Tipper Gore leads rally for women’s health care

Martin Kuz

Friday, July 31, 1998 | 8:53 a.m.

One of the best ways to get lawmakers to pay closer attention to women's health care also may be the most obvious: elect more women.

That was the message sent by Tipper Gore, wife of Vice President Al Gore, to a crowd of some 200 elected officials, political hopefuls and curious onlookers at a Democratic rally on women's health Friday afternoon at UNLV. Encouraging young people -- especially women -- to flood the polls this fall, Gore emphasized that generating momentum for women's health issues starts at the ballot box.

"When you vote, you are very special. You are part of the lifeblood that makes this country strong," she said.

Gore was in Las Vegas for the first time since 1996 to attend a fund-raiser for Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., who is running for reelection this fall. Reid, who also addressed the gathering, is co-sponsor of a Senate bill that would require insurers who pay for prescription drugs to include contraceptives as part of their coverage.

Reid said that women voters have gravitated to the Democratic Party more than the Republican in recent years because of legislation such as the Family Medical Leave Act, the first bill signed into law by President Clinton.

"It's not a gender gap," Reid said in reference to how women view Democrats and Republicans. "It's a gender Grand Canyon."

The rally proved to be a virtual who's who of Democratic women in Nevada politics. Speakers included Las Vegas mayor and gubernatorial hopeful Jan Laverty Jones; university regent and District 1 congressional candidate Shelley Berkley; Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa, who is seeking her third term; state Sen. Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas; state Assemblywoman Barbara Buckley, D-Las Vegas, who is up for reelection; lieutenant governor candidate Rose McKinney-James; and state controller candidate Mary Sanada.

They addressed a crowd that appeared to include more elected officials and political hopefuls than average voters, pledging to work at the state and federal level to further women's health issues.

"I want to stand side by side with Harry Reid and work just as hard in Congress for women's health care as he does in the Senate," Berkley said.

On a more personal note, Jones, who is battling breast cancer, said that next to overcoming the disease, politics is easy.

"If I can beat cancer, I can beat a Republican," Jones said, drawing cheers from the audience.

Earlier Friday, Gore addressed nearly 10,000 delegates of the National Association of Letter Carriers, which held its annual convention in Las Vegas this week.