Health Care, Iraq Top Women’s Lists
By JENNIFER COMPSTON-STROUGHArticle Photos
ST. CLAIRSVILLE - Better health care for Americans and an end to the war in Iraq are priorities for local women who turned out Tuesday in support of Joe Biden, the Democratic candidate for vice president.
The senator from Delaware, who is sharing the ticket with U.S. Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, spoke about those issues and more at Ohio University Eastern, located just west of St. Clairsville.
Although many of the women in attendance admitted they initially favored New York Sen. Hillary Clinton as the Democratic presidential nominee, they said they had no reservations about throwing their support behind Obama and Biden after they won the nomination.
Wheeling resident Kathy Burgoyne said she has supported Biden, a Pennsylvania native, "since the beginning." She added that she has "been an Obama fan" since he spoke at the Democratic National Convention in 2004.
"I feel he's the better man for the job," she said, expressing her preference for Obama over Republican presidential candidate U.S. Sen. John McCain of Arizona and his running mate Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.
For Burgoyne, the war in Iraq is a major issue this election. While she supports American troops wherever they are serving around the globe, Burgoyne said she objects to the U.S. military presence in Iraq.
Kitty Miller of New Martinsville and Carolyn Sterns of Sistersville agree.
"I have always supported Obama," said Miller, who also heard Palin speak Sunday at Brush Run Park. "But I have a lot of respect for Hillary Clinton, especially after meeting Sarah Palin."
Miller said she and her friend, Janie Price, are working with the West Virginia chapter of Code Pink - a women's organization that opposed the American invasion of Iraq.
"Our main focus is to end the war," she said, adding that she "absolutely believes" an Obama presidency would do just that.
Sterns, who said she has been a life-long Republican, noted she was never a Clinton supporter but said she has traveled to several states on Obama's behalf.
In addition to opposing the war in Iraq, Sterns said she believes Obama is qualified to lead the nation. She also favors his position on health care; Obama has promised to reduce costs for those who are currently insured and to provide a low-cost coverage option for those who are not.
"He is just so outstanding," Sterns said, "I haven't seen anybody in a long time who fit the qualifications for the job."
"I think people need to be very, very afraid right now," Miller added. "McCain is campaigning on a hate platform."
"I'm scared to death," Sterns replied.
Katy Hickenbottom, 16, of Barnesville left school early Tuesday to attend the rally. She said she supported Clinton in the primary but noted Obama's victory over Clinton did not sway her toward the Republican ticket. She cited Obama's positions on health care, the $700 billion Wall Street bailout legislation and the war in Iraq as reasons she supports him and Biden.
Her mother, Becky, has worked at Barnesville Hospital for 30 years. The respiratory therapist said her support of the candidates is not based on gender, but rather on the issues. Health care is her biggest concern during this campaign.
"People can't afford their breathing medications - any medications, really," she said. "It's a choice - put food on the table or pay for your medicine, and people choose to eat."
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EllisWyatt
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10-18-08 9:18 PM
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I can't be bothered to vote for a candidate who doesn't respect the sanctity of life. To liberals, abortion is a "one issue" vote. I do not belittle life in such a way. If a candidate does not believe in protecting the most helpless, the crippled, the innocent, the young, why would I care to listen to his views on the economy, etc? You either have morals or you don't. You respect life or you don't. If you don't respect life, you should seek out the nearest Communist country and move there. In the United States, most people are moral, have consciences, respect life. If you believe in the right to murder babies, you have no standing with me. Once I hear that, you might as well stop talking. You will never get my vote.
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wonderwhy
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10-17-08 12:20 AM
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popeye- you are going to judge someone whiel they go to church? maybe you should consider what you are saying? judege not!
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popeye
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10-16-08 7:59 PM
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They are also disobeying the Church. They should not be served the Eucharist. I'm sure they understand this, but continue to support pro-choice candidates. They supported Kerry also. Maybe Tom should let go of his my daddy was an Irish Catholic Democrat thing.
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wonderwhy
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10-16-08 4:51 PM
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the burgoyne's are good people. they are respectful, hard working, good community people. the fact that tom and kathy are supporting obama makes all the nonsense on these posts easier.
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popeye
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10-16-08 11:46 AM
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cafeteria that is.
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popeye
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10-16-08 11:46 AM
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Kathy Burgoyne must be a cafeteris Catholic. Interesting.
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beanranch
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10-15-08 10:07 PM
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SINGLE PAYER!
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wonderwhy
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10-15-08 6:58 PM
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ellis- have you heard mccain's take on health care? first he wants to deregulate it completely. Wow! that worked with banking, then he claims, he is going to give 5000 tax breaks. wow, that's great! what do we need a tax break for when there ar eno jobs??????? pull your head out of the sand!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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wonderwhy
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10-15-08 6:55 PM
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ellis- so now you are the cop patrol at the track too? really ? you have said you were in the military, say you rmember about the 50's, say college students are liberal druggies that cheat voting. (you said you didn't care, casue they couldn't find their voting place becasue they were smoking crack. you have to be the most biased confused hypocritcal racists poster of all time. i would love to all admit who we are at the end of this election. i betcha, you are not anyone you claim to be
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EllisWyatt
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10-15-08 6:44 PM
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Get a Clue You may have the "right" to health care but you have no right to demand that others pay for it. In fact, you have no "right" to anything except to be free from oppressive government. What's next, free car insurance, free life insurance, etc? Drugs are cheaper in Canada because....they are not cheaper. It appears cheaper because the drug companies make us pay more to subsidize Canadians and, also, because Canadians pay taxes to the government, which then subsidizes the drugs and makes them appear cheaper. Wealthy Brits and Canadians routinely come to the Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins and UPMC for treatment. If their "free" health care was superior, why would them come here? That is, why would they travel and pay to receive health care if their own health care was free and superior? Answer that. Nancy-I see seniors CONSTANTLY gambling. If they have excess income with which to gamble, why should I pay for their drugs? Grow u
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wonderwhy
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10-15-08 4:50 PM
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popeye, yea, we buy our steel, our goods, our lead laden toys, all from other countries, why not our drugs? you saying you buy american, ha, i would like to see that? start looking at labels.
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reasoh
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10-15-08 11:33 AM
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Code Pink there's a real main streram group of America haters
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ShadrachNoVa
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10-15-08 11:20 AM
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If you actually WANT to understand the reason drugs cost less in Canada, I would suggest you take a few moments and read the white paper "Why Drugs Are Cheaper in Canada". It can be found at:***********aims.ca/library/MPPI_pharma-revised_.pdf But it may be that I am wrong, and the true purpose of the previous comments is to allow a certain level "I know I am but what about you" between the participants.
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GETACLUE
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10-15-08 11:01 AM
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Popeye .... Once again you did not answer the question with your response. Why do repubs answer questions with a question. Never any straight talk, they sure are adept at mumbling gibberish, or pointing the finger at Clinton.
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GETACLUE
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10-15-08 11:01 AM
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Popeye .... Once again you did not answer the question with your response. Why do repubs answer questions with a question. Never any straight talk, they sure are adept at mumbling gibberish, or pointing the finger at Clinton.
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popeye
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10-15-08 10:35 AM
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Why do Canadians come to the US when they need surgeries and don't want to wait 2 years to have it in the Canadian system? BTW, I try not to buy anything from Canada, as I think they are arrogant arseholes. When they need something, they come callin to the US.
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GETACLUE
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10-15-08 10:01 AM
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Popeye.... That's it??? That's your answer to my question??? My God you are true republican kool-aid drinker. Trying to point out that I am un patriotic...... PLEASE!!!
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popeye
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10-15-08 9:57 AM
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I buy my drugs in the US in order to support our country. :)
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GETACLUE
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10-15-08 9:54 AM
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Ellis....."HEALTH CARE IS NOT A RIGHT!" No but LIFE, LIBERTY, and THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS is. It is kind of hard to have those if you are sick and dying with no health insurance.
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GETACLUE
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10-15-08 9:49 AM
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Popeye.....If Canadian medicine is so awful, why are the same drugs that you buy in America so much cheaper in Canada?
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popeye
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10-15-08 9:38 AM
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After having spoken with a Doctor that practiced medicine in Canada, it is clear that their system *****. He now practices in Wheeling, and he told me that there are waiting lists for different procedures. He also told me that there is no comparison between US and Canadian health care-US is years ahead of Canada.
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GETACLUE
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10-15-08 7:24 AM
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Ellis......If Canadian medicine is so awful, why are the same drugs that you buy in America so much cheaper in Canada?
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NancySI
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10-15-08 6:56 AM
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Ellis --"By the way, if seniors can't afford their prescriptions, perhaps they would be better off not taking bus trips over to Wheeling Island and gambling away their Social Security checks." You are just one clueless fool.
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NancySI
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10-15-08 6:54 AM
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Ellis, is actually PinocchioPalin. Havent seen so much BS since watching a few minutes of Palins rally. Hate and misinformation is NOT A RIGHT.
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wonderwhy
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10-15-08 6:41 AM
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OBAMA/BIDEN '08 PS, ellis doesn't have a clue!
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