Watch Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon Introduce Bernie Sanders at Wisconsin Rally
With Wisconsin citizens casting their votes in the Democratic primary this week, Bernie Sanders held a rally in Eau Claire Saturday where Bon Iver frontman and Wisconsin native Justin Vernon introduced the Vermont senator to the crowd of supporters. The singer’s remarks begin at the 5:30 mark of the above video.
“With the vacancy in the office of the President of the United States, there lies an opportunity. For some of the candidates, I feel the personal and political nature of this opportunity has eclipsed their obligation to the people, and some have lost sight to the idea that every person is created equal,” Vernon said. “That every person has the right to have their life protected within the integrity of justice, their liberties celebrated and their pursuit of happiness fully allowed. I feel that Senator Sanders looks at this as not a personal opportunity but as a charge with which only he has the courage and ability to fulfill.”
Vernon joins the long list of musicians lining up to lend their support to the Vermont senator’s campaign: Run the Jewels’ Killer Mike has frequently stumped for Sanders, while Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig and Dirty Projectors’ Dave Longstreth performed with the candidate at an Iowa City rally. The Red Hot Chili Peppers staged their own Sanders fundraiser, Phish’s Jon Fishman – a longtime Bernie supporter – campaigned on the senator’s behalf and Michael Stipe explained in a video to Rolling Stone why he’s supporting Sanders’ Democratic run.
“We have this great country. We have this human chance to take care of this freedom, to make good on its promise, to do what others couldn’t do before us, like rid our beautiful Constitution of any financial corporate chokehold,” Vernon added. “I can’t imagine a more important task, a task that if completed would have incalculable positive effects on our communities, every community, every race, every gender, every person with an American dream.”