Bernie Sanders hosted a rally in Houston today that included an appearance by Birdie Sanders as an enthusiastic crowd gathered to hear him speak. The venue at the Discovery Green was packed and the rain let up just in time for Sanders to speak. Here are some highlights and photos from the rally.

Before the rally began, someone caught a photo of Sanders getting his own luggage out of a minivan. People loved the image of Sanders being down-to-Earth.

In addition, Birdie Sanders made an appearance at the rally before Sanders took the stage.

The bird was a big hit.

Some said Birdie Sanders was a sign.

The bird was featured on Reddit too.

Bernie’s Houston rally had several lighthearted moments like that, including when Bernie started out his speech by calling for a pint of Ben & Jerry’s in every freezer in America.

At the beginning of his Houston rally speech, Bernie just called for a pint of Ben & Jerry's in every freezer in America, lol. #Bernie #BernieInTexas #BernieInHouston #Bernie2020 — StephanieDubeDwilson (@StephanieDube) April 24, 2019

Of course, Bernie then got serious and said he wants to see America have the highest voter turnout rate, not the lowest. But it won’t take much to change things, he said. “If young people in this country vote at the same rate as the general population votes, we will transform this country,” he said.

“When we stand up together, we’re going to transform this country,” he added to the sound of cheers.

Bernie said “This campaign is not about me. I do appreciate all the Bernie signs, thank you… But this campaign is not all about Bernie, it’s about you.”

“I don’t want to be President and not accomplish anything. Our job is not just to win the White House but to transform the economy and the government of this country.”

The rain stopped just in time for @BernieSanders rally in #Houston Another Huge crowd ready to keep the political revolution moving forward#BernieInTexas #BernieInHouston pic.twitter.com/JYcglpA9DF — Penny Lane ? (@mizpennylane20) April 24, 2019

Bernie then added that President Donald Trump even lied about where his own father was born, saying he claimed his father was born in Germany when his dad was actually born in New York.

“If you have a President who won’t even tell you where his father was born, how can you believe anything he says?”

At one point during his speech someone yelled out to him: “We’ve got your back, Bernie!”

Someone just yelled,

“We got your back, Bernie!” and that’s my mood too. #BernieInTexas #BernieInHouston pic.twitter.com/VVdrQ0bmj5 — loopy stands with Ilhan Omar (@Pa1Lauren) April 24, 2019

He said it was unacceptable that white families had five times the income of black families, or that infant mortality is so much higher in black communities. “When we are talking about justice, we are talking about ending institutional injustice and institutional racism.”

The rain stopped just in time for @BernieSanders rally in #Houston Another Huge crowd ready to keep the political revolution moving forward#BernieInTexas #BernieInHouston pic.twitter.com/JYcglpA9DF — Penny Lane ? (@mizpennylane20) April 24, 2019

Bernie also talked about legalizing marijuana and ending the war on drugs as part of criminal justice reform.

"Today we say to Donald Trump and fossil fuel industry: STOP LYING" #BernieInHouston pic.twitter.com/79H0kmCfmv — People for Bernie (@People4Bernie) April 24, 2019

He also discussed the need to make deadly force by police a last resort and not a first resort.

There might be a baseball game and playoff basketball next door, but Houston still is here for @BernieSanders pic.twitter.com/rvQ7JHd0v1 — Ari Rabin-Havt (@AriRabinHavt) April 24, 2019

The crowd was enthusiastic and Bernie had a lot of energy for his speech, even after just finishing up a discussion at the She the People forum in Houston earlier.