The Michigan Daily - Monday, March 25, 1996 - A LOCAL/STATE State Democrats eye college vote By Laurie Mayk Daily Staff Reporter DETROIT - At an event designed to raise money and support for the Democratic Party, Michigan Democrats and former Texas Gov. Ann Richards discussed the importance of catching the eye of college voters in the No- nber election. "We are not going to forfeit our young people to the Republican Party," said Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer in an interview with The Michigan Daily. With almost eight months before November elections, candidates have only about three months of classes to tackle college campuses. "We're organizing efforts on every campus in Michigan," said U.S. Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), who is running for re-election this fall. "The ,ublicans have tried to make big cuts in edu- on - college loans, Pell Grants and student incentive grants. ... College students will swing over heavily to the Democratic Party," Levin said. Donald Riegle, former Michigan senior senator, said contact with students is a crucial tactic for winning college votes. "Anybody that's going to run has to go to the campus and talk with students," said Riegle, a University alum. Forums in the Michigan Union and around the University's campus were an important part of his campaigns for U.S. Senate, he said. The Democrats know who to target and students know they are being targeted, said LSA senior Steve Rogovin, a member of the University chapter of College Democrats, who attended the dinner. "They know for a fact that people 18-25 gave the deciding amount of votes to Clinton in '92," Rogovin said. Richards said Democrats nationwide don't have to cater to voters because the Democratic and Republican records stand on their own. "I really don't think it's the job of the party to put out special ideasjust to get out the vote," Richards said in an interview with the Daily. "(Republicans) are taking away their col- lege loans and suggesting all poor kids get laptops," Richards said in her speech to the 2,000 Democrats who attended the fund- raiser. "Sounds an awful lot like 'let them eat cake' to me." Students are unhappy with Republican edu- cation initiatives, said Michigan Student As- sembly Rep. Fiona Rose, who attended the event. "The Republicans tried to make the biggest cuts in education in the history of the country," Rose said. "College students are really upset about the Republican efforts to cut education." RICHARDS Continued from Page 1A Democrats. "She's really got the Democratic Party in Michigan fired up and ready to work." Richards emphasized grassroots campaigning as the way to defeat the Republicans in the general election. "You have got to build a sense of community where you live, where what is important for all of us is important for each of us," Richards said. "People want to believe there is more to life than constantly struggling for money. What is the Re- publican response? 'Not in this lifetime."' U.S. Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), who intro- duced Richards, said he agreed with the value of a grassroots campaign. "People are tired of the media and the stuff on television. They would treasure a grassroots move- ment," Levin said in an interview with The Michi- gan Daily. "People would appreciate the breath of fresh air." Attacking House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R- Ga.) and GOP presidential candidate Pat Buchanan Richards labelled the Republican Party as extrem- ist and elitist. "The heart of the Republican Party campaign... is an us-against-them war that requires anyone tc be the enemy who does not conform to the white- bread notion of what normal America is," she said. Richards lauded the record of President Clintov and other Democrats in Washington. She describe( Clinton's energy and dedication to people, an( called on the state party to mirror that connectivity. "It's time for you to make the effort to bring th( people of Detroit, Lansing and all the other grea people of this state together before tragedy occurs," she said. "I would suggest one of the best ways is te bring peopletogetherin politics to vote Democratic.' Debbie Stabenow, a former state senator nog running against U.S. Rep. Dick Chrysler (R- Brighton), said education would be a major plank in her platform. "Education is the No. I priority for me, at ever level of government and business if we are goinj to compete in the world economy," Stabenow saik in an interview with the Daily. 4- MICHIGAN ~9 I&H~fT. SAL& ToNI&I*T' A o! srEa phone: 663.5800 1140 south university (above goodtime chardeys), A A " mon.-thurs.: 9:00a-10:00p sundays fri. & sat.: 9:00x-11:00p 1 1:ooa-8:oop midnight worldwide release :I p -. realmusic. great of "villians" ifnforain taboutoight~ ale QWill1 nyvi c #Z. otffd c+A e e r . .q U i a a l d Dr, thneuyfh Sa'F *2° Cap 6wW ceyried 4weni i w~~becilu t eM0 ptc4W up+±6vWtv, Ave1c SI W1W c~o y t\f anCdV&(tle $1 '-f. t looll/Cp It S# 11/lAtOo 1 -~ *j~1u 1