Bernie Sanders stopped by Flint, Mich., Thursday afternoon, teling residents the lead poisoning that afllicted them was “one of the most serious public health crises in modern history.”
The Vermont senator and 2016 Democratic presidential candidate listened as residents aired their frustrations in a small, intimate setting that hardly represented the large rallies he regularly holds.
Walking in to the event, Flint residents could pick up a case of bottled water and a lead test. The crowd was visibly emotional and frustrated by their government’s lack of competence as they told stories of children dying of lead poisoning, high water prices and contaminated pipes. After hearing these stories Sanders responded, “If this is not an emergency, I don’t know what an emergency is.”
Sanders’ visit comes just two days before the South Carolina primary, as the Vermont senator makes a swing through Ohio, Michigan ad Illinois — all states that will hold their primaries in early March. Hillary Clinton currently leads Sanders by over 20 points in South Carolina, and his move through the Midwest suggests the campaign is looking ahead to the next step.
Much like Sanders, Clinton also visited Flint a few days before a contest she knew she would not win, the New Hampshire primary.
“What we have got to do is not only rebuild Flint, but as a nation is get our priorities right. What is stunning is that if we were a poor country maybe we could understand this. This is the richest country in the history of the world,” Sanders said. “Flint can be a leader, and that’s what you’re doing in changing national priorities. By saying that every city and ever town is entitled to good infrastructure.”
