Politics vs. Patient
The debate at the Eastern Washington University Women’s Center in Cheney had been scheduled for months and officials at the Women’s Center say that Moyer notified them only the day before that he had scheduled a surgery and wouldn’t be attending. Polek noted that Moyer had also failed to appear at a previous YWCA candidate's forum.
"It seems that it's somehow these women’s center things that are frightening" to Moyer, said Polek (Camden, “Moyer Fails To Show”).
Moyer said that this was not the case. "She asked me yesterday if I would take her (for surgery) and I said yes," said Moyer. "I’ve got a sick lady and I’m not going to leave her"(Camden, "Moyer Fails to Show"). He added that he was sorry he couldn’t make the debate.
A few days later, Kevin Egeland wrote a letter-to-the-editor published in The Spokesman-Review, which said, "John Moyer is my wife’s doctor. The pregnant woman, whose fetus died over the weekend, was my wife. Moyer conducted tests on my wife the following Monday; we decided to induce labor Tuesday morning. He decided not to show up for the debate Tuesday morning so he could be with us instead. My wife Shelley and I wish to thank him" (Egeland).
There was some irony in Polek's charge that he was frightened by women’s events. Moyer had a longtime reputation as an advocate for women and children. One of his support groups was called Moms for Moyer, and was made up largely of his women patients. Republican observers joked that if all of the 7,500 babies he had delivered -- and their mothers -- voted for him, he was certain to win.
They probably did, in fact, make a difference in a race that was ultimately decided by only 86 votes.
