Sanders, while publicly announcing the beginning of his 2020 presidential ticket, running with a series of traditional electorate-oriented topics, went back to his roots, describing how hard it was for his family and himself to make it through those times, when "lack of money — was always a point of stress."
"As we launch this campaign for president, you deserve to know where I came from because family history, obviously, heavily influences the values that we develop as adults," the presidential hopeful said during a visit to Brooklyn College.
The content of the speech appeared to reflect a trend established by other candidates running for the White House, who, according to The Washington Post, share details of their private life with voters.
READ MORE: Bernie Sanders Will Again Run for US Presidency — Reports
While delivering his speech, Sanders highlighted that he knows where he came from — "a lower middle class family", and continued with recollections from his past.
"My mother's dream was that someday our family would move out of that rent-controlled apartment to a home of our own. That dream was never fulfilled. She died young while we still lived in that rent-controlled apartment," Sanders said, cited by The Washington Post.
"I did not have a mom and dad who gave me millions of dollars to build luxury skyscrapers and casinos and country clubs. But I had something more valuable: I had the role model of a father who had unbelievable courage in journeying across an ocean, with no money in his pocket and not knowing a word of English," the 77-year-old lifelong politician said.
Sander's Saturday speech saw various reactions among social media users.
While some Twitterians were supportive,
"I know where I came from.
— Hanoi James (@Banalization) March 2, 2019
And that is something I will never forget."
Was a punch in the gut. Easily the most moving moment in a speech @BernieSanders has given. Tears welled folks.
— NYNeuroDevPsy🖤❄ (@OaktownCogPsy) March 2, 2019
Others interpreted the speech as targeting and harming Trump.
Listening to #berniesanders after @POTUS' speech today made my stomach sick…all they've got is to try to make him sound racist. #Trump is for Americans…not #illegals of ANY race. Illegals break the law when they cross r border..& criminals come in along w/them. #neverBERNIE
— On Side of GOD + TRUMP (@miksu2006) March 2, 2019
— b scott (@bscottnewskona) March 2, 2019
Some were skeptical, noting that the speech was normal for a politician who promises ‘something for everybody' without giving details
@chucktodd Bernie Sanders seems like a typical politician running for office. In his speech today in Brooklyn, he promised something for everybody, without explaining how his administration would pay for it.
— Frank S. Tate (@FrankSTate1) March 2, 2019
— john tabah (@VonAntonius) March 2, 2019
— Dan Carty (@dancarty5) March 2, 2019
Bernie Sanders telling the most liberal part of the country that everything is going to be free isn’t America.
— ConservativeNationalist_1 (@Nationalist_KAG) March 2, 2019
