Cheney's daughter campaigns in area

By GUY PRIEL

Journal Staff Writer

MANKATO -- Hitting the campaign trail on behalf of her father, vice presidential candidate Dick Cheney, Liz Cheney Perry began a four city sweep of the state Friday at Minnesota State University, hoping to get younger voters involved in the process.

"Minnesota is a real crucial state in this presidential race," she said. "There is a real chance for the Republican vote here. I believe that talking to students is important. Younger voters need to get out and let their voice be heard. They have a tendency to tune things out about politics."

Another important part of her visit to Mankato was to speak about the commitment Bush and Cheney have to rural issues, she said.

"Students are tired of politicians not telling it like it is," she said. "That is something that needs to change. The fundamental philosophy behind this is that the engine driving the economy is found in places like Mankato, Minnesota not inside the Capital beltway. People ned to decide how to run their lives."

Perry is a Washington, D.C. attorney with three young children. She is on a leave of absence and has been campaigning full-time for the past few months. She studied in Kenya for one semester while in college. Cheney served as Secretary of Defense under President George Bush.

"This is a labor of love that has become a truly family affair," she said. "The momentum is gratifying. This will be a very enthusiastic election. The decision made on Nov. 7 will determine what type of country we shape for our future."

She was in Minnesota last week and she admits another visit made her father nervous. She promised him everything would go smoothly.

"Lieberman has until today to withdraw his name from the senate race in Connecticut," she said. "He has not been dedicated to this campaign like we have been."

All the issues that have been key points in the campaign have to resonate for college students, as well as all Americans, even though they don't sound like important issues for younger citizens, she said.

"My father believes strongly in public education," she said. "Communities should decide what their schools like, not the federal government. Presidents need to reach across parties to get things done. They need to deliver on their promises."

Campaigning has been a whirlwind for her, but it has been exciting, she said.

"I haven't been at it that long, because I worked on debate preparation for a couple of months," she said. "I am really enjoying this, though. We are beginning to feel the adrenaline as it gets toward the end here."

She said campaigning was not a decision, it is a commitment they have to their family. They sat down and discussed it as a family and decided it was the right thing to do.

"I understand that scrutiny is part of the process and that I will give up a lot of my privacy," she said. "And, yes, there is some concern with moving into the public spotlight. The campaign has been everything I expected it would be."

She said she got chills when she stepped into the booth to vote absentee. She said it was an amazing feeling voting for her father as vice president, but it was also a proud moment for her.

"My oldest daughter is six years old," Cheney said. "She will remember this experience, because she has been on the trail with me. It has helped her participate in democracy firsthand, and it's a very worthwhile cause."

While in Mankato, she was accompanied by Second Congressional District candidate Mark Kennedy, a Republican from Watertown, who took a few minutes to explain his main issues, such as Social Security and elimination of the death tax.

"These are all issues that affect college students in some way," he said. "Kennedy is a strong political name. I consider myself part of the country conservative Kennedys."

Following her Mankato visit, she went to Roseville, Woodbury and St. Paul.