Bernie Sanders and AOC Rally 36,000 in L.A.: 'Revolution With Joy'

Sanders and AOC Rally Draws 36,000 in Downtown LA

On Saturday Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) held a rally at Gloria Molina Grand Park in downtown Los Angeles, drawing a crowd of 36,000 people, according to SFGATE.

The event was part of Sanders’ “Fighting Oligarchy” tour, which addresses topics such as economic inequality, healthcare, and opposition to concentrated wealth and power. The rally featured performances by Joan Baez, Neil Young, and Maggie Rogers . @BernieSanders / X

Sanders Deflects Spotlight: “It Is You”

Taking the stage to chants of “Bernie, Bernie,” the senator responded, “Nope. It’s not ‘Bernie.’ It is you.” @BernieSanders / X

“Revolution With Joy”: Sanders Targets Trump and Musk

Sanders directly criticized President Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk, who now leads the Department of Government Efficiency under Trump’s administration. “We're going to make our revolution with joy,” Sanders declared. “We're going to sing and dance our way to victory against hatred and divisiveness.” The White House / Wikimedia

Sharp Rebuttal to Musk: “You’re Damn Right”

In a sharp rebuke to Elon Musk, who had shared a montage on X of Bernie Sanders warning about oligarchy across the decades—from the 1990s to the 2010s—the senator fired back, “Well, Elon, you’re damn right, that’s what I’ve been talking about.”

Sanders continued: “The difference is I’m no longer talking about how we’re moving to oligarchy. I’m talking about how we are living today in an oligarchic form of society. Three months ago, when Trump was inaugurated, standing right behind him during his inauguration, were the three wealthiest people in this country, Mr. Musk, Mr. [Jeff] Bezos and Mr. [Mark] Zuckerberg. And right behind them, were 13 other billionaires who Trump had nominated to head up major federal agencies. And that, brothers and sisters, is what oligarchy is all about.” @elonmusk / X

Musk’s $290 Million GOP Backing

Musk reportedly spent $290 million to support Trump and other Republican candidates in 2024, later receiving a federal role aimed at downsizing government agencies. Justin Pacheco / Wikimedia

Sanders Seen as Key Voice in Post-Harris Democratic Rift

Amid a fractured Democratic Party still reeling from Kamala Harris’ electoral defeat, Sanders’ team sees this moment as pivotal. “There’s a muscularity in the way he wants to fight against them,” adviser Faiz Shakir told The Washington Post. The White House / Wikimedia

AOC Rallies Crowd Around "Class Solidarity"

Ocasio-Cortez, introducing Sanders, framed the gathering as a rejection of divisiveness and a rallying cry for working-class dignity. “This movement is not about partisan labels or purity tests, but it’s about class solidarity,” she said. “Our lives deserve dignity and our work deserves respect, no matter who we are.”

Sanders ended with a cross-partisan call to action: “I don’t care whether you’re Republican, Democrat, or Independent… the people of this country do not want oligarchy. They do not want authoritarianism.” @OliverHidWoh / X