Bernie Sanders swings with swagger in Sioux City

SIOUX CITY, Ia. — Sen. Bernie Sanders showed some swagger Monday evening, making the case that momentum is on the side of his populist campaign while also seeking to draw sizable distinctions with his competition on both sides of the aisle.

After taking the stage at the Sioux City Convention Center, the Vermont senator went through a list of recent wins for his campaign: He pointed to last week’s endorsement by Democracy for America, a grass-roots progressive group with more than 1 million members nationwide. And Sanders basked in last weekend’s major fundraising coup of topping 2.3 million campaign contributions — more than any presidential candidate in history.

“I believe we have a good shot to win Iowa,” he said.

In railing against billionaires and Wall Street, Sanders hurled a dig at Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton. At Saturday’s Democratic debate, the former secretary of state said “everybody should” love her in response to a question about whether corporate America should love her. Sanders, who rarely calls her out by name, used that statement Monday to position himself as a friend of the common man and an enemy of Wall Street, billionaires and corporate America.

“I don’t need to be loved by everybody. … I don’t need Wall Street’s love,” Sanders said.

Sanders, who often delivers long, policy-dense stump speeches, seemed to have fun with the standing-room-only crowd of more than 1,100 as he spoke for about more than an hour. After he called for the federal decriminalization of marijuana, the crowd erupted into applause.

“They’re a little high,” Sanders joked. “You’ll forgive them.”

Sanders went on to offer a lengthy and passionate criticism of Republican Donald Trump. He said the billionaire real estate mogul is trying to divide Americans along racial and religious lines. He called it the "oldest political trick in the book."

"Scapegoating minorities is not going to solve the problems facing our country," he said.

At a time of heightened insecurity — both in terms of terrorism and economics — Sanders said it's easy to gain votes through fear-mongering. But he said the country must take the opposite approach.

"This campaign believes in something very different," he said, "that is instead of dividing up our people, we bring our people together."

The anti-Trump talk received the longest and loudest applause of the night.

"I'll stand on his shoulders if he wants me to," 71-year-old Mary Lou Klemme, of Akron, said after the event.

Klemme said she's worried about the future, especially for her grandchildren. After looking at the field of candidates, she said she determined that "if it's not (Sanders), it's not anyone."

"I think he just confirmed my belief in him," she said. "I think he's a good man, an honest man."

AT THE EVENT

SETTING: Ballroom of Sioux City Convention Center

CROWD: The event was standing-room-only as more than 1,100 people packed into the ballroom.

REACTION: Sanders’ supporters were enthusiastic and loud, breaking into his speech multiple times for applause and standing ovations.

WHAT’S NEXT: Sanders plans to campaign in Storm Lake, Carroll, Harlan and Council Bluffs on Tuesday. Visit DesMoinesRegister.com/candidatetracker for more information.