The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, October 24, 1984- Page 5 A.,... Mondale backers thrilled by rally By SEAN JACKSON It wasn't the Democratic National Convention, but for many loyal Democrats yesterday's rally on the r Diag is as close as they'll ever get to a presidential candidate. The rally was especially satisfying for the people that made it happen: the. students and other volunteers at Mon- dale-Ferraro headquarters. "IT WAS definitely worth it. You just feel so satisfied when you contribute to something important," said Robin Morgan, an LSA senior. Many volunteers put in many hard fhours of work for a candidate they see only on television, but Mondale's ap- pearance made all the efforts worth- while, said first-year graduate student, Dave Silvo. "It meant a lot to have Mondale come to campus," he said. "It's nice to see the real thing roll through. We put a hell of a lot into this appearance."~ THE STUDENTS have been bustling around campus since last Wednesday's announcement that Mondale would ap- pear today on campus with Colorado Sen. Gary Hart. After preparing for the big day with 'poster-making parties, the volunteers hit the Diag yesterday morning at 5 a.m. to begin setting up. "It was dark and cold," reported doc- toral candidate Jennie Moody, who arrived at the Diag at 6 a.m. OTHERS HAD been out earlier, posting flyers around in the Diag. At six they began placing the banners up bet- ween trees and blowing up the balloons for the balloon arch. Mondale supporters, waving Mondale signs and pom-poms, sang the song "Jeremiah Was a Bull Frog," and chanted "two more weeks, two more -_. weeks." "Don't let anybody tell you there's no Democrats on this campus," said Roy LeParl, LSA junior. "We are out here to prove we're young, we vote, and we support Mondale," he said, adding that "my midterms basically went by the wayside," in order to help prepare for the Mondale rally. NO ONE would have tried to tell Le Parl there were no Democrats on the campus as the large crowd - estimated at 30,000 by the Mondale-Ferraro headquarters and from 5,000 to 8,000 by the Ann Arbor police - turned out to hear Mondale. The crowd went off into a frenzied round of cheers and songs as Mondale made his way up to the podium. "It was really good, when he hopped out of the car, he was beaming -he was told there were about 30,000 people here," said John Austin, a member of the Mondale advance team. THAT BIG crowd had an effect on Mondale, said Taeku Lee, a LSA senior and volunteer in the campaign. "I think if you give .Mondale a big crowd he can really turn them on, Hart really set and then charged up the audience for Mondale," he said. Another volunteer said Mondale seemed to be enjoying himself, "I thought he was very pleased with his reception," said Maureen Rosser, senior LSA student. AFTER THE rally, Mondale suppor- ters felt their man came off looking good. "I think he is very strong in his ap- pearance," said Scottie Teschner, a junior LSA student. "I distrust Reagan. If Reagan doesn't have a cue card, he wouldn't know what to say." Shawn Winstrom, LSA junior, liked the way Mondale addressed the rally. "He really appealed to the Michigan audience by hitting on the Michigan issues, like education." "(Mondale)" is interested in the same things Americans are interested in, but not necessarily rich Ame- ricans," LSA sophomore Kathryn Grimes. "He realizes young Americans are supporting him." "MONDALE spoke forcefully, he made the right points," said Silva who added "Mondale is fighting for the right stuff," he is saying "let's look to the future." While many of the Mondale volun- teers have Mondale in person before by traveling to Detroit or Lansing, for most this was still a unique occasion. "It was great to see him today," said Russer, "because he could be the next president." "IT'S A VERY special feeling to have him right in front," said Cheryl Gold- farb, an LSA senior who worked on the Mondale campaign this summer and attended the Democratic National Con- vention. "It's history if he gets elected president, I can say I shook his hand two weeks before the eleciton," said Melisa Fernau, an Ann Arbor resident. "Very exciting, exciting feeling. . . I did get to shake his hand, both hands," said Morgan. Seeing him live made me see he's not dull and boring, he had a presence," said Mark Farnau, a doctoral can- didate in meteorology. For all the volunteers out there who spent so much time campaigning for Mondale, it was an opportunity to enjoy the benefits of all their work. But, then again, it was not the Mascone Center in San Francisco. Presidential candidate Walter Mondale takes home a souvenir from the University yesterday. t Mondale rally draws a diverse crowd with a variety of views DOaily Photo by DOUG McMAHON GOP e FRITZBUSTERS V Z The By DAN SWANSON third tree north of the Graduate '''Library held a typical sample of S yesterday's crowd at the rally for the 'Democratic presidential candidate: students, townspeople, and a special- 'interst group. Although they shared the same bran- ches, they didn't all share a desire to put Walter Mondale into the White House. Like much of the crowd, they held different political views and came for different reasons. TO SOME, the rally was a chance to see a major candidate for the first time. LSA sophomore Melissa Johnson tur- ned out for the novelty of it. "It's something you don't see everyday," she said, adding that she was not planning to vote for Mondale. In addition to students, much of the crowd was made up of labor and in- terest groups. Al Cruickshank, president of UAW Local 782 in Ypsilan- ti, attended the rally with fellow union members to demonstrate support for the Democratic candidate. 'We've got to send Reagan back to fantasy land. If he is reelected, 'A', we'll live to regret it, or 'B' we won't." - Ken Bawcom Ann Arbor resident "We're all Reaganites," she said, "we want people to know that his beliefs are our beliefs." Degener estimated that her group was represented by 30 to 50 volunteers. One of their placards showed a fetus with the words, "I can't vote yet so Walter Mondale doesn't care about me." Ken Bawcom, an Ann Arbor wood worker, found the rally "invigorating" and supports Mondale as an alternative to Reagan. "WE'VE GOT to send Reagan back to fantasy land," he said, "If he is re- elected, 'A' we'll live to regret it, or 'B' we won't." Despite the large number of people at th was also a Mondale supporter. She said the prospect of four more years of Reagan was "horrifying." "I oppose his position on women's rights, nuclear disarmament, prayer in public schools, and Central America," Wentworth said. She added that although he was not a capable leader, he was a fine actor. AT THAT, her friend Alyce Bauerle, a botanical curator at the University in- terrupted, "I don't even think he was a good actor!" A number of people complained about the viewing situations at the rally. "We were getting trampled," said Caroline Burke, extending a foot to show the heel marks on her stockings, behaves (Continued from Page 1) while, like when some woman screamed out 'ASS-HOLE,' but these outbursts only lasted a couple of secon- ds." EVEN MONDALE supporters were pleased with the conduct of the campus conservative groups. "I think they behaved themselves pretty well," said Dev Anderson, an LSA freshman, covered from foot to toe with Mondale paraphrenalia. "They'd start chanting 'four more years,' once in a while, but they'd stop right away." BUT AT THE rally, like at other campaign appearances, Mondale was met with opposition frm right-to-lifers. Although they were at the Diag in force, holding signs like "Mon- dale/Ferraro-Committed to Abort America," they also refrained from heckling. "Our position is not to heckle," said Mary Sponseller of the Washtenaw County Right-To-Life. "We feel he ha's a right to speak. We're just trying to raise the issue of abortion. I support Reagan, but I'm here more as anti-abortion than