Bernie Sanders is being lauded with praise for touring a public housing facility Sunday in one of New York City’s most economically challenged neighborhoods, only two days before the much anticipated New York primary.
One surprised local resident told Sanders when he stopped by a nearby playground:
“Nice to get to know you now. I was against you at first.”
Sanders responded:
“I’m not so bad as I look on TV.”
The Brownsville, Brooklyn, resident agreed, saying:
“No, you aren’t. It is nice to see that you are coming through here. So, you might get our vote now.”
She added:
“He actually came to the ‘hood’ to get our vote. He shook our hands.”
ABC News reports:
“Brownsville has been listed as one of the poorest neighborhoods in New York City, with a high crime rate, too. According to a study by the city last year, 76 percent of the population in the neighborhood is African American and more than 37 percent live below the federal poverty line.”
Sanders was led on his tour by Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and two city councilmen. He concluded his tour with a small press conference, where the democratic hopeful stated:
“People should not be forced to live in dilapidated housing where elevators break down and elderly people have to walk eight flights up or down to go and get some groceries. What this campaign is about is transforming our national priorities, rebuilding our infrastructure, and when we talk about rebuilding our infrastructure, that means rebuilding housing projects like this. Not only here in New York, but all over this country.”
When asked to respond to his inevitable, skeptic critics who will deem Sanders’ tour as nothing more than a publicity stunt, Sanders replied:
“If I wasn’t here, then people would say, ‘Why didn’t you show up?’ The point is, I can understand the cynicism. Believe me, I can understand the cynicism. All right, but my understanding is that not too many presidential candidates have come to Brownsville housing projects.”
Bronx Councilman Ritchie Torres interjected an aside then, stating, “Exactly never,” to which Sanders continued:
“Bottom line here again, this is the wealthiest country in the history of the world. We are not a poor country. We can’t afford to maintain public housing?”
Another local resident, Kenneth Graham, shook hands with Sanders and asked him to help his neighborhood. He said:
“I think it’s cool. For me, his energy feels nice. I give him the benefit of the doubt.”
Graham said the Vermont senator was the first presidential candidate he’d ever seen visit that part of the city.
As far as Sanders is concerned, there should be a lot more federal investing in neighborhoods like Brownsville all across the nation.
Sanders’ rival, Hillary Clinton, toured a “seniors-only New York City Housing Authority building” April 15.
Featured image by Bernie 2016 via YouTube video screen capture