More than 35,000 people showed up in Grand Park in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday to hear Sen. Bernie Sanders and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The audience was also treated to musical performances by Neil Young, Maggie Rogers, and Joan Baez.
These musicians joined forces with Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez for the L.A. stop of the “Fighting Oligarchy Tour”.
The goal of the tour, per Sanders’s website, is to “have real discussions across America on how we move forward to take on the Oligarchs and corporate interests who have so much power and influence in this country.”
On Saturday, Sanders tried to appeal to more than just his progressive base.
“From the bottom of my heart, and I’ve been to every state of this country, I don’t care whether you’re Republican, Democrat, or Independent. The people of this country do not want oligarchy,” Sanders said.
He also spoke directly to younger attendees.
“The future of what happens to America is dependent upon your generation,” Sanders said.
Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez began this tour earlier this year. The progressive duo has drawn large crowds, with tens of thousands of people in L.A. and more than 20,000 in Salt Lake City.
Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez are making it a point to stop not only in Democratic strongholds but in red states as well. They have already held rallies in Arizona and Utah and have upcoming events in Idaho and Montana.
The Democratic Party is looking for leaders in light of former Vice President Kamala Harris’s loss in last year’s election, and the party’s low favorability among Americans.
After the L.A. rally Saturday, Sanders headed east and made a surprise appearance at Coachella just before Clairo began her set.
“Now I’m here to introduce Clairo... Clairo has used her prominence to fight for women’s rights, to try to end the terrible, brutal war in Gaza, where thousands, thousands of women and children are being killed. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Claro,” Sanders said.
The “Fighting Oligarchy” tour returns to California this week with stops in Bakersfield and Folsom.