Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders railed against corporate powers in America before thousands of followers in National City Saturday night just hours after making a more intimate visit to Friendship Park on the border between San Diego and Tijuana.

The Vermont senator gave a sweeping speech that touched on a number of issues but maintained the central theme of addressing inequality.

“I’m running for president because we are going to create an economy that works for all of us not just wealthy campaign contributors,” Sanders said at yet another of his massive rallies, this one in Kimball Park with a crowd estimated at 10,000.

He said the goal of the campaign was ending “the rigged economy.”


× Bernie Sanders rails against inequality

Sanders rarely mentioned his Democratic opponent, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, though he did harshly criticize presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump. “We will not allow the Trumps of the world to divide us up,” he said.

Sanders has continued to campaign hard against Clinton, even though she is close to winning enough delegates to clinch the nomination. In an interview before his speech, Sanders said he believed Democrats would close ranks after the fissures that surfaced in the primaries.

“I think virtually every Democrat understands that Donald Trump would be a disaster for this country if he becomes president,” Sanders said. “We cannot have a president who insults every other day, Mexicans, Latinos, who insults Muslims, who insults women, who insults African-Americans, who, in a sense, is doing everything he can do divide us up.”


It was his first rally in San Diego County since March, and he’s scheduled to make several more stops in the region in the coming days, starting with an event in Vista this afternoon at Rancho Buena Vista High School before heading to Irvine. On Monday, he has rallies planned in Santa Monica and Anaheim, and later in the week in the Inland Empire.

In National City, Sanders talked about the need to reform the criminal justice system, bring people out of poverty, provide free college education and put more people to work helping to rebuild the nation’s aging infrastructure.

“We need a massive federal jobs program and put people back to work at decent wages,” he said, reiterating his call for a $15 minimum wage.

Sanders urged a halt to what he considered unjust deportations and before the rally he issued a statement about his unannounced visit to Friendship Park, a meeting place for families and friends divided by the border.


“All of this tells us why we need comprehensive immigration reform,” Sanders said, after hearing the stories of families who can only see their loved ones on weekends.

“I would hope that the Republicans in Congress understand that we have a very, very broken immigration system and that it must be reformed and that they should in fact work with Democrats to pass comprehensive immigration reform,”

“If not and if I am elected president of the United States, I will use the executive powers that the president has to do that the best that I can.”

As with all Sanders events, this one drew a big crowd, with many arriving hours before it started.


Carol and Martin Crawford showed up at around 3 p.m. from Temecula in order to get a good spot in the grassy field in front of Sanders’ stage. Natives of the United Kingdom, they became U.S. citizens in 2010 in part to vote for a second term for President Barack Obama. They both said they’re big Sanders supporters.

1 / 56 Sanders spoke under the watchful eye of a large Secret Service detail. (John Gastaldo) 2 / 56 Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders waits to be introduced at a rally in Kimball Park. (Howard Lipin) 3 / 56 Eliseo Gomez of Linda Vista holds his Bernie Sanders tee shirt while waiting for the Sanders rally at Kimball Park in National City to begin. (Howard Lipin) 4 / 56 Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders addresses supporters during a rally at Kimball Park in National City. (Howard Lipin) 5 / 56 Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders supporters wait in line at Kimball Park in National City where a rally will be held. (Howard Lipin) 6 / 56 Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders supporters wait in line at Kimball Park in National City where a rally will be held. (Howard Lipin) 7 / 56 Randee Breckenridge of La Mesa, right, gives out Bernie Sanders buttons to people on line to get into the rally at midday Saturday. (John Gastaldo) 8 / 56 A large USA flag was installed at Kimball Park early Saturday as people were lining up to wait for the Bernie Sanders rally which starts later in the day. (John Gastaldo) 9 / 56 Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders addresses supporters during a rally at Kimball Park in National City. (Howard Lipin) 10 / 56 Brittany Watts of Phoenix, AZ who said she has traveled to almost all fifty states with the campaign passes by the line of rallygoers selling buttons. (John Gastaldo) 11 / 56 Lynn Marie Morski, who said she is a delegate, holds a clipboard as she scans the line of Sanders rallygoers hoping to help register voters for the CA primary and the general election. (John Gastaldo) 12 / 56 Sign carrying Bernie Sanders supporters shuffle in to Kimball Park for the rally, slated to begin at 7:30PM. (John Gastaldo) 13 / 56 Bernie Sanders aka Mike Johnson poses for and with fans of Bernie Sanders. (John Gastaldo) 14 / 56 A Sanders volunteer readies his pin next to his credential. (John Gastaldo) 15 / 56 Bernie Sanders likeness, thanks to Mike Johnson’s paper mache model, peers above the crowd waiting to get in to see the real thing. (John Gastaldo) 16 / 56 The crowd rounded Kimball Park waiting to move forward for the 4:30pm entry time. (John Gastaldo) 17 / 56 Mike Johnson, left, walks withe the paper mache likeness of Bernie Sanders that he wore while posing with the public for photos. (John Gastaldo) 18 / 56 Fans of Bernie Sanders wait in line with their sign next to Kimball Park in National City. (John Gastaldo) 19 / 56 Simone Henkin, 3, watches the shadow of a Bernie head as the man wearing it, Mike Johnson poses with the public. Henkin’s family is from Bonita. (John Gastaldo) 20 / 56 Bernie Sanders supporter Miguel Garcia of Chula Vista wears a American flag and Bernie Sanders buttons he was selling before the rally at Kimball Park in National City began. (Howard Lipin) 21 / 56 Bernie Sanders supporter Mike Johnson of Linda Vista, carries the paper mache Bernie Sanders head while waiting for the doors to the rally in Kimball Park to open. (Howard Lipin) 22 / 56 Secret Service agents tour Kimball Park in National City before Bernie Sanders supporters were allowed in the rally area of the park. (Howard Lipin) 23 / 56 Bernie Sanders supporter Cassandra Martinez takes video before the rally at Kimball Park in National City began. (Howard Lipin) 24 / 56 Bernie Sanders supporters Clay Mitchell plays his guitar while waiting for the rally at Kimball Park in National City to begin. (Howard Lipin) 25 / 56 Bernie Sanders supporters started waiting in line early in the day for a 7:30pm rally at Kimball Park. including Robert McGrew, who was registering supporters to vote and sign city and county petitions. (Howard Lipin) 26 / 56 Bernie Sanders supporters started waiting in line early in the day for a 7:30pm rally at Kimball Park in National City. (Howard Lipin) 27 / 56 Bernie Sanders supporters kept busy while waiting in line for the rally in Kinball Park to begin. (Howard Lipin) 28 / 56 Bernie Sanders supporter Mike Johnson of Linda Vista, wearing a paper mache Bernie Sanders head while they wait for the doors to the rally in Kimball Park to open. (Howard Lipin) 29 / 56 Bernie Sanders supporter Cassandra Martinez of National City waits in line at Kimball Park for the rally to begin. (Howard Lipin) 30 / 56 Bernie Sanders supporter Jim Boydston, and a member of the San Diego Opera, sings, “We’re on a Journey with Bernie,” while waiting for the rally at Kimball Park in National City to begin. (Howard Lipin) 31 / 56 Bernie Sanders supporters started waiting in line early in the day for a 7:30pm rally at Kimball Park in National City. (Howard Lipin) 32 / 56 Bernie Sanders supporters started waiting in line early in the day for a 7:30pm rally at Kimball Park in National City. (Howard Lipin) 33 / 56 Bernie Sanders supporters started waiting in line early in the day for a 7:30pm rally at Kimball Park in National City. (Howard Lipin) 34 / 56 Bernie Sanders supporter Arely Ramos of Chula Vista takes a self with Mike Johnson of Linda Vista, wearing a paper mache Bernie Sanders head while they wait for the doors to the rally in Kimball Park to open. (Howard Lipin) 35 / 56 Bernie Sanders supporters wait to go through security at Kimball Park in National City. (Howard Lipin) 36 / 56 Bernie Sanders supporters wait for the candidate to appear at Kimball Park in National City. (Howard Lipin) 37 / 56 Bernie Sanders waits to be introduced at a rally in Kimball Park. (Howard Lipin) 38 / 56 Secret Service agents clear the area where presidential candidate Bernie Sanders reviewed his speech while waiting to be introduced at a rally in Kimball Park. (Howard Lipin) 39 / 56 Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders addresses supporters during a rally at Kimball Park in National City. (Howard Lipin) 40 / 56 Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders addresses supporters during a rally at Kimball Park in National City. (Howard Lipin) 41 / 56 Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders addresses supporters during a rally at Kimball Park in National City. (Howard Lipin) 42 / 56 Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders takes the stage for a rally at Qualcomm Stadium. (K.C. Alfred) 43 / 56 Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders addresses supporters during a rally at Kimball Park in National City. (Howard Lipin) 44 / 56 Faces in the crowd waiting for Bernie Sanders were somewhat pensive. (John Gastaldo) 45 / 56 Sanders came on a little after 7:30PM to the delight of his fans. (John Gastaldo) 46 / 56 When Sanders finally appeared, the fans were appreciative. (John Gastaldo) 47 / 56 Bernie Sanders looks out onto the crowd gathered at Kimball park. He managed not to use the word YUGE in his speech. (John Gastaldo) 48 / 56 Fans waited for Social Democrat Sanders, the junior Senator from Vermont. (John Gastaldo) 49 / 56 Senator Bernie Sanders spoke of inequality and the need to provide opportunities to all. (John Gastaldo) 50 / 56 Aboo Baker, center, raises his fist in support of candidate Bernie Sanders. (John Gastaldo) 51 / 56 Senator Sanders went on right at twilight. (John Gastaldo) 52 / 56 Bernie Sanders speaks to the gathered crowd of thousands before a rising moon at Kimball Park in National City. (John Gastaldo) 53 / 56 Bernie Sanders meets and greets the crowd after speaking at Kimball Park. (John Gastaldo) 54 / 56 Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders waves goodbye to the crowd that came to see him at Kimball Park. (John Gastaldo) 55 / 56 Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and his security detail walk toward the podium before he spoke to thousands at Kimball Park in National City, CA Saturday evening. He will also speak Sunday in Vista and then leave San Diego County on his campaign before the June 7th California primary. (John Gastaldo) 56 / 56 Bernie Sanders makes a point next to the flag of the state of California. (John Gastaldo)

“Sanders is the only man I love as much as my husband,” Carol Crawford said.

Martin Crawford said he supports Sanders over Clinton because he has a clear vision for the country’s future, while Clinton’s isn’t defined.


Carol Crawford, who said she plans to volunteer for the campaign, said health care is the most important issue for her.

“It’s not just what matters for us but what matters for everyone,” she said.

Throughout his campaign, Sanders has called for universal health care as a matter of right rather than a privilege.

Juan Torres from San Diego was leaning against a fence separating the crowd from the press pit. He said he doesn’t know who he’ll vote for, but it will be either Sanders or Clinton.


“We’re here to make up our minds,” he said.

× Sit down interview with Bernie Sanders

Sanders seems more candid and more authentic compared to Clinton, who seems well-polished and market-tested, Torres said. He added that Sanders’ unfinished feel makes him more relatable and likable.

Emilio Reyes, 30, said his reason for supporting Sanders is fairly simple. “He’s fighting for everything we believe in for a better future,” he said. (Correction: Reyes’ identity was incorrect in the initial version and has since been updated)


Reyes attended with Debbie Luna, 30, and Daisy Bravo, 17 — all members of San Diego Latinos Unidos Con Bernie (United for Bernie). The group has been meeting weekly leading up to the June primary to register voters — the deadline is Monday — and trying to collect money in order to lease office space somewhere in National City so they can set up shop.

The trio, all Chula Vista residents, said they support Sanders as the Democratic presidential candidate because they trust him when he says he is for all people.

“I couldn’t go to SDSU because I can’t afford it,” Luna said. “Bernie is for free education.”

Claudia Ferreira, another volunteer from San Diego Latinos, said that many of the citizens the organization speaks with are from Chula Vista, National City and San Ysidro.


“A lot of them said they are going to vote for Bernie,” she said. “Some of them even changed their party from Republican to Democrat because they want to vote for Bernie.”

Escondido resident Jeff Beeler, 59, said he came to participate in Saturday’s rally because it’s a critical election.

“There are such extreme points of view,” he said. “I’m impressed with Bernie’s record. He’s been consistently for the people since he’s been in office. I think Bernie has the people’s vote.”

Sanders is making a swing through a region that was Clinton country eight years ago. During her 2008 presidential campaign, Hillary Clinton won eight of the 10 counties in Southern California, losing to Barack Obama in just Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo. She won the state with 52 percent of the vote.


Not looking to give up any ground this year and decisively win the largest and last state primary, the Clinton campaign opened up eight offices in California and is holding several rallies. The San Diego office opened on Tuesday and is the first south of Democrat-rich Los Angeles. Bill Clinton spoke in Chula Vista and Pomona on Saturday, and Hillary Clinton will be campaigning in the Los Angeles area and the Inland Empire next week.

Hillary Clinton has picked up significant endorsements in the area, including from Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. All three of San Diego’s Democratic members in the House of Representatives have also endorsed her, as has former California Assembly speaker, Assemblywoman Toni Atkins.

Staff writer Allison Sampite-Montecalvo contributed to this report.