BROOKLYN — While presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders battled it out in a debate at the Brooklyn Navy Yard on Thursday evening, supporters gathered in watering holes and on the streets of the borough to rally behind their candidates.
Hundreds of Hillary supporters at official #NYDebate watch party at @BklynNavyYard Steiner Studios pic.twitter.com/fhgO3PtzUd
— Alexandra Leon (@alexandraaleon) April 15, 2016
The debate at the Duggal Greenhouse was hosted by CNN and NY1 and was not open to the public, so bars across the borough screened the event on TVs.
The crowd that gathered at Steiner Studios, a film and television production studio inside the Brooklyn Navy Yard, came out in support of Clinton.
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“I think Hillary is really strong, she’s showing her experience, her qualifications and her knowledge,” said Karen, a Ditmas Park resident who did not give her last name.
She criticized Sanders' claim that Clinton is too deeply embedded in mainstream politics.
“To call her the establishment is not really correct, because a woman can never be the establishment."
Toya Brown, 30, took two buses and a train to the Brooklyn Navy Yard from East New York because she wanted to be in the middle of the action. She supports the former secretary of state because she believes Sanders doesn't represent New Yorkers' interests.
“Bernie Sanders left New York years ago and never looked back, so I’m not looking for him to be president,” said Brown.
Toya and aunt Nedra took 2 buses and a train from ENY to support Hillary Clinton outside @BklynNavyYard pic.twitter.com/ToXdoTjqln
— Alexandra Leon (@alexandraaleon) April 14, 2016
Meanwhile, Sanders supporters gathered outside the Brooklyn Navy Yard before the broadcast started at 9 p.m. to rally for their candidate.
Bernie supporters got the LEDs out pic.twitter.com/K98hIfKJAf
— Alexandra Leon (@alexandraaleon) April 15, 2016
Ronny Wasserstrom, 44, came from Williamsburg with a homemade Bernie puppet. An after-school program teacher, he made the papier-mâché puppet in January in support of the Democratic candidate. He sang his own rendition of The Monkees’ “I’m a Believer” while waving Puppet Bernie’s arms outside the Navy Yard.
But he said it wasn't Sanders' background growing up in Midwood that influenced his decision to back the senator.
“I don’t care if he came from Mars," Wasserstrom said. "I feel like he’s the first human candidate, the first humane candidate.”
(DNAinfo/Alexandra Leon)
Bernie supporters also organized an enormous, retro-styled video game they dubbed, "Go, Bernie, Go". A white-haired Bernie avatar earned points for dodging corporate interest.
"Can't buy Bernie" +100 points, "dodging corporate interest" +100, "F--- Wall Street" -100 points #NYDebate pic.twitter.com/7lxSFaH18O
— Alexandra Leon (@alexandraaleon) April 15, 2016
Several bars in Brooklyn organized RSVP parties to watch the debates. Divine Bar in Bushwick and Canal Bar in Gowanus hosted Sanders supporters, Steiner Studios near the Navy Yard hosted Clinton backers, and Pacific Standard in Park Slope, Van Dyke Community Center in Brownsville and the Banter in Williamsburg hosted men, women and Muppets of all political leanings.
Muppet Bernie @BklynNavyYard #NYDebate pic.twitter.com/I3TdlCvjtd
— Alexandra Leon (@alexandraaleon) April 15, 2016
