CAMPAIGN 2000 The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, October 24, 2000 - 5 .Former President Bush campaigns in Michigan HOLLAND (AP) - At a campaign rally at Hope College yesterday, Former Presi- dent- Bush called his son a man of charac- ter, conviction and leadership. "If we can carry Michigan, George W. Bush will be the next president of the United States. Please continue working hard on his behalf," Bush told about 1,800 people. "If our son is elected president, I will indeed be the happiest, proudest father in the United States," Bush said. He evoked laughter when he told the crowd, "Barbara and I have made a deci- sion. We're going to vote for George W. Bush." Jeff Sharp, a spokesman for the Michi- gan Democratic Party, said the Bush rally was less successful than one held two weeks earlier in Grand Rapids supporting Al Gore. "The room wasn't full and they bussed students in just as they chided Democrats for after the Gore rally," Sharp told The Holland Sentinel. The Hope College Democratic Party planned to stage a "nostalgia lunch" in response to President Bush's visit to dis- cuss Republican policies of the Reagan and Bush administrations. Local Republican leaders said the Bush campaign has made repeated stops in heav- ily Republican west Michigan in recent weeks to ensure a high voter turnout. "To me, it makes perfectly good sense," Jack Holes, chair of the Ottawa County Republican Party and a Hope College pro- fessor, told The Grand Rapids Press. "I think it's very important to come in here and get out the vote." Senate candidates spar on the issues in final debate DEBATE Continued from Page 1 Abraham responded with a jab at Stabenow "She didn't answer the question, so I won't either," the senator said. One of the more heated exchanges of the afternoon took place over the candidates' plans to spend the projected budget surplus. "Through an array of programs she backs, we literally will spend the entire surplus. There won't be one penny left for tax relief, for the hard working families that need that help," Abraham said. "The last comments he made were just absolutely ridiculous," Stabenow responded. The surplus, she said, "I want to use to pay down the debt. I want to use to protect Social Security and Medicare. And frankly, his tax proposal is just too liberal for me," she said, using a phrase Abraham frequently uses to describe her. An poll released last week by Lansing-based EPIC/MRA shows the race at 47 percent for Abraham and 40 percent for Stabenow. This is a slight loss of ground for Abraham, who was "I think what is happening is that congresswoman Stabenow is looking at her numbers in the polls, and she's getting increasingly desperate." - Candice Miller Michigan Secretary of State ahead by about 10 points in most independent polls conducted two weeks ago. The closeness of the race could be one factor contributing to its caustic nature. The Michigan Democrats blame the immense amount of cam- paign spending for the behavior. Combined the candidates have raised about S13 million - more than any other previous Michigan campaign. "It's negative in large part because of the endless flow of money," Rep. Sander Levin (D- Royal Oak) said after the debate. If you were to curtail soft money the last couple months of the campaign you would have less negativism." "The demands of modern political cam- paigning cause the candidates to spend half their time raising money," said former Michi- gan governor James Blanchard, a Democrat. Republicans at the debate had their own take on the tone of the race. "I think what is happening is that Congress- woman Stabenow is looking at her numbers in the polls, and she's getting increasingly desper- ate," Michigan Secretary of State Candice Miller said. Lieutenant Gov. Dick Posthumus likened Stabenow's ad campaign to the fourth quarter in a football game. "It's like she's the quarterback for a losing team and she's throwing the bomb into the end- zone," Posthumus said. MARJORIE MARSHALL/DOiy U.S. Rep Debbie Stabenow and Sen. Spence Abraham shake hands after a rigorous debate in Detroit yesterday. Sale Dates 10/24-10/28 Shop extended hours Tuesday - Friday 9-9, Saturday 9-6 OCTOBER 24 - 28 ONLY London $225 Amsterdam $319 Frankfurt $239 Brussels $319 Paris $269 Madrid $335 Dublin $295 Rome $325 Other destinations include Birmingham, Dusseldorf, Glasgow, Lisbon, Manchester, Milan, Shannon & Zurich Fares are RT for midweek travel and subject to availability. Tkts are Non-Refundable and exclusive of taxes/surcharges which range from $30-$85. Tkts must be booked and paid for from Oct 24th-28th. Departures from Nov 1-March 31, 2001. No departures from Dec 12th through Dec 24th. Must hold valid ISIC, ITIC, or IYTC card. Some age and other restrictions may apply. PUT OUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MIND is. SUBMIT YOUR BUSINESS IDEA BY NOVEMBER 2, 2000. If you've got a bright idea for a new business, join the Great Lakes Venture Quest business plan competition. Submit your Business Plan Summary by November 2nd and you could be on your way to winning part of $150,000in total prize moneytforthe brains behind a great business plan. And the Venture Quest educational materials and training opportunities just may help you take your business plan from concept to reality. VENTURE QUEST TRAINING AND EVENTS Tuesday, October 24th at 7:00 p.m. Hale Auditorium, Ann Arbor - Hands-on Workshop Tuesday, November 14th at 7:00 p.m. Michigan League, Ann Arbor Phase 1 Awards and Phase 2 Kickoff Panel Presentation: "Formalizing Your Business Idea"