S A N D E R S

S E E K S
C A L I F O R N I A
C A S H
B E R K E LEY, C A.
B
urlington Mayor
Bernie Sanders
brought his campaign
for the governorship
of Vermontto Berkeley, Cali-
fornia luly 27th, telling about
40peopleat afundraisingrecep-
tion that his long-shot cam-
paign was part of a national
struggle for social change.
"We've got the East Coast
and we've got the West Coast,"
he told the Berkeley activists.
"N ow all we need are a few
hundred cities in between."
Thereception was sponsored
by Berkeley Citizens Action,
the local progressive coalition
that controls the mayor's office
and seven of the eight City
Council seats. I n California,
however, all local elections are
by law non-partisan. Progres-
sive politicians who have suc-
cessfully sought higher office
inthis state generally have
done so within the Democratic
Party. Congressman Ron Del-
lums and state Assemblyman
TomBates, bothlong-timeBCA
leaders, always have run on
the Democratic ticket.
I n an interview before the
reception, Sanders said he has
"a great deal of respect for
Ron Dellums.1f there are peo-
ple who feel they can operate
Tim Redmond is a reporterfor
the S an F rancisco Bay
Guardian.
Berkeley Mayor Gus Newport (wilh hal) drops his donation into the hat at a fundraiser for Bernie Sanders. Sanders and his
companion, Youth Office Director fane Driscoll (behind Newport) look on.
within the Democratic Party,
I won't condemn them." But,
he maintained, "I don't know
why I shouldjoin aparty where
t he pr evai l i ng vi ews ar e hos-
tile to mine."
When Sanders delivered his
fund-raising pitchto the crowd,
heplayed down the differences
between his approach and that
of BCA members likeDellums
and Bates. "We all know what
this is really about," S anders
said. "We all read it in the Los
"there is only one progressive
in the country who possibly
could get elected governor of
a state, and that's Bernie."
Despite Camejo's and San-
ders' pleas, however, theevent
was not a stunning financial
success. The total take
amounted tojust over $1,000,
and after a 5050 split with
the BCA, the Sanders for Gov-
ernor campaign will net about
$500.
Angeles Times afew days ago.
I n this country right now, one
half of one percent of the pop-
ulation controls 35 percent of
the wealth. What we're trying
to do," hesaid to applause and
nods of agreement, "is take
the country back fromthat one
half of one percent."
Peter Camejo, a Berkeley
activist who spoke on Sanders'
behalf, echoed the theme that
S anders' candidacy amounts
to a crusade-one with impli-
cations far beyond the Green
Mountains of Vermont.
"Do youknow what it would
m ean," Cam ej o ask ed , "tohave
a true progressi ve in office as
astate governor! Do youknow
what it would mean for agov-
ernor to go to EI Salvador, to
go to South Africa? They won't
beableto stop himfromtalking,
and people will listen."
Camejo exhorted the crowd
to contribute "not $20, not$25,
but $100." Right now, he said, Tim Redmond