American woman

Candidates, supporters rally at Hill

CARRIE MCGEE/Daily

U.S. Congresswoman Lynn Rivers (D-Ann Arbor) speaks at Hill Auditorium last night during a rally for the Democratic party that celebrated the 80th anniversary of women's right to vote. By Hanna LoPatin

Daily Staff Reporter

Last night the backstage of Hill Auditorium was transformed into somewhat of a women's club.

Congresswoman Lynn Rivers, State Rep. Liz Brater and other top Democratic Michigan female politicians greeted each other with hugs and kisses before a Democratic rally celebrating the 80th anniversary of woman's right to vote.

At the head of the group was the mother of vice presidential candidate Sen. Joe Lieberman, introduced to more than 1,200 people in the audience as 'Baba.'

"I'm as proud as can be," Lieberman said before the event, as her daughters, granddaughters and great-granddaughter chatted behind her. "I hope and pray that they will get in, because they will do a wonderful job for the young and the old and the those in-between." A survivor of the Holocaust, Lieberman said she began voting as soon as she was of age.

Speaking on the low turnout of young voters, Lieberman said "I think the young folks are going to get out, I have confidence in them."

The lone male in the parade of females to grace the stage was actor John Cusack.

"I don't want to wake up Wednesday morning and say I didn't lend my name, or whatever little I could do, to stop a Bush presidency," he said before the event.

Cusack made unfavorable comments about Republican Texas Gov. George W. Bush on several issues.

"To me, underneath this nice, warm frat boy kinda thing is a bunch of arch conservatives just waiting to get the country back," Cusack said.

Admitting that he reveres Ralph Nader, Cusack said in the situation of the tight election he feels the Green Party candidate is "dead wrong" by campaigning in swing states.

Even though the event celebrated 80 years of women having the right vote in federal elections, speakers last night focused less on women's issues and more on campaigning for the Democratic ticket.

Michigan Supreme Court Justice candidate Marietta Robinson invoked boos from the crowd when she talked about the Republican Supreme Court majority.

"Our courts have been taken over by Engler's politicians," she said.

Robinson appears without partisanship on the ballot and urged voters to remember her name and her colleagues Edward McCall Thomas and E. Thomas Fitzgerald.

"There's no excuse for forgetting me, I'm the only woman there," Robinson said.

When Lieberman took the stage, she received several standing ovations and a rendition of "Happy Birthday" celebrating her 86th birthday on Wednesday.

After her speech, Lieberman said she felt that she was friends with the audience. "You will do right by Joe's mother," she said.

Serving as emcee and speaker, Rivers (D-Ann Arbor) - who is running for re-election against Republican Carl Berry - spoke about the reversal of Roe v. Wade. Many Democrats are saying they fear the loss of abortion rights if Bush is elected Tuesday.

Rivers retorted against comments she said Nader made on television within in the past few days, accusing him of trivializing the abortion issue.

"Ralph Nader is free to build a third party ... but he is not free to build it on the backs of women," Rivers said.

The last speaker on the roster was Senate candidate Debbie Stabenow, who spoke on several issues facing the nation.

"I wish I had a dollar for every time somebody said to me 'Education is the most important thing' - and then they go off and do something else," she said.

Returning to the night's theme, Stabenow said, "There are only nine women (in the U.S. Senate) and I think there ought to be at least 10."

Stabenow is one of three women running for the U.S. Senate along with fellow Democrats First Lady Hillary Clinton in New York and Maria Cartwell in Washington.

If elected, Stabenow would be Michigan's first female U.S. senator.

The senate hopeful also campaigned for Gore.

"It's not about if you want to have a beer with somebody," she said. "Have a beer with George Bush and elect Al Gore the President of the United States."

CARRIE MCGEE/Daily