Presidential Candidates Address Disabilities Forum

On Friday, November 2, 2007, the IOD served as co-host to Granite State Independent Living's 2007 Presidential Candidates' Forum: A National Forum on Equality, Opportunity and Access. Over 600 voters, many of whom experience some kind of disability, filled the Armory at Manchester's Radisson Hotel to listen to seven presidential candidates outline their plans to improve support systems for individuals with disabilities if elected.

The forum was moderated by Ted Kennedy, Jr., and featured several guest presenters, including Andrew Imparato, President & CEO of the American Association of People with (AAPD), civil rights activist Keith Jones, and NH State Senator Lou D'Allesandro. The day-long forum allotted each candidate 30 minutes to present his or her vision for the future of national disability policy that will promote equality and opportunity for people with disabilities. Candidates were asked to address issues concerning employment, health care, long-term community-based supports, transportation, and others. The forum also incorporated the opportunity for those in attendance to ask direct questions of the candidates on how they would work toward bridging the equality gap that exists between their access to opportunities compared to those without a disability.

Although the event was not broadcast on television, interested individuals could access a live webcast of the forum. Of the twelve candidates invited, only Senator Joe Biden, Senator Hillary Clinton, Senator Chris Dodd, Senator John Edwards, Senator Mike Gravel, Congressman Dennis Kucinich, and Senator John McCain committed to participating.

For more information on Granite State Independent Living, visit www.gsil.org.