Bernie Sander's Fighting Oligarchy Rally, Portland, September 1

Bernie Sanders embraces Troy Jackson

By George Simonson

Mary and I went to the Portland installment tonight of Bernie Sanders' nationwide “Fighting Oligarchy Tour." We sat way up in the sky behind the podium and saw everything from behind. Here’s a gifted link to the Portland Press Herald’s article on the event (including a YouTube video of the whole thing).

It was thrilling — a huge crowd (around 6,500) — constant leaping to our feet to applaud and shout — laughter — booing Trump and his goons — tight, powerful, on-topic speeches — high spirits — an incredible wave of emotion because we’re all in this together — fast-moving  and on schedule — Bernie’s been talking for years about these reforms that America needs — and the times are finally catching up with him.

The first main speaker was Graham Platner, the rough-and-ready Maine oysterman who has caught viral national media attention for running against Susan Collins for Senate. His speech was strong and focused — very good writing — saying all the right things about all the things wrong in America these days. Things people know in their bones and need to hear said. Tons of applause. He’s being advised by the same team that propelled Zohran Mamdani’s astonishing race for mayor of New York City into national prominence and rocked the pundits.

The second main speaker was Troy Jackson, a rough-and-ready Maine logger and president of the Maine Senate till 2024, now running for governor. He spoke well, too, and the crowd roared.

The main speaker of the night was Bernie Sanders, then, who celebrated labor and spoke of America’s broken housing situation, health care, cost of living, education, military, government, and other institutions — all damaged by the worst income inequality in American history, capitalism run amok, and the takeover of our society by billionaire oligarchs transferring $75 trillion from the poor to the wealthy — and what we need to do about it.

It was just a terrific night — my voice is hoarse from shouting and laughing — I felt as if it was the 1960s all over again — people coming together by the thousands to break the back of tyranny. I felt young. Something is changing. Americans can do it again. Trump will crash and burn. Graham Platner will cut through Susan Collins like she's a little bag of dog shit.

Bernie was right all along. Let’s do this together.