capacity for the iceplex but a volunteer for the Bernie Sanders rally tell us they are setting up an area for people outside who may not be able to enter the venue.

8:47 a.m. Timelapse of crowd flowing inside the iceplex

8:41 a.m.

JUST IN: Monroe County Sheriff says people can no longer enter Monroe Community College campus for Bernie Sanders rally.

8:32 a.m. "I'm voting for Bernie Sanders because to me he's the only person who's making any sense about doing something right with our country."

8:29 a.m.

8:21 a.m. Officials are predicting a possible overflow situation.

8:18 a.m. There's concern at this hour there may not be enough room to get all the folks inside the iceplex.

8:13 a.m. Signs among the crowd today include: "Teachers for Bernie"; "Muslims for Bernie"; "Not For Sale." But what does the pineapple mean?

8:12 a.m. We're getting reports that Bernie Sanders supporters showed up as early as 2 a.m. this morning.

8:05 a.m.

8:03 a.m. The music is on and the people have started to file in to the Bill Gray's Regional Iceplex at MCC this morning.

8:01 a.m.

8:00 a.m.

7:59 a.m.

7:56 a.m. "T-shirts are flying out like crazy." Linda Hague says Bernie Sanders crowds "are the best people."

7:54 a.m.

7:52 a.m. "We walked across a muddy field to get here, Bernie. We love you."

7:50 a.m.

7:47 a.m.

7:45 a.m.

7:30 a.m.

6:30 a.m.

5:30 a.m.

Full Coverage of the campaign trail

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