Republicans, Democrats disagree on youth vote
By Zack Colman (Last updated: 09/03/08 11:41pm)Brooklyn Park, Minn. — As Nov. 4 inches closer, Republican party members said America’s youth are beginning to realize Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is best suited to be the next president.
Matt Hall, Michigan Republican Party youth vice chairman, said Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama is a “celebrity,” which initially appeals to young voters. But as the election nears, he said college-age students will choose McCain.
“As the youth take a look at the issues and ask themselves if he’s ready to lead, more youth become interested in McCain,” Hall said. “McCain has staked out popular political issues with the youth like climate change, social security and defending our nation. That’s resonating with the youth.”
Hall said despite the media’s infatuation with Obama, it will not factor in when people head to the polls.
Nat Ehrlich, a research specialist with the Institute of Public Policy and Social Research at MSU, disagrees with Hall’s position. He said more young voters will switch to Obama. Ehrlich began a study of MSU students that started in November 2007 and it has been through nine waves of polling, the most recent being in early August.
“We started out with 18 candidates between the two parties and now we’re left with two candidates,” Ehrlich said. “I would say that there has been more movement from the general ranks of Republican candidates to Democrats than the other way around.”
Louie Glinzak, press secretary with MSU College Republicans, said there is a large conservative presence at MSU, but it prefers to work behind the scenes unlike Obama supporters.
“McCain people might not be the most boisterous, but it comes down to the silent majority and who shows up on Election Day,” Glinzak said.
Glinzak said members are staying involved by bringing speakers to campus, such as 2006 Republican gubernatorial candidate Dick DeVos on Tuesday, compiling a mailing list and constructing a victory center in Lansing.
Still, Ehrlich said there is a “plurality” of liberal students involved in his study, which can be extrapolated to include the MSU student population.
Originally Published: 09/03/08 11:35pm
lol
09/04/08 12:13amMcCain is a POW and had a divorce, he doesn’t know what he is talking about and finished some navy academy and wants to send even more troops to Iraq. Obama on the other hand graduated from Columbia Univ. and Harvard Law. Sure, students will pick McCain (Bush 3). I wonder how much Hall was paid to state this.
Jason
09/04/08 8:43amTo add to LOL’s comments:
As the youth take a look at the issues and ask themselves if he’s ready to lead, more youth become interested in McCain,” Hall said. “McCain has staked out popular political issues with the youth like climate change, social security and defending our nation. That’s resonating with the youth.”
Appearantly, this guy, like most republicans, has delusions of grandeur…resonating with the youth…that’s about the last thing McCain is doing…did you see him come out last night…he looks like he’s one night away from not waking up.
Tom
09/04/08 8:55amSo I should vote for a cocaine user, who has 2 years of big time political experience, and was a community coordinator? Or should I vote for a war hero, who has spent his entire career supporting the US? I want an American Hero, not an American Zero! Vote McCain!!
Alum
09/04/08 9:16amTom, if I wanted to hear your statement, I could have just turned into the RNC yesterday. Way to take the exact words you heard on television last night and recite them on your own this morning. Kudos. Just like your presidential nominee, you follow the masses and find comfort in repeating history.
we already voted for a cocaine user once
09/04/08 11:00amif we’re gonna play that game then at least the cocaine user poised to take over from the one in office has an IQ to offset his past substance abuse
p.s. this article sucks ass from a journalistic standpoint…why even frame it as a “two sides disagree, varying reasons” article if you’re going to give a disproportionate amount of the story to one side
I understand this article falls in line with the RNC, so why not just headline the article “Republicans feel youth vote for Obama is shallow”? or something similar. It’s a valid opinion and no one would lynch the writer for it. Bad journalism.
RDS
09/04/08 12:47pmMcCain keeps talking up his military record yada yada. The truth is he barely made it out of Annapolis, he graduated somewhere in the last 20 cadets out of a class of well over 800. He was passed over for a command in the navy, in spite of the fact that his father and grandfather were both admirals. The judgement was clear 40 years ago as to his ability to lead anything. Yet after spending 6 years isolated in some Vietcong POW camp and the next 30 bagging a wealthy beer baron trophy wife and dumping the paralyzed mother of his children he’s now fit to lead me?!? He’s got stink lines wafting off him no matter how much the GOP tries to purfume and polish up this turd.
Lisa
09/05/08 5:36pmAs an MSU Alum, it is truly refreshing to read these comments – every single one and from both sides of the aisle. Thanks for making my day!!!
Kate
09/06/08 7:57amHey – how about you educate yourself instead of taking the opinions of others? Take a look at their actual voting records – McCain’s AND Obama’s.
John McCain’s: http://www.votesmart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=53270
Barack Obama’s; http://www.votesmart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=9490
I don’t care which side you vote for…at least be informed!!!
I’m just tired of hearing people spit out things from commercials…