Burlington, Vt. — Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) may be a Brooklyn native, but on Tuesday he showed why he's Vermont's favorite son.
The independent senator and candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination took the stage here at Burlington's Waterfront Park to ceremonially kick off a campaign that has been gaining speed and support faster than even the truest believers could have imagined.
"Today, we stand here and say loudly and clearly: 'Enough is enough," Sanders said, his voice booming up and down the eastern shoreline of Lake Champlain. "This great nation and its government belong to all of the people and not to a handful of billionaires."
The 74-year-old entered the race on April 30, but saved his fiery best for this moment in front of his people, who had gathered by the thousands in the narrow lakeshore promenade he commissioned during his time as mayor from 1981 to 1989.

"Brothers and sisters, now is not the time for thinking small," he said. "We are going to build a movement of millions of Americans who are prepared to stand up and fight back."