The Wisconsin State Journal solves the mystery.
"He is a person who has shown he can build coalitions and he can inspire people and he can bring more people into the political process, and I feel very strongly he can govern like he can campaign," Doyle said...
"They [Gus and Gabe Doyle] helped me understand how a younger person sees the world," Doyle said. "When a younger person looks at Barack they see the country moving into the future."
It certainly seems like Obama receives a lot of strength from young voters. He did win the MySpace primary (him and Ron Paul...), and there was a record turnout of young voters in Iowa, contributing to his win. People like Gov. Doyle recognize the power of the college-age vote (it's about damn time).
However, this young-voter revolution (finally being taken seriously by the media etc.) may disappoint a lot of people. When women first got the right to vote in the early 20th century, it was partly because the legislators thought that women voted in a bloc. Today, with increased pushes for 17-year-olds to have the right to vote in a primary if they will be 18 by the general election, and with college activists always being touted by the media as this great phenomenon (oh my gosh, look at these kids -- they actually care! whodathunk?), and looking at Obama's poll numbers, some may be deluded into believing that young people vote in a bloc.
I'd hope no candidate or reporter or donor really believes that, but who knows?
"He is a person who has shown he can build coalitions and he can inspire people and he can bring more people into the political process, and I feel very strongly he can govern like he can campaign," Doyle said...
"They [Gus and Gabe Doyle] helped me understand how a younger person sees the world," Doyle said. "When a younger person looks at Barack they see the country moving into the future."
It certainly seems like Obama receives a lot of strength from young voters. He did win the MySpace primary (him and Ron Paul...), and there was a record turnout of young voters in Iowa, contributing to his win. People like Gov. Doyle recognize the power of the college-age vote (it's about damn time).
However, this young-voter revolution (finally being taken seriously by the media etc.) may disappoint a lot of people. When women first got the right to vote in the early 20th century, it was partly because the legislators thought that women voted in a bloc. Today, with increased pushes for 17-year-olds to have the right to vote in a primary if they will be 18 by the general election, and with college activists always being touted by the media as this great phenomenon (oh my gosh, look at these kids -- they actually care! whodathunk?), and looking at Obama's poll numbers, some may be deluded into believing that young people vote in a bloc.
I'd hope no candidate or reporter or donor really believes that, but who knows?
Labels: 2008
3 Comments:
You really hit the nail on the head here. It's great that Governor Doyle cares about what young people think, but there is no separate "youth politics" that can be defined neatly.
For that matter, there's no clear-cut "liberal politics" which Democrats can agree on. Isn't this the great thing about the Democratic Party? Look deeper into any of our so-called "voting blocs" and you'll find a healthy pluralism of ideas.
Healthy pluralism becomes entertaining factionalism when the party starts to lose elections. The same goes for the GOP.
Just look at the last thirty years of American politics for evidence.
David, why don't I look at your face for evidence?
Post a Comment
<< Home