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Bernie Sanders came to Iowa State University on Nov. 5 to campaign for Hillary Clinton. The “Ames Get Out the Vote Rally with Bernie Sanders” was held in the Scheman Building.

Just days before final votes are cast, former Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders discussed in Ames the lack of focus on the policy differences between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump in Ames.

Sanders, the independent senator from Vermont who challenged Clinton for the Democratic nomination, has been campaigning for Clinton, including stops at all of Iowa's public universities this weekend.

"Hillary Clinton has a very different perspective [and] she understands what Donald Trump does not understand," Sanders said. 

People poured into the Scheman Building at the Iowa State Center in Ames on Saturday to see the Vermont senator speak about the election and stump for Clinton. 

Sanders said the importance of the election is not on the "personality" of the two candidates, but their different views and policies. 

"You don't like Hillary Clinton? You don't like Donald Trump? Fine. You like yourself?" Sanders said. "Get beyond personality; that means taking a hard look at what the candidates stand for." 

Sanders said the election is not about Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Donald Trump or Mrs. Trump; it is about the people. 

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bernie sanders
Bernie Sanders came to Iowa State University on Nov. 5 to campaign for Hillary Clinton. The “Ames Get Out the Vote Rally with Bernie Sanders” was held in the Scheman Building. Supporters filled Lobby 1 and the space upstairs.

"We're not running here for class president of the local high school," Sanders said. "This is not a popularity contest."

The senator said he worries that the media's focus on personality is affecting the nature of democracy today. 

"Our job right now in these very difficult times is to bring people together," Sanders said. 

But not everyone agreed on that statement. Kaleb Vanfosson, president of the Young Democratic Socialists group at Iowa State and a sophomore in political science, gave a protest speech at the event. 

Vanfosson was scheduled to give a speech about Sanders and Clinton supporters uniting, but instead gave a speech about "how terrible Hillary is." 

In the speech, Vanfosson said that while Donald Trump, a "part-time reality star and full-time bigot," doesn't care about student loan debt, neither does Clinton. 

"[Clinton] is so trapped in the world of the elite," Vanfosson said. "She has completely lost grip of what it's like to be an average person." 

Vanfosson said the only thing Clinton cares about are the billionaires who fund her election. Vanfosson added that there is no point in voting for the "lesser of two evils."

As seen in a video of Vanfosson's speech that was posted on YouTube, a member from the campaign got to Vanfosson and led him off of the stage. Vanfosson told the Iowa State Daily that while being escorted out he was "basically assaulted." Vanfosson said he does have footage of the incident. 

Sanders addressed student debt while stumping for Clinton saying, "Secretary Clinton believes what I believe, that we got to allow everyone with student debt to refinance that debt at the lowest interest rates you can find." 

PHOTOS: Bernie Sanders campaigns for Hilary Clinton at Iowa State

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Sanders also said he understands that people are concerned about issues such as health care and climate change, but nothing will be done unless campaign financing is changed.

"Hillary Clinton understands that billionaires should not be able to buy elections," Sanders said. "[Clinton] has made it clear that she will not nominate an individual who is not prepared to vote to overturn Citizens United.

The Iowa State Daily did reach out to a Clinton campaign volunteer but did not hear back.

This article has been changed to reflect that Kaleb Vanfossen is the president of the Young Democratic Socialists, not the Students for Bernie club as the Daily originially stated. The Daily regrets this error.

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