Obama energizing the under 30 vote

I am well aware that an anecdote is not data, but I am convinced that Obama is clearly the candidate of those under 30.

In a mock poll at University of New Hampshire, Obama got 890 votes, Clinton 275, and Edwards 206.

I teach at a regional state university in Missouri about 55 miles east of Kansas City.  To my knowledge, I have the only Obama lawn sign in my town and I have an Obama bumpersticker on my car.  I wear an Obama button on my coat and have one on my book bag.

After the fold some of my experiences.

Two weeks ago, I am walking by a book sale for the history club. One of the students, a white male, sees the Obama button and asks where I got.  I tell him and offer the one I am wearing.  I only require the he wear it.  He agrees and takes it.  A friend, white female sitting near by asks whether she can have one.  I take the button off my book bag.

Two nights ago, I am in a restaurant.  A former student, white male, sees the Obama button.  He wants it and puts it on immediately.

Here is the really interesting story.  Yesterday, I'm shoveling snow from my sidewalk to minimize how much I will need to shovel later.  My next door neighbor, a white male, comes out to do the same for his walk. I talked to him in 2004 and he was not particularly interested in politics.

He comes over and asks my about Obama.  Remember I have an Obama sign in my yard.  He says all his friends like Obama and would like to know more about him.  He says he hangs out at the oounter-culture bar in town.  I suggest we try to organize a meet-up early in January.  He will talke to people and he takes some buttons that I have.

All of the people I mentioned are in their twenties, white, and from outstate Missouri.  

At least where I live in Missouri, there is evidence that Obama has got the attention of those in their twenties.  

•  To keep my TU status

  If you find this worthwhile, I would like to keep my TU status.

  by MoDem on Sun Dec 16, 2007 at 08:48:09 AM PDT

  •  We'd love to help you keep it.

    by DemocraticLuntz on Sun Dec 16, 2007 at 10:01:01 AM PDT

  •  A Rec for "showing me" a positive diary. n/t

    by CAL11 voter on Sun Dec 16, 2007 at 10:01:28 AM PDT

  •  I had TU status until this morning

    Despite no recent troll ratings and being more or less constantly active every day for weeks. It was removed about an hour ago, I think.

    I can only assume Kos is quietly phasing out known Hillary supporters in the wake of his pronouncement last night that she is "unacceptable as our nominee."

    Anyone know of any other reason I would have my TU status pulled? I'm stumped.

    by Jim J on Sun Dec 16, 2007 at 10:53:29 AM PDT

    •  I really doubt you'd be

      phased out because you are an HRC supporter.  Did you give out a lot of  unjustified TRs yourself?   If you are the sole TR for a comment that has a lot of Recs, that might show you are abusing your TU.  Or did you uprate comments that should have stated TRd?  

      by chicago minx on Sun Dec 16, 2007 at 11:15:06 AM PDT

      •  all good questions, thanks

        by Jim J on Sun Dec 16, 2007 at 11:18:56 AM PDT

        •  Have a tip on me n/t

          by chicago minx on Sun Dec 16, 2007 at 11:24:49 AM PDT

•  Ya he does, here in Boston, a college town

  I know he has alot of support among that group.  Problem is, all people in my classes and school say is 'he's cool'  or 'he's a good speaker'  That will make people interested, but will it make them vote?  I doubt it, but we will see.

  by rigso on Sun Dec 16, 2007 at 08:51:50 AM PDT

•  i'm energized

  and I'm over 30

  by aaraujo on Sun Dec 16, 2007 at 08:56:56 AM PDT

•  While we're anecdoting,

  I've had a minor problem twice over the last two semesters: students ditching my classes to make the 150-mile drive to Austin to hear him speak.

  by cardinal on Sun Dec 16, 2007 at 09:03:45 AM PDT

  •  :-)

    Wow, I'd like that problem with my classes!  :-)

    by DraftChickenHawks on Sun Dec 16, 2007 at 10:09:47 AM PDT

  •  LOL

    Great problem.  

    by Pirate Smile on Sun Dec 16, 2007 at 10:38:19 AM PDT

•  But hey

  who cares? Other than the fact that Obama is the candidate who gets the most bumper stickers and buttons after Ron Paul

  Excitement doens't really matter.

  by Nulwee on Sun Dec 16, 2007 at 09:04:48 AM PDT

•  When comes to November elections ...

  the under 30 crowd is notoriously unreliable.

  In my youth I saw Nixon win reelection while the Vietnam War raged and the Watergate scandal was in the newspapers everyday.  Don't tell me about the youth vote.

  by slip kid no more on Sun Dec 16, 2007 at 09:07:41 AM PDT

  •  the 18-29 vote BACKED NIXON

    in 1972. And newsflash: there was only one age bloc to vote for Kerry. 18-29ers. If not for us Bush would have won about 54-46.

    by Nathaniel Ament Stone on Sun Dec 16, 2007 at 09:12:39 AM PDT

    •  Not me

      1972 was the first election I could vote in. I was 18 in 1968, but 18 year olds didn't have the vote in 1968.

      I voted for McGovern in 1972 and everyone I knew in my lake front neighborhood in Chicago in 1972 did too.

      I learned that Rogers Park is not representative of the United States.

      by MoDem on Sun Dec 16, 2007 at 09:19:12 AM PDT

      •  sure you didn't

        but I believe the 18-29 vote went as follows. The young generation is in parentheses):

        1972 (Boomers) - Nixon ~57% (less GOP than nation)
        1976 (Boomers) - Carter ~50% (same as nation)
        1980 (Boomers) - Reagan ~56% (more GOP than nation)
        1984 (Boomers/Gen X) - Reagan ~63% (more GOP than nation)
        1988 (Boomers/Gen X) - Bush ~54% (more GOP than nation)
        1992 (Gen X) - Clinton ~42% (less Dem than nation, Perot came in second with the youth vote)
        1996 (Gen X) - Clinton ~46% (less Dem than nation)
        2000 (Gen X/Millennials) - Gore 51% (more Dem than nation)
        2004 (Gen X/Millennials) - Kerry 54% (more Dem than nation)

        by Nathaniel Ament Stone on Sun Dec 16, 2007 at 09:27:31 AM PDT

        •  Thanks

          The new voters are clearly more Democratic than those before.

          Good news!

          by MoDem on Sun Dec 16, 2007 at 09:52:53 AM PDT

        •  Since 1972 ...

          the "Greatest Generation" (WWII and Korean War) have run roughshod over the electorate in general.  Unfortunately, until that generation dies off almost entirely, our elections and war-making foreign policy will be dominated by nationalism and an unwilling to realize that the world has changed in the past sixty years.  Vietnam, Reagan, and the Iraq war--as well as the planet-degrading Baby Boom--are part of that generation's legacy.  The gravitational pull of that generation still persists in our politics. Bummer.

          by slip kid no more on Sun Dec 16, 2007 at 11:10:30 AM PDT

        •  Stats do not tell the whole story

          In the late 1960's and into the early seventies, the country, like now, was pretty evenly split between right and left.  And like now, there was an extreme left (small percentage) and an extreme right.
          In 1968, much of the extreme left refused to vote for Humphrey because he was not "anti war" war ENOUGH.  Mark Rudd of SDS has admitted that that was probably a mistake, because in essence in a close election ALL votes matter.

          So Nixon wins.  In 1972, it was close but there was also a backlash effect.  The Southern Dems had turned republican......partly because of the cultural divide.

          So the boomers, like every other generation are a split generation.   In the end the big majority always falls somewhere in the middle......but a resentful extreme (regardless of age) refusing to support their party can and  has made a difference.  I think the right wing noticed that and has been for years playing "divide and conquer....playing the far left against the center."  Hope we do not fall for it again.

          As for the Obama "youth" appeal.  I am glad younger people are involved and hope they don't repeat the same errors......either their candidate gets the nod or they refuse to participate.

          by Jjc2006 on Sun Dec 16, 2007 at 11:17:06 AM PDT

•  Now if we could just get them to vote

  this cohort, even when interested and engaged just doesn't make it to the polls in great numbers like other age groups.

  by dewey of the desert on Sun Dec 16, 2007 at 09:07:46 AM PDT

•  Obama energizes young voters

  but his campaign energizes a lot of people who have become completely discouraged with the political process.  I have volunteered at the KC HQ and the last time I was there I phone banked with a retired couple in there 60's who had never volunteered for a campaign before.  

  by loree920 on Sun Dec 16, 2007 at 09:10:07 AM PDT

•  Problem is

  that, historically, younger voters haven't been reliable in actually showing up to vote.

  That may present a problem for Obama -- at least in the primaries.

  by livosh1 on Sun Dec 16, 2007 at 09:10:58 AM PDT

  •  but as many Obama supporters in Ia.

    have pointed out on multiple occasions, the Obama campaign is not dependent on the student/young vote.  They all report that all their Obama support groups include all ages, many middle-aged and beyond.  I admire Obama for encouraging the student vote---it's the right thing to do for the Democratic Party-- and will be thrilled if a larger percentage show up to participate this time.  He seems to resonate with that population more than any candidate in memory.

    by dotster on Sun Dec 16, 2007 at 09:19:09 AM PDT

    •  I hope you're right about not needing

      the student vote.

      They're simply not reliable.

      by livosh1 on Sun Dec 16, 2007 at 09:22:09 AM PDT

  •  Young voters will come out this time

    because they know they have more to lose than anyone else.  The future is ahead of them.  They see how wrong the direction of this country is going.  They are the ones who are going to pay for all the mistakes.  They fear for their future.

    by ronnied on Sun Dec 16, 2007 at 10:00:14 AM PDT

    •  As the diary suggests

      Obama is connecting with the younger voters.  

      How strongly students believe in controlling their destiny will only be known over the next few weeks - on Jan 4 actually.

      by griz4u on Sun Dec 16, 2007 at 11:01:00 AM PDT

      •  Dean supposedly connected with

        younger voters too -- lotta good that did him.

        Let's hope Obama has better results.

        by livosh1 on Sun Dec 16, 2007 at 05:36:09 PM PDT

•  Wearing an Obama button is a good

  little advertiser----I get all kinds of reactions, depending where I am.  Some people will just stare at it quizically, trying to figure out what it is.  Many people will give the thumbs up or yell out, "Obama, yea!" or "I like him too!"  Many will ask where I got it so I always try to have some extras on me and say, "Here, do you want one?"  And they always enthusiastically say "Yes!" and then their friends will gather around with their hands out as if I were handing out 100 dollar bills.  Most are over 30---most are women.  All ages seem to be excited about Obama.

  by dotster on Sun Dec 16, 2007 at 09:12:05 AM PDT

•  On the under 30 vote

  If my memory is correct, both in 2000, and especially in 2004, the under 30 increased.  In 2004, it was at levels as in the 1970s.  If Democrats are to expand the base, these are the people who will do it.

  And, let's not forget two other facts.  One, the only age group Kerry won was the under 30 group.  Two, if you vote in two elections for the same party in your twenties, the odds are you stay with that party.  2008 will be the second one for a those who voted for Kerry in 2004.

  My stories are not about Boston or Madison or California.  This is outstate Missouri and a lot of my students are people of faith.  Many of my colleagues think our students are conservatives.  I have seen more and more liberals and, even among the conservatives, Obama seems to bring hope.

  PS: I should have titled this Obama firing up the under 30 vote.

  by MoDem on Sun Dec 16, 2007 at 09:15:43 AM PDT

  •  the youth vote has changed

    as the youth generation has changed from Gen X to the Millennials, youth activism is rising, and a lot of it over the netroots. Turnout is up big for twentysomethings. It was I think 52% in 2004, the highest youth turnout since the 26th Amendment was ratified. It should be a lot higher in 2008 as the last Gen Xers get close to 30.

    And here's a fun fact: without us, the Democrats would not have won VA-Sen or the Senate last year. Montana and Missouri were arguably swung as well.

    by Nathaniel Ament Stone on Sun Dec 16, 2007 at 09:21:17 AM PDT

•  26 and fired up

  and so are many of my friends. And you'd better believe we'll be showing our support when it counts.

  by dagnabbit on Sun Dec 16, 2007 at 09:48:04 AM PDT

•  I am over 30 fuck!

  but only by a year.

  by nevadadem on Sun Dec 16, 2007 at 09:57:53 AM PDT

  •  It doesn't get any better

    The next year, trust me.

    by Pozzo on Sun Dec 16, 2007 at 10:34:25 AM PDT

•  while I am not an Obama backer

  I do think its good to see the younger Dem leaning people voting.  A good question is whether they will actually show up though, at least in the numbers that that Obama will probably need? Remember the Deaniacs were supposedly younger than the party as a whole, as where the Hart backers and the Bradley backers. Yet they all failed despite youthful enthusiasm.

  by Pozzo on Sun Dec 16, 2007 at 10:36:20 AM PDT