Thread by @LauraRBelin

Biggest cheer during @iowademocrats chair @troymprice's opening remarks came after he predicted #Iowa Ds will "send @joniernst into an early retirement." #IASen #HallofFame

Sen @CoryBooker is 1st candidate to speak at #HallofFame event. (19 candidates will each have 5 minutes)
"We are being tested. This is a moral moment in America, and we must meet this test. I'm running for president because we can't take 4 more years of Donald Trump." #iacaucus

But @CoryBooker isn't just running to beat Donald Trump. That's the floor, not the ceiling. We can't just run on what we are against. Democrats need to tell people what we are for. "Every American needs health care, and make no mistake, abortion is health care." #iacaucus

.@CoryBooker: This election is not a referendum on 1 person in 1 office. It's a referendum on who we are, who we must be.
Trump wants it to be about him. But "we will rise, we will lift up our voices, we will win this election, and America, we will rise." #HallofFame #iacaucus

.@ericswalwell up next at #HallOfFame event. Thanks Iowa Ds for doing the work in 2018 to help give Ds a US House majority, made history by electing two women to Congress (@Abby4Iowa in #IA01, @Axne4Congress in #IA03) #iacaucus

.@ericswalwell: we need "go big on the issues, be bold with solutions." We need a president who lives like you live. Current president doesn't understand struggles. But Swalwell can be that person, because he understands those struggles. #iacaucus #HallOfFame

"We should have Medicare for anyone who wants it."
Also, "it's a woman's body and should be a woman's choice." He will only appoint judges who will defend Roe v Wade, but let's not aim just do defend. @ericswalwell wants to repeal the discriminatory Hyde Amendment. #iacaucus

.@ericswalwell says he's only candidate calling for assault weapons ban with mandatory buyback provision. "I ask you today: are we in this when it comes to gun violence, to stop the bleeding?" Or can we go so bold as to stop the shooting? "Go big, be bold, do good." #iacaucus

.@BernieSanders up next at #HallOfFame. Thanks honorees and all here "for what you are doing to defeat the most dangerous president" in history. Trump believes he is above the law. "We will put an end to the ugliness and divisiveness that comes from this administration" #iacaucus

.@BernieSanders: we won't defeat Trump unless we bring excitement into this campaign, increase turnout, & give millions of working people & young people are reason to believe that politics can improve their lives. Status quo politics "will not do that." #iacaucus #HallOfFame

.@BernieSanders: some believe best approach is middle-ground strategy that antagonizes no one, changes nothing. It's not only bad public policy, but also bad political strategy that, Sanders feels, could end up re-electing Trump. "The American people want real change" #iacaucus

.@BernieSanders talking about taking on big insurance & pharmaceutical companies, military-industrial complex. If we want to defeat climate change we must take on the lies of the fossil fuels industry. Real change never comes easily. Requires millions standing up. #iacaucus

.@iowademocrats being reasonably strict about starting music once candidates go a little over the 5-minute mark at #HallOfFame event. Now playing video celebrating Sioux County Democrats, being honored as outstanding county leaders. iowademocrats.org/2019-iowa-demo…

Sioux County is the reddest of #Iowa's 99 counties. in 2018, @KimReynoldsIA received 85.9% of vote there in #iagov race, @SteveKingIA 73.3% in #IA04. #HallOfFame

.@TulsiGabbard up next at #HallOfFame event. While most of the presidential candidates have scheduled a weekend full of events in #Iowa, she flew in for this speech & will leave later today. #iacaucus

.@TulsiGabbard: Instead of govt of, by, & for the people, we have govt of, by, & for the rich & powerful. Promises to put people before profits and put the wellbeing of all people above all else. She'll work to pass #MedicareForAll, will reinstate Glass-Steagall. #iacaucus

.@TulsiGabbard calling for campaign finance reform & battling #climate change, will protect water, soil, air. Gabbard will fight for criminal justice reform, end private prison, & supports legalizing marijuana nationally. #iacaucs #HallOfFame

.@TulsiGabbard referenced her military service & service on House Armed Services Committee. "I know the cost of war." Criticizes warmongers in both parties who have dragged us into wars. "I will end our longstanding foreign policy of waging wasteful regime change wars" #iacaucus

.@TulsiGabbard will take the trillions of dollars we're wasting on wars and invest in our country: health care, infrastructure, education and so much more. Will build partnerships with other countries, meeting with foreign leaders in pursuit of peace. #iacaucus #HallofFame

Mayor @PeteButtigieg is up next at #Halloffame. Earlier today I published my interview w/him focusing on judicial reform: #iacaucus bleedingheartland.com/2019/06/09/int…

.@PeteButtigieg: "our values are on the line," and American values like freedom "are not property of conservative Republicans." "We know that freedom includes economic freedom, and you're not free if you don't have a living wage in this country." #HallofFame #iacaucus

.@PeteButtigieg referenced reproductive rights & marriage equality as examples of the American values of freedom. Also freedom to organize in labor unions. Also, new president needs to appoint a secretary of education who actually values public education. #iacaucus #HallofFame

Don't let Republicans tell you they own the idea of national security, @PeteButtigieg says, when their only idea "is a wall from sea to shining sea." That won't help with cybersecurity or white nationalism. We also need to recognize #climate change as security issue. #iacaucus

.@PeteButtigieg called for all Americans to get political representation, including those in DC and Puerto Rico.
How do we win? Change the channel from this president's reality show, horror show, whatever you want to call it. #iacaucus #HallofFame

.@KamalaHarris speaking now at #HallofFame event. Thanks Iowans for informing her & helping her to be a better candidate, which will help her be a better president. Acknowledges input from #Iowa teachers for inspiring her to propose major federal teacher pay plan. #iacaucus

.@KamalaHarris: we need to make the case for our values, for an America where health care is a right not a privilege, where women have the right to control their own bodies, where teachers are paid what they are worth, where children are safe in their schools. #iacaucus

.@KamalaHarris talking about how her parents met in the #civilrights movement. When someone used to complain, her mother would say, "What are you going to do about it?" Well, she's running for president.
Talking about her record prosecuting frauds, criminals. #iacaucus

"We need to prosecute the case" against Donald Trump, @KamalaHarris says. He committed "health care fraud" by breaking promises, "tax fraud,"
When Trump claims to be best president of our generation, "Let's call Barack Obama, because that's identity fraud." #iacaucus

.@KamalaHarris wrapped up in a little less than her 5 minutes. Now @iowademocrats playing video honoring College & Young Democrats @CYDiowa, led by @oliviahabinck & @meg_card #HallofFame iowademocrats.org/2019-iowa-demo…

.@JohnDelaney speaking next. Has been in all 99 counties and made more trips to #Iowa than anyone in the field since launching his campaign in summer 2017. #iacaucus #HallofFame

.@JohnDelaney talking about "how to build the big tent Democratic Party" that we need to lead and governor. He has lived American dream, was first in his family to go to college. But it's so much harder for young people today, because "we stopped doing our job." #iacaucus

.@JohnDelaney: 1 of biggest problems w/current president is he doesn't build anything & doesn't care if anything works. We need POTUS who is committed to helping working people, education, fighting climate change, investing in all communities, creating universal health care.

.@JohnDelaney naming various European countries w/ universal health care system (France, Germany, etc). None of them have a single-payer system, which shows there are many paths to universal health care. Delaney believes health care is a right & Americans want choices. #iacaucus

.@JohnDelaney: we need to be a party that can appeal to all kinds of people, including disaffected Republicans. If we do that, we can win every election, and more important, we can govern. "There's a common sense way forward, and let's build that big party." #iacaucus

.@JayInslee up next. He spoke at last year's #HallofFame in his role as head of DGA. @troymprice mentions that he helped flip 7 governorships in 2018 & is focusing on #climate issue. #iacaucus

.@JayInslee: not only do we Democrats embrace progressive values, my home state of Washington has showed that economic progress can come from those values. It will drive Donald Trump nuts if he's running against the guy who has managed the best state economy. #iacaucus

.@JayInslee says he is proud to be the governor who helped pass the largest teacher pay increase in the country. Washington also has the highest #minimumwage in US "We believe women should get paid the same as men for the work they do." #iacaucus

.@jayinslee is proud of his record on reproductive rights. We need to protect women's right to choose and to get health care.
Also, Washington has benefited from #diversity & he was proud to be the first governor to stand up against Trump's #Muslimban. #iacaucus #HallofFame

.@JayInslee promises to make defeating #cilmate change the top priority of his administration. Donald Trump is wrong: wind turbines don't cause cancer, they cause jobs.
We have to mobilize the entire US. We need a full debate on #climate issue. #iacaucus #HallofFame

.@SenGillibrand is up next at #HallOfFame. Notes that when she called out Fox News during a town hall she did in #Iowa last week, she was called "not very polite." "I must be doing something right." She's proud to be among the women fighting back, demanding rights. #iacaucus

.@SenGillibrand: "#women are on fire" and that's why we flipped the US House in 2018. Hails "everyday acts of resilience" as well as "big, bold acts of resistance." Right-wing politicians & men are making decisions about our freedom. #iacaucus #HallofFame

.@SenGillibrand: now is not the time to be polite. Now is the time to fight like hell.
"When women lead, we get things done." Notes that she won a heavily GOP US House district, won 18 NY counties that Trump carried. Has voted against Trump more than any other senator. #iacaucus

There's no room in our party for Democrats who don't support full rights for women, @SenGillibrand says. Promises to pass "family bill of rights" within first 100 days as POTUS. Imagine progress we could make with a working mother as president instead of a misogynist. #iacaucus

#Iowa's first #women to serve in US House up now. @Abby4Iowa says it's the honor of her life to serve & thanks everyone who helped make history happen in 2018. She & @Axne4Congress defeated GOP incumbents in #IA01 and #IA03. #HallOfFame

.@Abby4Iowa reminded crowd we need to stay focused next year on keeping 3 of #Iowa's House district blue & flip #IA04. Also need to help take back state House & Senate. #ialegis #HallOfFame

Cindy @Axne4Congress bashed Republican Chip Roy for holding up disaster relief bill. bleedingheartland.com/2019/05/26/rep…
As an example of a good day in Congress, she mentioned sitting next to @RepKatiePorter when she was grilling a Trump cabinet member. #IA03

.@Axne4Congress talking about bills House Ds have passed. We need to take Senate next. Says she and @Abby4Iowa are two of the top GOP targets for 2020. We need your help, and "we are the Iowa girls who don't back down." #IA01 #IA03 #HallOfFame

State Auditor @RobSandIA thanks #Iowa Ds who helped in 2018. They helped him become first Democrat to defeat a statewide elected GOP incumbent here in 34 years.
"The team that works the hardest will win" in 2020. Finishes his #HallOfFame in about 1:30.

Former @iowademocrats chair @sdvorsky1 has the thankless job of giving the "pass the hat" speech at #HallOfFame. Asked #Iowa Ds to take a minute, stretch, reach into their pockets or purses to get their wallets out, & put money or check into the envelopes on the tables.

.@iowademocrats chair @troymprice acknowledged State Treasurer Michael @Fitzgerald4Iowa and @AGIowa Tom Miller. @timryan up next at #HallofFame.

.@TimRyan: He & his wife have grown up & lived "at the epicenter of the industrialization of the United States." Referencing family members who lost factory jobs in Youngstown area of Ohio. GM plant just laid off its last shift at local factory. #iacaucus #HallofFame

The next Democratic presidential nominee "must deeply, deeply understand" what workers of America are going through, @TimRyan says. Talks about ripple effect of joblessness through economy. The person who understands that can beat Trump in Ohio, Wisconsin, Iowa, WV. #iacaucus

.@TimRyan says he can win back these workers. But it's not just about beating Trump. It's about putting together an industrial policy so we can start building things again in America. And let's not just talk about $15/hour. Let's talk about $30, $40, $50/hour jobs. #iacaucus

.@timryan closes with a story about Muhammad Ali. Someone told him he saw a fight where he got knocked down. Ali said it wasn't my fight. "I ain't never been knocked down. I'm either up or I'm getting up." Democrats, workers, women haven't been knocked down either. #iacaucus

.@AndrewYang up next at #HallofFame. He's the only candidate calling for a universal basic income ("Freedom Dividend") of $1,000 a month for every adult in the U.S. #iacaucus

How did Donald Trump win Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, Iowa, PA, @AndrewYang asks? We automated away millions of jobs including 40,000 in Iowa. Number 1 job in our communities is in retail. But Amazon is killing retail jobs. Silicon Valley working on driverless trucks. #iacaucus

.@AndrewYang talking about historical origins of a universal basic income plan. Thomas Paine supported the idea in 18th century. MLK Jr supported it in 1960s, US House passed it twice when Nixon was president. Alaska has a similar program now, funded with oil money. #iacaucus

.@AndrewYang: Democrats are for empowering women. Many women are getting exploited, and $1,000/month would help.
Trump's solutions are to turn clock back, build a wall. We need to turn the clock forward w/advanced solutions. "The opposite of Trump is an Asian man who likes math"

.@marwilliamson: how are we going to beat Trump in 2020? Some think we need to find someone "tough enough" to beat Trump. She thinks that is "naive". Something deeper is going on here. Trump puts people in a fearful place. We need to beat him with love. #iacaucus #HallOfFame

Trump reaches to a very primal and fearful place in the psyche, @marwilliamson says, and that emotional bond needs to be unraveled. "The only way to defeat a big lie is through the power of a big truth." #iacaucus #HallOfFame

.@marwilliamson: Republicans' lies have been politically powerful, & it has worked because too often Democrats have been party that stands for the right thing but cozies up to people who do the wrong thing. We naively think average voter won't sniff out the corruption. #iacaucus

.@marwilliamson recounted successes of #civilrights, #women's suffrage movement, which only happened "when the people stepped in." The political elites didn't do that. "We need the people to step in." #iacaucus

Now @iowademocrats showing video honoring Cindy & Elwood Garlock, retired teachers who are this year's "outstanding activists." iowademocrats.org/2019-iowa-demo…
In March, Cindy Garlock @darwinrules wrote this Bleeding Heartland post about @joniernst: #IASen bleedingheartland.com/2019/05/03/who…

Next up at #HallOfFame: @ewarren. She never would have imagined being a candidate for president. Since 2nd grade she wanted to be a public school teacher. She dropped out of college to get married but scraped her way back & became special needs teacher. #iacaucus

Let me tell you something about teachers, @ewarren says. They never give up. A lot is broken in America today, but she is optimistic b/c she's seen "there is a real hunger for big, structural change in this country. They're ready for change & I've got a plan for that" #iacaucus

.@ewarren has policies to deal w/big problems like #climate change, defending reproductive rights, political corruption. Big Q is who is this economy working for? She is building a grassroots movement & not spending time w/high-dollar donors & corporate lobbyists. #iacaucus

"Dream big, fight hard, and win" is the closing line of @ewarren's speech. She wrapped up before play-off music began at #HallOfFame event. #iacaucus

John @Hickenlooper speaking now. Thanked activists "on the front lines of resistance," protecting democracy. "We live in a country where children are taken from their mothers and put in cages. A woman's right to control her body is under constant assault." #iacaucus

.@Hickenlooper: Trump is the worst president in history, but defeating him is far from assured. We need to have the right strategy. Republicans' main attack line is "socialism." That doesn't mean Ds should shy away from big, progressive ideas. #iacaucus

.@Hickenlooper touting record of progressive accomplishments during his time as governor. CO has near universal health care. They passed gun control, increased access to birth control. "You don't do big things with big government." You do it "by bringing everyone to the table."

.@Hickenlooper promising to fight #climate change, make college more affordable, create opportunities for 1 million apprenticeships a year. "I am a dreamer and a doer, and we need both to make progress. Not just big ideas, but getting them done." #iacaucus #HallofFame

.@amyklobuchar up now at #HallofFame. Says Trump made fun of her for talking about #climate change during her announcement speech in a snowstorm. She comes from the heartland. "I don't come from money but I have grit." #iacaucus

After a stressful experience following the birth of her daughter, @amyklobuchar advocated for and helped pass a law guaranteeing at least a 48-hour hospital stay for new mothers. #iacaucus #HallOfFame

.@amyklobuchar: What better place to go to win back the heart of America than the heartland of America?
Slammed "risky schemes of privatizing #Medicaid" (a huge issue for #Iowa Democrats). Corporate lobbyists might own Washington, "but they don't own me." #iacaucus

.@amyklobuchar says we need to stand up for workers' right to organize, stand up against monopoly power, and let's pass a constitutional amendment to overturn the #SCOTUS Citizens United decision. #iacaucus

.@amyklobuchar hails #Iowa Democrats @Abby4Iowa & @Axne4Congress for helping win back US House. We win America by winning in the Midwest. #iacaucus

Video honoring State Representative @rassmith62 of Waterloo playing now at @iowademocrats #HallOfFame event. He is this year's "rising star" and helped organize a Black Caucus in the #Iowa House. #ialegis iowademocrats.org/2019-iowa-demo…

Video included a memorable moment from State Rep @rassmith62's first year serving in #ialegis, when he put on a hoodie during #Iowa House debate to demonstrate how people of color would be at risk under "Stand Your Ground" policy: bleedingheartland.com/2017/03/08/wha…

.@GovernorBullock up now at #HallOfFame. Was re-elected in 2016 even though Trump carried Montana by 20 points. Has been endorsed by @AGIowa Tom Miller. #iacaucus

.@GovernorBullock: we're here to make Donald Trump a one-term president. But it's more than just beating him, it's about reversing the damage. We now expect more from preschoolers than from the president of the United States.
Bashed GOP tax bill from 2017. #iacaucus

.@GovernorBullock: 25 to 30% of Montanans who voted for him in 2016 also voted for Trump. We need to win back places we lost, statehouses as well as the White House.
But this election is about more than winning. It's about making Washington work for us. #iacaucus #HallofFame

As Montana AG, @GovernorBullock organized states against Citizens United, defended his state's corporate spending ban all the way up to #SCOTUS. Their law required disclosure of spending 90 days before election. Koch-funded attacks stopped 90 days before election. #iacaucus

"If we can beat the Koch brothers in Montana," we can beat them everywhere, @GovernorBullock says. With 239 days left before #iacaucus, Bullock looks forward to meeting Iowans.

.@BilldeBlasio up now--Democrats are on the march in #Iowa, & he congratulated them on 2018 victories. Mentions that his wife Chirlane McCray (to whom he's been married 25 years) is passionate about making mental health services. Introduced @NYCFirstLady to crowd. #iacaucus

.@BilldeBlasio says when he talks to working people--not just Ds, but also independents & Republicans--they want change. They want to invest in people. Pundits say there's not enough money. He says "there's plenty of money in this country, it's just in the wrong hands." #iacaucus

.@BilldeBlasio says in NYC they passed universal free preschool and paid sick leave. They also have a guaranteed health care program. We've done this in NY and can do it in America. #iacaucus

.@MichaelBennet up now at #HallofFame. He's only been in the race for about a month. "It's been a privilege to listen" to everyone today, and he was struck by how similar the goals are for many candidates. But to do any of it, we need to fix politics in DC. #iacaucus

Not only do we need to beat Trump, we need to break GOP monopoly, says @MichaelBennet. "Ringmaster" is Mitch McConnell, who has prevented popular will. Buried #climate change, campaign finance reform, while wasting trillions on tax cuts for rich & war in Middle East. #iacaucus

Final presidential candidate to speak at @iowademocrats #HallOfFame is @BetoORourke, up now.
"We are all focused on the same goal for this country: defeating Donald Trump in 2020 and bringing this country together again in 2021." #iacaucus

.@BetoORourke mentioned veterans, students, farmers, steelworkers he has met while doing town halls and other events. #iacaucus #HallOfFame

.@BetoORourke: Guaranteed health care for every American includes mental health care and also means every woman can make decisions for her own body and has access to that care. #iacaucus

Near end of speech, @BetoORourke listed some of the bold, democracy reforms he is proposing, e.g. universal, automatic, same-day voter registration. If we can fix these things we can be governed not by our fears but our aspirations. #iacaucus

Final item on @iowademocrats #HallOfFame program is video honoring Fred & Charlotte Hubbell. iowademocrats.org/2019-iowa-demo…
They're not here today b/c Fred is recovering from surgery related to getting hit by a car earlier this year, but they recorded a video message thanking Ds.