Educate people. You know, rather than fighting and yelling and hating, its more important to love, care and support. Were trying to really make a difference and create the foundation i mentioned before to stop all these racisms and xenophobias going on. It requires every one of us to reach deep and show care not only for our own family and our own neighbors and friends, but for the broader community. Thats how we get through this pandemic. Thats how we come out on the other side a stronger community. Abc7 presents race and coronavirus a bay ara conversation. And with that backdrop, a good afternoon. Really glad you are with us. Im dan ashley. And im kristen sze. Thank you so much for joining us for this special edition of abc7 news. Instead of our normal 4 00 p. M. Newscast, today were going spend an hour engaging experts and you, our viewers in a virtual town hall on the issue of race and coronavirus. You know, this is a vitally important onehour virtual town hall erring on television
Mr. Rigell hello, grand rapids. Wow, what a crowd. Than are more people here when donald trump was inaugurated. That will be the first and last time that happens for him. Because we have a president coming that you will meet today that we will elect that will carry michigan on tuesday with your help, and his name is Bernie Sanders. [cheers] i want to thank you for electing me three times to the United States senate, to help lead the fight for jobs and for the middle class. And it is very good to be back here. I also want to thank you for something else, that is my wife graduate of now a grand rapids university. How lucky am i . Anybody here from a union family, the uaw . We lost a great champion a few weeks ago. He will be familiar to some of you. He gave great leadership and came right from here. I am sure he is upstairs watching, because he was a fighter for justice. We just need to keep him in mind, keep his example in mind. A wonderfulrs has Bumper Sticker that sort of says it all
Im ending my campaign. Im suspending my campaign. The viable path just no longer existed. Now a twoman race. If you want to nominate a life long democrat, join us. We have different records. We have a different vision. The American People will hear about it. Six more states vote tuesday. Is michigan now make or break for Bernie Sanders . He joins us this morning. Plus, rahm emanuel and Chris Christie on our powerhouse roundtable. Well break down the politics, smoke out the spin, the in facte announcer from abc news, its this week. Here now, chief anchor george stephanopoulos. Good morning, and welcome to this week. Well have all the latest on the race to the white house coming up but we begin with the coronavirus crisis. Heres what we know right now, the number of cases has climbed passed 100,000. And more 100 countries. Italy announced overnight that the Northern Region of that country is now on lockdown. Affecting a quarter of the population. The virus is spreading coast to coast her
And sign up for events air us. Near us. Everyone take out your phone. I know you have it on you. 7760. Ext bern to 6 bern to 67760. Look at the person next to you, make sure they are doing it. I see some of you not on your phones. Toolapp is a revolutionary and no other campaign has anything like it. Landslide. N win in a bernie can win in a landslide. [applause] this, we have do to talk to everyone we know. While you have your phones out, to the same number, text miknock. Ok. This is to sign up for canvassing events and phone banking events near you. As i can see, michigan is here to support bernie. [applause] talk to yourern, friends, and sign up for canvassing events. Lets win. [applause] please welcome labor representative, marine corps veteran, and former Democratic Party officer. [applause] hello, west michigan. Are you as excited to be here today to cheer on bernie, to support bernie, to win in michigan . [applause] what a great day it is. I am excited to be up here, expressing
[john lennons power to the people playing] sen. Sanders thank you, grand rapids whoa. I didnt know there were this many people in grand rapids. [cheers and applause] what i want to do now is Something Different than ive done before. Because today is a special day for me. Im going to just say a few words because i want to introduce somebody who is a hero for me, he is one of the transformative figures in modern American History. Jesse jackson junior [cheers and applause] reverend jackson worked with Martin Luther king. [cheers and applause] Jesse Jackson helped lead the fight against segregation and racism in the south. [cheers and applause] reverend jackson took that fight to the north. [cheers and applause] in 1984 and in 1988, Jesse Jackson put together historical campaigns. And what he created transformed politics in america. What he did as the first major africanamerican candidate in the history of this country. [cheers and applause] was to put together a coalition which he named t