Candidates visit, speak at abortion rights rally
The State News
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
By LINDSEY POISSON A campus abortion rights rally on Monday afternoon quickly turned into a pro-Democratic rally as midterm election candidates made appearances — including Gov. Jennifer Granholm, U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow and 23rd District Sen. Gretchen Whitmer.
Republican Dick DeVos is running for governor against Granholm, Mike Bouchard is campaigning for Stabenow's U.S. Senate seat and Frank Lambert is looking to replace Whitmer. About 200 participants in the Union Ballroom waved signs for Granholm and Stabenow, chanting, "Four more years," and breaking into applause as candidates spoke about the elections, where they said Republicans have failed the country and where Michigan should go. Many candidates incorporated the importance of abortion rights into their speeches — an issue their Republican counterparts strongly oppose. Granholm told participants that "government should not be in your bedroom, in the confessional or in the doctor's office" and women should not be criminalized for seeking abortion from an unintended pregnancy, including cases of rape and incest. She said DeVos believes in eliminating abortion in Michigan and has tried to circumvent the subject in the gubernatorial candidates' three televised debates. "We want to send people to Lansing with our agenda in mind," Granholm said. "Don't be fooled by the ads and the slick business man." DeVos' campaign spokesman, John Truscott, said Granholm's appearance at the event was a diversion tactic. "The governor is misleading the public and diverting from the important issues of the day, which are jobs and the economy," he said. "What she has done here is admit she has no plans for the economy, and is moving to other issues." Abortion, candidates who spoke in Monday's event agreed, is just one issue that's at stake in the midterm elections on Nov. 7. They said health care, jobs, the economy and the right to privacy are all issues that need to be dealt with in these elections. English senior Taryn Mountain said she came to the rally to support Granholm. "A lot of students don't really think about elections," she said. "If (candidates) come to campus, it helps them reach out to students and show they care." Jeff Wiggins, chairman of the MSU College Republicans, said the Democrats' event is not unlike the anti-abortion rally earlier this month in which many Republicans participated. The group has also hosted many events for which candidates have come to MSU, including DeVos' walk around campus during tailgating for the Notre Dame game. "They're doing their thing, having their speakers," he said. "We've done several events like that." Other Democratic midterm election candidates who spoke at the rally included attorney general candidate Amos Williams and MSU Board of Trustees candidate Faylene Owen. Lauren Spencer, who spoke as the vice president of MSU's Students for Choice, is also running for one of two open MSU Board of Trustees seats. The event came together in about five days, said Karissa Chabot, president of the MSU Democrats. Although it's understandable candidates would want to get in their platforms close to the elections, ensuring abortion rights encompasses a lot of other issues, such as health care, Chabot said. "It was so fantastic that we finally got the candidates here to talk about the issues," she said.
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