Attacked as a “single-issue candidate” ahead of the South Carolina primary, Bernie Sanders said Tuesday that if we can rebuild foreign countries overseas, we can do nation-building at home.
“If we can rebuild villages in Iraq and Afghanistan, we can rebuild Flint. Michigan and communities all over,” Sanders said at a campaign stop the University of South Carolina.
His comments came during a full day of campaigning in the Palmetto State, where Sanders struggles to win over African-American voters, a major reason he is trailing Hillary Clinton. Sanders has made multiple attempts to attract black voter by talking about his past involvement in the civil rights movement and the importance of criminal justice reform.
Appearing at both a prayer breakfast in the state’s capitol and a rally at the University of South Carolina, Sanders emphasized how society is “rigged for those at the top” and in order for African-Americans to get ahead, everyone must be equal participants in society.
Prior to his Columbia rally, Erica Garner introduced Sanders, stating that he was a true advocate who “stood with the people when it wasn’t even popular.” Her father Eric Garner was killed while being arrested in New York under controversial circumstances.
“Democracy isn’t a football game. Democracy isn’t a spectator sport. Democracy is a sport in which every person actively participates,” Sanders said while speaking at the University of South Carolina after Garner’s introduction.
“Some people think that their purpose in life is to accumulate as much money as they possibly can. I see it in Washington, D.C. I see this every day,” Sanders said while speaking at a prayer breakfast in Columbia, S.C. “People want more and more and more. And they get more by stepping over those who have so little.”
“If people didn’t dream, where would we be?” he asked. “If people didn’t dream, would we have an African-American president of the United States today?”
