Coons, O’Donnell supporters rally at DFM/UD debate

They came with placards, rainbow flags, and witches’ hats.

“We want Chris,” one group of supporters chanted.

“Tine” the other group cheered.

By 4:30 p.m. the grass near the University of Delaware’s Mitchell Hall, where the debate between Christine O’Donnell and Chris Coons would take place, held almost 100 candidate supporters.

Among them were two men in their 60s. Bill Baur wore a red shirt supporting Delaware’s Republican U.S. House candidate, Glen Urquhart, and held a placard for GOP Senate candidate Christine O’Donnell . The other Bill Ward, held a sign for Delaware’s Democratic U.S. House candidate, Chris Coons.

Both men are Republicans. Both strongly believe their candidate should take office. And both say they are grateful to live in a country where they can freely discuss their political views.

“Only in America can we have different viewpoints, and we can discuss our views without busting on each other,” said Baur.

Baur and Ward waited patiently as each explained why they believed their candidate was the best. They didn’t roll their eyes or make faces, but instead respectfully listened.

Their hope for the debate was that the candidates, the audience, and the protestors would show the same respect.

“That’s what we have,” Ward said. “I want to see a peaceful debate, where there is no mudslinging, where issues are addressed so voters can see where they stand. I want issues and personalities to be the deciding factor.”

By 5 p.m. the protest peace still hung in the air, but the Coons supporters gained a huge advantage. Waving flags, chanting, and holding handmade banners Haven, the student-run lesbian gay transsexual and bisexual organization, entered with a flourish.

They marched up “the Green,” on the University’s central campus. their voices growing stronger until their voiced joined with the supporters of Chris Coons.

As the debate grew nearer, members of Planned Parenthood, Amnesty International and V-Day, a sexual rights advocacy group, joined the chanting in support of Coons.

Meanwhile, official supporters of Christine O’Donnell politely declined to speak to the media. Instead they referred all comments to their media people, who also avoided talking to Delaware First Media.

When asked why the O’Donnell supporters say they are not able to speak, Dave Yonkman, spokesman for the O’Donnell campaign, said, “There is no prohibition on talking to the media.”

Yonkman could not provide a number of official supporters, but said, “They completely overwhelmed the Coons campaign.”