Obama's Got the Youth Vote, And They Can In Fact Vote
Youthful supporters of Sen. Obama in Des Moines. (AP).
It's the online fight of the week that just won't die -- and could eventually be an effective rallying cry for Sen. Barack Obama's young supporters.
At the Jefferson-Jackson dinner in Des Moines nearly a week ago, aides to Obama said that out of the estimated 9,000 who showed up at Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines, at least a third were Obama supporters. To which Mandy Grunwald, a longtime adviser to Sen. Hillary Clinton, said, according to the Politico: "Our people look like caucus-goers, and [Obama's] people look like they are 18. [Mark] Penn said they look like Facebook."
Penn, Clinton's pollster, added: "Only a few of their people look like they could vote in any state."
Obama supporters quickly jumped at the insult. Peter Erickson, blogging on TechPresident, pointed out that Clinton recently launched its Students for Hillary group. "Good strategy: A week after finally setting up your campaign's organization to attract young people, tell them they won't vote anyway so their presence is irrelevant," wrote Erickson. Online analysts, Republicans and Democrats alike, say the comments are politically unsavvy, especially as the importance of online social networks is still evolving. Sure, no one knows exactly what effect Facebook, or any of these sites, will have on the election or voter turnout. But if generating buzz and raising money are any indication, analysts say, it's clear that they will play some role.
"I don't know what it gets Hillary for her team to criticize young people -- and to brand themselves the candidate of the status-quo. What is more, taunting Obama about it could backfire by providing what they call in football 'bulletin board material.' I can hear Obama now: 'Hillary thinks you won't show up! Hillary thinks you're to be ignored! Hillary thinks...," Matt Lewis, the conservative blogger at the popular GOP hub TownHall.com, told The Trail.
Added David Weinberger, a fellow at the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard Law School: "If Clinton's aides are right in their from-the-hip demographic analysis, they better hope that those young faces aren't carrying their Facebook social network with them."
Already, Facebook is the unofficial capital of anti-Clinton country, with young voters -- male and female, mostly Republicans but with some Democrats -- forming numerous groups attacking the former first lady. The comments from Clinton's top aides inspired Patrick Ruffini, a Republican strategist and former online adviser to former mayor Rudy Giuliani, to create an online petition against Clinton and her aides' "They look like Facebook" insult. Two days ago, the petition had 570 names. As of Friday morning, it's up to 2,985.
One of the newest members, Sean Taylor of Kentucky, wrote on the wall of the Facebook petition: "Barack Obama all the way! And I (and my friends) do vote, Hillary."
-- Jose Antonio Vargas
Posted at 4:00 PM ET on Nov 16, 2007
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Posted by: maryann3 | November 19, 2007 9:39 PM
let's see - speaking as a 48-year-old white male with no facebook or myspace account who makes well in excess of 100K/year, guess I don't fit in with the caricature of Obama supporters too well.
Hillary Clinton, despite the MSM drinking the koolaid (esp. CNN w/its clintonistas begala, carville and gergen), would be a disaster for any attempt at fundamentally changing the country. She is utterly inauthentic and calculating, and has between 45 and 50% of the country against her, so even if she wins, she would be governing with a W level mandate (aka none). Lastly, she would continue the cynical, poll-driven triangulation by which her husband lost the Democrats any progressive high ground AND their 40 year run in the house, and we sure as hell don't need a bi-partisan Bush-Clinton monarchy so we can rehash the same brain-dead Fox News-driven screaming that's gone on the past 20 years.
Edwards is also excellent (as is the Quixotic Kucinich), but Obama, by virtue of his brilliant, thoughtful, unifying, post-baby-boomer approach and what he represents to the world and our country, is the real symbolic and substantive change this country needs.
Posted by: mike38 | November 19, 2007 1:10 PM
No matter which candidate is being praised, trashed or analyzed, notice how much discussion is devoted to opinions, appearances, impressions, perceptions and how little discussion is about facts or ideas.
No wonder these big elections look like turkey shoots..the candidates know that substantive discussions of real factual issues will only put Americans to sleep..
reality is for losers.. vote your emotions ,fears and prejudices. pay no attention to the curtain and what is behind it.
Posted by: jstratt2 | November 17, 2007 2:50 PM
She sounds like she is getting a little cocky being out front in the polls. But think about how many of those "young people" don't show up in the polls because none of them have landlines. Insulting will do nothing but ensure they show up on Caucus day and for Hillary, that might be a really bad thing.
Posted by: dan111 | November 17, 2007 1:14 PM
A big "Thank you" to Hillary's spokespeople for reminding us what it is about your candidate that we find repugnant. SNIDE ARROGANCE.
And, for the record, I am a 50-something female.
Posted by: ricknej | November 17, 2007 11:46 AM
I don't have a Facebook account and I'm not voting for HRC. I'm 50 years old, white, middle class American who is going to rally as many voters as I can to vote for Obama in 2008.
I have been telling the younger Obama supporters for the past 9 months that no one believes they will really turn out and vote. I've told them the future belongs to them and it is their time and their turn to take control of their future.
The same old song and dance in Washington has to end before this country is bankrupted financially and corruted beyond recognition morally.
300 million people in this country, please don't tell me HRC and the Bush family represent the best leaders we can find. Both families seem to have bought and paid for the MSM but the American people aren't sheep and they should know by now they HAVE to ask questions of our so called leaders. They have to ask questions and they HAVE to get answers also, something HRC is unwilling to do.
Vote for Change in 08 !!!
Vote for Obama in 08 !!!
Posted by: talisman2008 | November 17, 2007 6:07 AM
I volunteer for Obama, I'm 50 and disabled and Latina, I register and recruit young first-time voters for Obama, and they don't just vote, they organize! They're a shot in the arm at all events, they're the steam that keeps the engines purring with outreach, including canvassing, the all-important face-to-face contact that brings people of all ages to caucuses and primary elections. They are also rarely captured in polls, as they're just registering now and often have only cell phones, not land lines except at home if they're resident and not commuter students. And yes, we do outreach to both, not only to big universities, but to community colleges. So get ready, students of all ages, ethnicities, and faiths, GLBT and straight, and all abilities are gonna Ba-rack this primary!
Posted by: VCubed | November 16, 2007 10:20 PM
Where would Dim Elitist Lawyers be, with out Unions, Socialists, Senile Elderly who still think it is JFK they are supporting-And not American Castros!, and the gullible pable-fed by Libbie Prof., NON-Working or Responsible College Children!
Lucky for them, the Event was not past Curfew!
Posted by: rat-the | November 16, 2007 7:16 PM
This is what is called negative campaigning by the Clinton camp and MSM, just spreading more lies.
Look at pictures of the 4000 people pre-JJ rally, the march and the supporters in the balcony and you will see ALL AGES.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=LQ4cJpdkByM
This is true of any Obama event, even on a college campus. Being over 50 I notice the other balding or gray haired heads.
Posted by: ESR1 | November 16, 2007 6:40 PM
CNN Setup the debate for Hillary. It was very obvious
http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2007/11/diamond_v_pearl_student_blasts_1.php
Posted by: ethelk2044 | November 16, 2007 6:03 PM
The comments to this entry are closed.
I am a 60 year old woman. One might think that I will support Hillary just because she is a woman of my generation. But the truth is most women can see the phonyness in Hillary. I can see right through those false smiles and the handshakes to the elderly. She is all about herself, whereas Obama has sincerity in his talk. He also has been very consistent in how he handles himself under pressure. Hillary on the other hand has relied on her husband to come and bail her out, every time there is some problem. Bill fought back when she floundered in Philadelphia, Bill was there to take the blame away from Hillary on her failed healthcare plan, her so called 'camp' which means Bill is always there to plant questions, and the long time Clinton mouthpiece James Carvel was there to mouth off for her after the CNN debate. Obama stands up straight, talks straight and is very credible. Only Obama can bring the change this country needs. This is not the time to cast your vote based on gender or age. If Hillary is not eager to open up those file cabinets at the Clinton library where they keep her papers of 'experience', she shouldn't be talking about experience. There is something rotten in them papers. And it probably stinks. No wonder why Hillary and her hubby are so secretive about it. We don't want another White water case to bother this nation. We do NOT want Hillary.