"Sanders Packs Gym, Stairwells In Iowa City" Rec Center yesterday Saturday morning May 30, excerpts.
IOWA CITY, Iowa- An estimated 1,100 people turned out to hear Bernie Sanders speak on the final day of his three-day campaign tour to the state.
Thea Petitt, holding baby Lilith, stood among the crowd that spilled out of the gym of a downtown recreation center, appropriately abutting Burlington Street. Baby Lilith sported a tiny T-shirt printed with a face of the Vermont Senator. Petitt, originally from Montpelier, VT said that Sanders was the first person she ever voted for during Sanders run for the US House of Representatives. As an Iowa resident for the last nine years, Sanders will have Pettit's vote at the Feb. 1 Caucus.
Petitt and about 400 others who didn't get into the auditorium after it reached the 700-person capacity listened to Sanders speech on loudspeakers placed in the lobby. People packed the lobby all the way to the front doors and some found standing room in the stairwell.
Iowa City is located in Johnson County, which is home to about 140,000 people, according to the US Census Bureau. The university town has the highest level of poverty of all the stops Sanders made throughout his Iowa campaign tour. *Twenty-eight percent of Iowa City residents live below the poverty line, more than double the state average.
Traveling the campaign trail of her husband, Jane Sanders stood to the side of the stage and looked out on the crowd. When asked if she was tired from the packed schedule in Iowa she said "No, energized."
As a first time visitor to the state, Jane Sanders said that she was impressed with the number of people that showed up to the events and the thoughtful questions they asked.
Jane and Bernie Sanders celebrated their 27th anniversary Thursday, the first night of campaigning in Iowa.
"It's great to feel proud and impressed by the person you've lived with for 27 years", Jane Sanders said.
Tears came to Jane's eyes as she looked out over the crowd listening to her husband wrap up the speech. "This many people, so early in the process, it's very inspiring", she said.
Sen. Bernie Sanders will continue to a Saturday evening event in Kensett, Iowa. He will speak in MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA on SUNDAY.
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Read more: "Sanders Packs Gym, Stairwell in Iowa City", May 31, 2015, Burlington Free Press, by Emilie Teresa Stigliani.
http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/politics/2015/05/30/sanders-packs-gym-stairwells-iowa-city/28225133/
Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont at a packed campaign event held at an Iowa City recreation center, Sat. morning, May 30, 2015.
People filled the halls and listened on loudspeakers to Sanders speech from the main room filled with 700 guests.
Thea Petitt, holds baby Lilith Hoadley-Petitt who is wearing a tiny, Bernie Sanders T-Shirt.
Inside the auditorium, Ernie "E" Rairdin, 76, sat in the first row with Nathaniel, 5, on his lap. Rairdin brought his young friend who he takes care of several days a week, to hear what Sen. Sanders had to say.
Jane Sanders stands among the crowd listening to husband Bernie speak at a campaign event in Iowa City, Iowa.
= new reply since forum marked as read
NOW is the time! 
he better plan on a stadium/ball field next time. 
the guys arrived late and got to listen outside. 
Remember when Romney tried that?
Reminds me of that tiny CSPAN photo of the pro-war rally with only 5 people attending 