A Saturday Night Live skit of Sarah Palin, a celebrity video endorsing Barack Obama and a YouTube video of McCain saying “Bomb Iran” are some of the things generating youth interest in the presidential election. Now that the presidential primaries are over, Barack Obama is the Democratic nominee, John McCain is the Republican nominee, and young people are still interested in the election. Barack Obama and Sarah Palin, and social issues are convincing youth to get interested in the election.
During the presidential primaries more youth were interested in the election than any other presidential primary.
As many as 25 percent of college students turned out to vote in the presidential primaries this past spring. Will the numbers be as high in the presidential election?
According to former member of the California State Assembly, Dario Frommer. during a presidential primary symposium, around 25 percent of college students and 16-17 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds voted in the primary elections.
Frommer said during the primaries that, “in places like New Hampshire and the very early states [is] we’ve seen turnout among young people at the rate of 45 percent.” He claims this was higher than the general election rate in 2004, and centered on Obama.
Bret VandenBos student and president of USC Students for Obama said he saw “record turnout” amongst Democrats during the primaries. USC Students for Obama and other USC candidate-based organizations sought out voters. At a recent debate watching party on campus, Students for Obama had a table outside selling shirts for $15.
But whether students are still interested is the question. Frommer said the number of voters often “tails off” once students go home for the summer because the race then only has two candidates.
He was optimistic and said he “sees every indication who is already involved in the process will continue to be involved in the process in November.”
“I think the youth are the ones who are the most involved in getting out the vote and, so naturally they would participate in all parts of the political process,” said USC student Katherine Hernandez, a McCain supporter.
A recent poll conducted by USA Today, Gallup and MTV claims Obama has a 2-1 lead over McCain, with 61 percent of youth interested in voting for him, 24 percent of youth voters are still undecided on a candidate, and only 32 percent are interested in voting for John McCain. Some say Barack Obama is the reason there is an increase in youth voters because of his charisma.
“[He] really sort of talks in a way that younger people listen to,” said
Jackson DeMos, Web Editor for the Annenberg School for Communication’s Website. “He seems to be more in touch with a lot of the pop culture, sports and things that a lot of younger people are interested.”
“Barack is the one on the top of the ticket,” VandenBos said. “People understand that if you want to implement a change agenda, you need someone who knows the ways of Washington and how those can be worked to implement the change you are talking about.”
That” change agenda” includes the incorporation of many new ideas, which youth say appeal to them because they include such ideas as “getting out of Iraq,” said USC student Katherine Hernandez.
So does this mean adding Sarah Palin to the campaign as McCain’s running mate gives the youth another candidate to idealize? Palin, since being introduced to the public, has been barraged with coverage about her political, personal and professional life, making her a target, yet giving her “star power” at the same time.
She’s kind of made the tabloids, made national news very quickly,” Jackson said, “I think the students and younger people will be interested in watching her because of that.”
Those who support McCain, like Hernandez, think Palin brings a unique set of qualities to the campaign trail. Hernandez thinks Palin appeals to younger and older conservatives because she has “moral values” the public hasn’t seen McCain express.
“Sarah Palin brings in all the little things that he doesn’t have,” Hernandez said, “She’s a mom, she goes to church, she has all those nice social issues stances that conservatives like, that McCain doesn’t take a strong stance on.”
Palin’s youth also plays a factor.
Obama and Palin are the two youngest in the race, both under 50. Students like Sarah Moore thought Joe Biden brought” disinterest” to the election, while Sarah Palin, only 44, brought “definite interest.”
But this doesn’t necessarily make Palin likable.
“I think that she generates more interest in the election, but that people will vote against her,” Moore said.
Palin is a threat to many. Hernandez even said Palin “turns off moderate youth who are still trying to make up their mind for the election.”
VandenBos said what Sarah Palin has “antagonized people into caring about Republicans again.”
Then there’s McCain. In recent months, he has distanced himself from Obama.
“In all honesty I don’t really think McCain appeals to that many youth voters,” Hernandez said. “
He appeals more to the middle aged voter, the one who values experience over ideals.”
VandenBos said one of the reasons McCain’s campaign has not been generating youth interest is he ran his campaign this summer by responding to Obama instead of going on the offensive. Because of this, according to Dan Schnur, the Director of the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics at USC, the Democrats overlooked McCain until McCain chose Palin Schnur said, “People [began to] remember why they hated Republicans.”
Schnur, who was the Communications Director for Senator John McCain in 2000, said McCain has a lot to prove to young voters.
“McCain has to show people number one, he’s not to old,” Schnur said, “ You do that in this context by being more calm and more controlled, and less emotional than in the past.”
By November, many believe youth voters will contribute to the overall number of voters because of their concern with the socioeconomic issues.
“It’s a big election, the economy is a huge story right now and really affecting everybody, I think a lot of people are looking at politics including younger people,” Jackson said.
A clever way the news media has brought the young voters in is through debates and comedy. Students are watching presidential and vice-presidential debates because they care about healthcare, the economy, and paying for school.
Some think though that more students are interested in “the images of the candidates” than the issues being discussed in the debate,” according to Moore. The number of people who tune in for a game, an awards show, or even American Idol watched the first debate, which had ratings of 52 million, and students like VandenBos expecting record turnout for the second candidate debates.
Video segments from a spring symposium held about the presidential primaries, and a fall debate-watching party for the Vice Presidential debates, in the Annenberg School for Communication.
Students are mobilizing their efforts by working with student political organizations, attending debate parties, and using the classroom to engage in discussion about the election.
Hundreds of students filled the Annenberg School for Communication lobby to watch Biden and Palin debate—students being very vocal in their opinions of the candidates.
“It’s the best drama on television,” VandenBos said about the debates. It’s not Dick Cheney and John Edwards, its Joe Biden and Sarah Palin, and that’s interesting.”
The debates not only showed the serious issues of the campaign, but gave comedians’ material for late night sketches.
Everyone has taken a stab at the campaign: from Jay Leno and David Letterman to Saturday Night Live.
“I think with Palin [there is] probably more youth interest especially with the Saturday Night Live stuff going on lately.”
Some think Saturday Night Live revealed that the media has had a critical bias against Hillary Clinton and now is showing a negative view of Palin.
Tina Fey’s similarity to Palin in dress, hairstyle and voice, make her impressions some of the most watched clips on the internet.
I think that that youth are a little bit more in tune with YouTube and internet,” Jackson said,” and a lot of younger students are passing along information to each other…a get out the vote type campaign. It would be really interesting to see what happens on Election Day. “
Sarah Silverman’s “viral video” encourages Jewish youth in Florida to get their grandparents to vote for Obama.
The effect of the “viral video” is drawing more youth than a rally, debate, speech or opinion-editorial could, used to praise and make fun of all three candidates.
“I think the Sarah Palin element with the kind of mockery of her also generates interest,” Moore said.
Some think the campaigns have to be careful though with how much they let comedy dictate the election.
These campaigns have to mindful of just how much they play into the scripts that other actors, literally, and comedy actors may have in shaping public understanding of these debates,” said Tom Hollihan, an Annenberg School for Communication professor and author of the book, “Uncivil Wars: Political Campaigns in a Media Age”
Hernandez noted though that if youth did not show a significant presence in the election that McCain could win.
Ballot woes plagued primary election voters. Will it happen again in the general election? Charlie Carnow, a member of USC College Democrats, explains why he think students didn’t turnout in greater numbers for the primary.
“The older folks, but also the 30+ middle age folks, who may not have had time to vote in the primaries or who may not have cared will definitely make sure they can vote in the election,” Hernandez said.
VandenBos looks forward to November and said, “I just think this is a very exciting election for young people because …it’s the first time since 1968 where we’ve really had enough opportunity to truly implement a change agenda. “
“Everyone’s running as an agent of change [McCain or Obama],” said USC student Steven Kapp, “I think this is a message that appeals to young and old voters alike.”
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