Members of the Penn State College Democrats gathered in front of Old Main at noon yesterday to voice their dissatisfaction with Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., though few students stopped to hear their message.

About 11 students participated in the 15-minute rally on Old Main's steps.

Some held signs reading "Santorum's Wall of Shame," while others spoke to passers-by and the group of fewer than five students who watched and listened.

"The turnout was less than we hoped for," Eliot Schmidt, College Democrats spokesman, said.

Schmidt said the rally was just one of many events that the College Democrats have planned in the weeks leading up to the general election on Nov. 7.

He announced Democrat Gov. Ed Rendell would be speaking at the HUB-Robeson Center Tuesday afternoon.

He said further details will be announced in the near future.

Todd Taylor, chairman of the College Republicans, said his organization wasn't concerned with the College Democrats' demonstration.

"Let 'em rally," he said. "While they're rallying, we'll be going door to door and making phone calls for Rick Santorum."

Jesse Steinweg-Woods, a member of the College Democrats, was one of the several students who spoke at the rally.

"Santorum is trying to distance himself from Bush, but that's impossible because he practically is Bush," he said, adding that Santorum has voted along with President George W. Bush 98 percent of the time.

College Democrats member Chris Black said he was speaking from his heart when he was prompted to step forward.

"He's 50 years in the past," Black said, adding that he thinks Santorum is "anti-women" and "anti-gay."

Black said a representative of Penn State's chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was expected to come and speak during the rally, but that person did not show.

After the rally, the demonstrators walked to the HUB, where they displayed their signs to more Penn State students and ate donuts.