Ashley Judd, others discuss Obama policy at Broadway bookstore

Fuel costs, birth control and transparency in government were issues that worked their way into a discussion between actress Ashley Judd, former U.S. senator Jean Carnahan and Melody Barnes, senior domestic policy adviser to Sen. Barack Obama, held Saturday at Broadway Books and Roasting Co. in Cape Girardeau.

The discussion was designed to be an economic policy roundtable talk between the three to promote Obama's plan to support working women and Missouri families.

The event, closed to the public, targeted about 20 local women who were undecided about which presidential campaign to endorse.

"I frankly think our country is being scarred by corruption," Carnahan said, adding that she didn't feel Missourians were better off than they were eight years ago, when gas was $1.45 per gallon.

"Energy is important, and so is getting this country off this dysfunctional addiction to oil," Judd said. She endorsed Obama's New Energy for America plan of spending $150 billion during the next 10 years to create new jobs in renewable energy fields.

Judd, a pro-choice advocate, also addressed the abortion issue, what she called a "divisive and polarizing issue in our society."

Allowing more ready access to birth control means reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies and thus cutting back on abortions, Judd said.

Judd, who also worked on the 2004 John Kerry presidential campaign, said she felt compelled to get involved with Obama's campaign after seeing him accept the Democratic nomination at the Democratic National Convention.

"I was inspired, and I was galvanized," she said.

Judd said she's found a warm reaction to the campaign so far in Missouri. Many members of the Republican Party have been "willing to listen," she said.

Lucas Presson, president of the Southeast Missouri State College Republicans, said the event was well-staged, but rather than offering change it offered the "same old politics we've seen for decades now."

bdicosmo@semissourian.com

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