The Youth Vote
By UniversityofIowaJR on June 27, 2008 at 3:50 PM in Barack Obama, Chicago, DNC, Democratic party, Education, Elitism, Hillary Clinton, Iowa, John McCain, Obamatopia, SCHIP, Soldiers/Veterans
This election season has seen many new voters come out to show their support for their candidate. We have seen many young people come out to support their choice as well. The youth vote is usually a small, unreliable voting block. This is according to history; of course, we have made a lot of history this season with the party stripping delegates from one candidate and giving them to the other, who wasn’t even on the ballot, and with the person winning the most votes and more important electoral states being cheated out of the nomination, among other things.
The youth vote has been basically dubbed Obama’s strongest, most reliable voting bloc. There is, as we all know, a weird phenomenon amongst the youth that so vigorously supported him, and I have seen it first hand.I am a student, as my name would suggest, at the University of Iowa, Iowa’s largest school. A large percentage of these kids come from the Chicago-land area. I have had a front-row seat to Obama-mania, or Obama-cultism for over a year. This is a phenomenon that should be studied more, but I first want to address something else.
I wish people on all sides of this race would stop painting the youth vote as all going for Obama.There is a large percentage of young voters that went for him, and almost nowhere was this more true than in Iowa, but there are kids who thought this decision out rationally. I am one of them.
I give props to people my age that supported Hillary, Senator Edwards, Governor Richardson, and all the others, even the republicans, because they didn’t fall for the fake prophet. We are the ones that thought through this decision. We chose to support someone other than Obama, because things other than oratory skills spoke to us. Issues, records, and personality all played into our decisions. Not just personality.
I got to meet the candidates, I can say that I don’t like someone because of their personality because I met them. Most of these Obamabots have never met him, or even touched him. They jumped on this bandwagon because their friends did. They have no interest in the political scene for the most part, they have done nothing for the party prior to Obama’s campaign, and they have no major stakes in this election. They tend to be from well-off families, from suburbia. They have had most things in life handed to them. They have paid no attention to politics other than being able to join in Bush-bashing, something I like doing myself, and otherwise having little political knowledge. They think it is cool to be for Obama, because everyone else is, and if other kids are not, they are just stupid.
These people will hear no wrong about Obama, they believe nothing is bad, everything is good, and that Obama is a shoe-in for November….well….. They will never sober up, but for those of us who have, we know there could be nothing further from the truth. Obama is no progressive. Obama is unelectable. Obama is a false prophet. Obama is an empty suit. Obama has done nothing to help the youth of America. Obama is a brand, America and the youth especially have been sold a brand name, and a very sad one at that.
I have seen the shirts here on campus: “Got Hope?”, “Bros Before Ho’s”, and the campaign shirts. All of this hype, he is built up, and let me tell you, he is a big let-down. Hillary is not a let-down. Her work on SCHIP, GEAR-UP, and the National Guard bills she passed, has shown people who really cares and has cared for the youth of America. Hillary still beats McCain by over 50 electoral votes in the electoral college, Hillary still has Universal Healthcare as a top priority.
These young voters that all blindly flocked to Obama will all soon realize they have been had. It’s a sham. Thanks to them, we have McCain to look forward to. Their belligerence and harsh actions have pushed me and many others to a point where we can no longer support Senator Obama, no matter what happens. And McCain may be the beneficiary. Who knows? I sure do.
Thanks for speaking out! You give us another view of the “youth vote” and we appreciate it!
I’d like to think that the youth of this country will not be hoodwinked. I mean, if they’re hoodwinked now, what will we have going on in 30 - 50 yrs from now?
You give me hope! I hope you’re right - that they’ll figure what is wrong with Obama, and soon.
http://www.xanga.com/SwordAndSacrifice/662872555/federal-indictment-looms-for-obama.html
Surpriseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee - read and start CLAPPING!
I’m salivating…and clapping.
I hope that happens before the August convention.
Patrick Fitzgerald is the Elliot Ness of political corruption. If I were a crooked politico I’d hate to have him on my ass.
I find it hard to believe that Rezco did not involve O’boy in his mess. And, if O’boy is stupid enough to get involved in ashady real estate deal with Rezco, shadier deals are going to pop up like pansies in springtime.
Thanks for not believing the hype, and I’m sure there are many more students out there who feel as you do. Why don’t you try to organize them, online of course, and then join the Just Say No Deal coalition??? Do it anonymously, because Obamabots can be brutal, as you know. Nice to hear from a young, intelligent college student! Keep spreading the word!
You have real courage to write this!
I live in Milwaukee, and what you say about kids supporting him because its “cool” certainly rings true here. On our campus, hardly anyone would come out for the antiwar rallies, yet it seems everyone wears a pro Obama t-shirt. But when talking with others I’m finding that they are sorry they voted for Obama in the first place because of his flip flops, or young women who saw the maltreatment of Hillary are afraid to speak up against him. When you see a guy wearing a “Bros before Hos” shirt, it is very intimidating indeed. Since our campus is near the inner city, it is especially frightening to show you’re Nobama because of the racial hostility we have here which is increasing.
We thought Bush was bad, but at least you could still loudly complain about him ! With Obama, your dissent has to remain silent when you are out on the street, or you have another reason to fear for your safety.
Did you read the posts by Uppity Woman about the comparisons between BO supporter and McGovern’s?
yes, the comaprisons are amazing, and very very striking. The bots here have been very vile during this season.
You are a smart young one. You will go far because you ask questions. No hopey changey for you! Substance is your friend. There are more of you than you imagine. I have met many of them. I am very proud.
mmmmhmmmm…
the force Is strong in this one….
Really, it is very encouraging to read that thinking people still exist in your generation.
Yes but in the voting booth when the curtain is closed…
Why does nobody complain about “Bros before Hos” t-shirts being sold on your campus?
They are incredibly sexist, but no one said a thing, I was sickened when I saw it, most people thought I was over-reacting, but ugh those were nasty.
The thought police are in force for Obama on America’s campuses. This is oppression. People are afraid to speak their minds because of retaliation by Obama’s thugs.
Indy, just like the rest of America. People don’t like to be threatened into walking with two feet in one shoe. That’s why election day will be a shocker.
OT: Did Obama reopen Sweetiegate?
Via the L.A. Times
Top of the Ticket
Did Barack Obama re-open ’sweetiegate’ in Unity?
Among the concerns some of Hillary Clinton female backers have with Barack Obama is the perception that he can slide into misogynist comments at the blink of an eye. And as we mentioned in an earlier post today, he made an odd, unplanned comment about women and heels during his Unity moment of rapprochement with Clinton.
This is from the transcript of the appearance: “[B]ecause of the campaign that Hillary Clinton waged, my daughters and all of your daughters will forever know that there is no barrier to who they are and what they can be in the United States of America. They can take for granted that women can do anything that the boys can do (cheers begin) — and do it better, and do it in heels. I still (Obama laughs) — I still don’t know how she does it in heels.”
Clinton laughed with him, but for a guy with some pretty good political instincts — or who has at least hired people with good political instincts — it was an odd verbal cul de sac to turn into. Remember, Obama caught some serious flack a few weeks back by dismissing a Michigan television reporter with a “sweetie.” And he was criticized during a debate performance for another off-the-cuff comment about Clinton being “likable enough.” Now he falls into the faux-joke of expressing amazement that a woman can outperform a man despite wearing heels.
That’s not likely to go very far in mending fences with women already suspicious of him.
UPDATE: Tommy Vietor, Obama spokesman, emails in that, although Obama didn’t cite Ann Richards, that was the genesis of his comment: “Sen. Obama was referencing Ann Richards’ famous quote: ‘Ginger Rogers did everything that Fred Astaire did. She just did it backwards and in high heels.’ Certainly Gov. Richards didn’t mean make that comment, as you described, as a ‘faux-joke of expressing amazement that a woman can outperform a man despite wearing heels,’ and it’s disappointing that you’d draw that cynical conclusion.’
Fair enough. But Vietor — like many posters below — missed the point of the blog item. For a candidate with past troubles with off-the-cuff comments on gender, it struck us as an odd comment. Some took offense; many did not (read the comments for a rather scathing discussion). Remember, this is a political blog, where we write about the political implications of campaign events and appearances.
– Scott Martelle
What we need more is a transcript of his comments made at the fundraisers’ private meeting last night.
Ginger Rogers could do everything Fred Astaire could do but in heels and backwards.
I understand how heels are difficult to dance in. But how do heels make it difficult to campaign in?
Was Hillary doing a Samba or Merengue? That would be hard in heals.
In politics? just pointing out that she’s a female.
I don’t know how O’boy does it with that nappy head. I sure couldn’t. Maybe he should use Michelle’s hair straightener.
Frankly, I wouldn’t be surprised if Axelrod sends them to Harmony Florida next. I wouldn’t rule out Intercourse PA either, with these pigs. This whole Obama thing is such a big media hype. They should sell advertising to this hoaxy unreality show.
Intercourse, PA would be appropriate, seeing as how one candidate did get majorly fucked.
Personally, I’d like to see Obama in Truth Or Consequences, NM.
UofI, Do you have any ideas how more youth can be influenced to support McCain?
I am not sure, most will either not vote or support Obama, I think. Although I imagine we will see the youth vote be small, as usual, maybe not te same as 04, but small nonetheless.
Yes, University. Unfortunately the youth love the Rah Rah of the rally but if there’s a party on election day, they will attend and forget to vote. Even the Obama Girl skipped her primary, remember? When they found out, she said she was “sick”. She was at a party though.
Always good to hear from the thoughtful youth. I knew you were out there - but you’re right. You were never represented by the media’s chosen narrative.
The truth is Hillary;s coalition spans all ages, both genders, all social and professional groups, all races and all states. Even the blue ones!
This observation is no different from when I was on the Univ. of Illinois campus during the height of Vietnam war protests, 68-72. A lot of “radical” Chicago suburbanites who really expressed their belief in the “revolution” and probably found themselves pulling the lever for Nixon instead of McGovern once in the voting booth away from the mass hysteria scrutiny of their peers.
Hopefully you are right. The Obama campaign was very calculated in attracting the youth vote into what they deemed as a ‘movement’. Young voters, along with many others, got so caught up in a concept that they never really questioned what this candidate has to offer and whether or not there is any evidence he could provide it.
Now that the hype has died down, and the newness has worn off there may be enough pragmatism to go around as more and more of the public is made aware of just who Barack Obama is and what he has been involved in.
SPREAD THE TRUTH ABOUT OBAMA!
stinky should do himself, us and the country a favor and just go away. The longer he stays in the less likely anyone, even Clinton, could beat McCain. By continued association with stinky and the democratic party, Clinton will lose ground and McCain will become more and more appealing as the best choice of all.
Uh huh.
How appealing and reassuring does McCain seem after reading over this?
http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2006/7/5/00548.shtml
That’s the guy you want in charge of our quick-response military forces in a moment of crisis?
That’s the guy you want with a finger on the button of our nuclear missiles?
John’s been a pretty good senator. Maybe he should remain one.
Like I said, temper stories or not, he will be more appealing if this clown circus continues.
Listen, John McCain has got to do a LOT more to look worse than Comrade Obama looks to me. So don’t bother. I would vote for a cockroach before I would vote for barack obama.
He used the “F” word? And called someone a shithead??
How could we elect a president who uses such language?
What’s that? LBJ, Nixon, Kennedy and Clinton already did?
Oh never mind.
If Comrade Obama registered every single 18-20 year old in America, he would have registered a fraction of the baby boomer youth that was registered by McGovern. The largest youth group EVER in America, 1972. The FIRST year 18-20 year olds were allowed to vote too.
McGovern got 38% of the general election votes. Anybody care to guess why?
uppity excellent point … i helped during that particular vote registration push. currently … the obama campaign has sent hundreds if not thousands of youths out on fellowships, throughout the US, to try and sign up as many voters as possible. i have met more then a few in oregon … clackamas county to be precise. these kids are struggling mightly but holding on to their dream candidate.
the reason i say they are struggling are many a couple include: as might be expected they have no idea how a political party operates … they dont know a damn thing about grass roots organizing, dont know what GOTV is even about and appeared just lost when talking about congressional districts, house districts and even local races. this is not their fault … hell how could they know … the real problem is whoever is leading this particular program is not providing these kids with any leadership or mentoring.
on a personal note, and this is more then a little tragic in my mind, these kids are not funded in the traditional sense … in fact, they are doing volunteer work hundreds of miles from home with out much of a life line. hell, i had to help one of the kids fix his bicycyle tire … he didnt have the money to put into the air machine. naturally, i took him out to dinner as well … damn i’m worried about all of them …. most are from the age of 17-20 … many are just graduated high school students or underclassmen in college.
sorry about the rant … this old man is just beyond pissed about how this kids are being used and abused.
Wow. Just wow. Used. He’s using them. But you aready know that. Kids are so impressionable. That’s the tragedy here. Their baloon is going to deflate so horribly. They will put their heart into this hoax and the result will stay with them and turn them off for life. Many of them.
Wow….
That is so sad to leave these kids unsupported and frankly vunerable to both predators and the weather when they are helping to elect him.
A lot of people ignore the dangers of the northwest weather patterns, even in the summertime. WA had a freak blizzard this month.
So, it makes you wonder if these kids were also left unsupported in the areas with these tornados and floods?
Anyway, it was very nice of you to give him a meal to stick to his ribs.
~~~
To UniversityofIowaJR,
Thanks for the post on the youth vote. It is nice to know that there are people such as yourself watching this thing unfold.
I can understand supporting Obama if he was the man he claims to be, but it is sad that he is exploiting all the hopes for geniune change.
While his record proves he is too spineless to vote or simply status quo.
the young have some thinkers like the author of this diary. his like will be the leaders down the road while these obamabots will continue as followers. make no mistake they will follow their parents into the repub party down the road. blood is thicker than the temporary obama mania. oh, they may that is right may vote for him this one time, but the fools we have for leaders won’t keep them just as they can no longer count on the democratic base.
I was talking to a group of college age kids on Monday. It was a sort of educational seminar for Will country Dems. I asked if they had voted for Obama and only one raised her hand. When I asked her why she voted for him, she had this amused look in her eyes and she said….”He’s cool!”
That was the extent of it. She giggled like a preschooler when her peers just stared at her. I felt sorry for her.
I asked her and the others, where they got their news from and to my surprise, most said “The Daily Show”! WTF?
Sometimes it is worse than that. I have a friend in his mid 40’s, college educated with a good job that requires analytical skills, who regards Michael Moore movies as factual documentaries and uses them to back up his arguments. I haven’t asked him yet if he regards Jon Stewart’ Daily Show as satire or news. At least he knows The Onion is satire. I have seen people in blogs cite Onion as their factual source.
Not understanding satire is the sign of a very dull mind.
Yea, your kid is studying for a double major in chemical antropology and physics but get their news from a comedy show. That’s passes for civics today? UG!
What’s really scary is that The Daily Show sometimes has more accurate reporting than the MSM. Talk about pitiful.
sad but true. there is no news. msbama? no! abc?, fox, no. so where? search the internet? many are too lazy.
Obama would probably press the “Present” button.
Or he would press the wrong button. “Oops” is not something you want to hear from the President when nuclear decisions are being made.
GOOD ONE!
.
Or not show up.
that would be the YELLOW button.
There are many youth that DID know what Obama’s voting record was and a few of them were embarrassed to have admitted to the Daily Show thing.
I assured them it was okay, but that they should also do in-depth research into ANY candidate and then, and only then , should they make up their minds.
That poor girl was intimidated enough by me, I truly believe many of these kids have no structure at home and no-one to talk to, so they gravitate towards the group think.
Mu wife tells me I’m too hard on them….Do any of you have any thought about this generation?
I would also like to hear from the kids on this, and please keep your snarky ass remarks to yourselves, I truly want to know why alot of you gravitate towards the group think and will not stand up fir the women in your midst…..Bro’s before Hoe’s….who says that shit?
…Bro’s before Hoe’s….who says that shit?
Not only that, but why are young women not standing up to this degrading statement whether Hillary or Obama supporter.
My point exactly!
Where did these punks learn their manners? Where were their fathers to teach them respect for their women?
These punks have grown up on Rap, Internet Porn and the culture of ME!
I know, we all had our moments as young adults, my parents hated my music, Harley and my tattoo’s. But we had RESPECT. Something alot of these young people lack today.
Part of the problem may be that the parents aren’t home because they are working 2 or 3 jobs just to keep their heads above water or to enable their kids to get a better education than they had.
My father would have kicked my ass up and down the road if he had ever seen my in a shirt like that. But then, he raised me and my siblings right; none of us would buy anything from a store or website which sold that shirt.
Oh and BTW, my father (and brothers and one sister) is for Obama. We’ve learned not to talk politics around eachother, since I am one hundred percent for Hillary and will vote for McCain (my first ever vote for a Republican for President, and i’ve been voting since 1984) and it will only create pointless tension.
NoBama, many young women are complacent. They take their rights as full human beings for granted. They imagine those rights will always be there and they need not worry. This is their mistake.
yup and those rights they take for granted are slipping away while they party.
My son was a freshmen this year at the U of I. He had an Obama sign in his window (that girls on his floor put up for him). He’s the youngest of three and pretty apolitical and doesn’t like conflict. So, I believe there might be a lot of pressure to be pro-Obama on the Iowa campus. My oldest, a grad school student at Iowa, was very pro Clinton from the beginning (as is my daughter in another college). My daughter hasn’t felt as much pressure from obamanites (probably given a pass as a young woman-which is stupid) as my oldest son, who complained that students at Iowa were all about Obama. He did say his instructors seemed to be for Hillary.
RedDragon,
My daughter (22) saw through Obama right away-I’m so proud of her! My husband and I were both for John Edwards but moved to Clinton then got really excited about Clinton’s run. My oldest son (23) has always said (even when I was trying to talk him into supporting Edwards) that Hillary wouldn’t take “crap” from anyone and that she’s smart. They are both still in college and never, ever fell for Obama because they think for themselves. I teach in a high school and I don’t see kids using critical thinking any more-too much tv and too much instant gratification.
My daughter (22) saw through Obama right away-I’m so proud of her! My husband and I were both for John Edwards but moved to Clinton then got really excited about Clinton’s run. My oldest son (23) has always said (even when I was trying to talk him into supporting Edwards) that Hillary wouldn’t take “crap” from anyone and that she’s smart. They are both still in college and never, ever fell for Obama because they think for themselves. I teach in a high school and I don’t see kids using critical thinking any more-too much tv and too much instant gratification.
I’m enormously proud of my 23-year old niece, going to college here in ultra-Liberal Vermont (Obama Country) and proudly displaying her Hillary bumpersticker on her car and defending Hillary to all comers. Her mother, my mother, and myself are the only members of my family who are Hillary loyalists. My mom will hold her nose and vote for Obama this fall, but I will vote for McCain, and my sister and niece are still weighing their options- though I think my niece will vote for McCain or Nader.
I may be way off base here and if I am, please enlighten me. But from what I am hearing and from what I have seen, Many although not all, of these Obots are bullies. Is this something that is seen as cool? I am only 46 and I feel a lifetime away from most of these kids.
I hear stuff like….F*** That B***! F***that HOE, stuff along those lines. Where does this come from?
You can not place all the blame on Rap music. There is something else going on in our country. Schools? Parents? TEEVEE? It seems as though many, not all, of these kids are numb!
A teacher in Elmira, New York Asked her 6th grade class how many of them were Obama Fans. Not really knowing what an Obama fan is, but wanting to be liked by the teacher, all the kids raised their hands except for Johnny.
The teacher asked Johnny why he just has to be different..
Johnny says, ‘Because I’m really not an Obama fan.’
The teacher says, ‘Why aren’t you an Obama fan?’
Johnny says, ‘Because I’m a Republican.’
The teacher asks him why he’s a Republican.
Johnny answered, ‘Well, my mom’s a Republican and my dad’s a Republican, so I’m a Republican’
The teacher asks, ‘If your Mom was a moron and your dad was an idiot, what would that make you?’
With a big smile, Johnny replies, ‘That would make me an Obama fan.’
Pretty funny. Good one.
That was funny!
Little Johnny strikes again.
ROFLOL !! Little Johnny is brilliant !!
Thank you for the laugh Gruenwald.
UniversityofIowaJR;
Thanks for seeing your way here again to publish. You have some great insights and I appreciate you sharing them.
I say this knowing full well that we may not see the same on a given topic but that I am heartened that you arrived at those views via intellectual curiosity and critical thinking.
A Harvard or Princeton education does not guarantee one will obtain these skills.
Keep at it.
UniversityofIowaJR:
Powerful post; it is right on. All these kids should be told to go enlist in the army and serve our country. Because no matter whther is McCain or Obama they will both do teh same. Only HRC would do the safe and right thing to get us out of Iraq and solve the most damming problems we face today.
Tell these kids to consider enlisting!!
Hey, I’m in the under 29 crowd.
On the surface I would appear to be an Obamite, except for the fact that I pay close attention to political doings, I have a great understanding of how the government works, and on my 18th birthday, I registered to vote. I am hardly the average young one.
Once you look deeper, I am the furthest thing from an Obama supporter that you can get.
I think that’s why you are different from the Obama supporters; you look below the veneer.
There is pressure for college students to support Obama. I recently graduated college. I’m 22 years old. I’m the only person from my group of friends who has never been an Obama supporter. I face even more pressure because I am black. It’s almost as if I shot Jesus and Santa Clause. I’ve lost friends because of my refusal to support Obama. I just can’t do it. The man is a fraud. The man and his cult sickens me. I really don’t understand it. I’m just waiting for the shoe to drop so I can do my “I-told-you-so” dance. Hopefully it will come before August so we can avoid McCain for the next 4 years. Obama will not be my president.
lol…about the ’shot J and SC’…
Congratulations on graduating college and the fact you can think for yourself, two major accomplishments.
The media spends so much time devaluing young people and their opinions, except when they are targetted for fads and their money.
With this interesting political season, I have enjoyed reading their opinions about real topics.
Look forward to seeing you on the boards.
The Daily Pennsylvanian, the college newspaper at the University of Pennsylvania, endorsed Hillary Clinton during the PA primary, citing many of the reasons we all supported her. So not all college kids are on the Obama bandwagon, as our friend from Iowa points out.
About a year ago, I saw on TV or read in a newspaper that 70% of college students think it’s OK to cheat to get better grades. With the mentality of the end does justify the means, why would that 70% of college kids care how Obama got the nomination? That’s frightening to me.
Thanks again, Iowa. I’m a Penn Stater, will root against the Hawkeyes a little less loud this year!
The sense of disillusion on campus these days is palpable. BHO is not the hope and change candidate he claimed to be. Now he says he has always supported 2nd amendment gun ownership rights. Pretty soon he is going to be saying he always opposed campaign finance reform. And all the “sweetie”, bum pats and high heels comments say what he really thinks of a women’s role.
Don’t count on a big youth turnout in November. The thing about movements is that they can end just as quickly as they began. No one wants to be that uncool sap still buying yesterday’s hot item.
I was in the apple store the other day and saw there new ad marketing their laptop for college kids to buy and it had the slogan “Get the best with your parents money”. This epitomizes Obama and his campaign for me. Who are these kids? This generation that has been handed everything they wanted, had access to all types of technology and can even convince their parents who to vote for?! Not that it wasn’t always clear that Obama is just a well marketed product, but the fact that these kids think it is always about them, can get their parents money and also demand their parents vote go towards the candidate of THEIR choice, makes me very aware of what not to do when raising my daughter.
This reminded me of how I was raised and how I raised my children. Rule one for my parents was the money belongs to us, not you. We worked for it and it will be used as we see fit. If you don’t agree you are welcomed to go out get work, pay taxes to purchase what you want. I have two sons that grew up and are fine young men.
Would you be referring to that idiot Claire McCaskill? Or Casey in PA? It’s bad enough that these public officials, who are presumably elected to serve their constituents’ interests, would endorse a candidate based on their children’s importuning–but what’s really mindboggling is that they would choose to publicly reveal their motivations. Aren’t they embarrassed? If they think doing their children’s bidding makes them look like strong and intelligent leaders, they are very sadly mistaken. They look like idiots.
I recommend a book called “The Dumbest Generation,” by Mark Bauerlein. He demonstrates–quite alarmingly–how a generation blessed with technological advantages that should have made them incredibly smart and engaged in world events have instead used that technology to obsess about themselves and their friendships. They spend inordinate amounts of time text messaging, sending each other pictures and music, and talking about their lives, especially on social networking sites. Is it any wonder that when a fad comes along–and that’s what Obama is–they all go into herd mentality? Everyone has to think alike in order to “belong” and take part in the fun.
I applaud the young people who have the courage to stand up to the majority, about any issue or person. A few months ago I read an article written by a male student at Georgetown who was an ardent Hillary supporter. Needless to say, he wasn’t exactly Mr. Popularity on campus. He took a lot of abuse from his fellow students. But I strongly suspect many of them respected him–probably more than he will ever know.
It is disheartening that so many college kids can’t express an opinion without being profane, disrespectful and outright nasty. I know from personal experience that many of these kids have been coddled by parents who were more interested in being their children’s friends than exercising discipline and authority over them. I think the reason so many young people react to Obama on an almost irrational level is that they see him as Mr. Cool Guy who they would love to have as a friend. They aren’t deep thinkers searching for a principled leader who will tell them some unpleasant truths–they’re looking for the 2008 version of the guy everyone wants to have a beer with. The very same mindset that gave us eight years of George W. Bush.
Not to get overly dramatic, but the vitriol, selfishness and juvenile behavior I have seen coming from Obama’s young supporters during this campaign have caused me to worry about the future of this country. Maybe I’d feel better if I could find evidence that they know how to cogently express a thought other than “f*ck off bitch.” On the bright side, at least they know how to spell that.
Wonderful blog, UniversityofIowaJR. YOU give me hope.
My daughter goes to college in Pittsburgh. We must have done something right because she never got sucked into the omania.
We were very proud of her- when she came home for Christmas break, she asked how to get her absentee ballot. She helped lots of her campus friends get registered and reminded them to send in their absentee ballots.
It will be interesting to see where a lot of the college bots are come the fall when they all go back to campus after a summer at home away from the daily influence of the cult.
As the O brand changes the flavor from left to center, and backflips galore on it’s promise of change, the fad will die out.
O’boy is a fad, and as the real tedium of campaigning and governing begins, that fad is going to look more dull than cool.
I read an article a while back that outlined how on-campus Hillary supporters were mercilously ridiculed and pretty much had to go underground in their support, so it is widespread.
I posted this in a previous comment section, but feel it is also very germane to this discussion. So in case you missed it:
From a psychological assessment of Hitler’s power methods entitled, “Hitler As His Associates Know Him”
He is “…able to muster and organize his people into an efficient smooth-running unit…everybody has a single thought in mind. To do what the Fuehrer wishes.”
He recognizes “the inestimable value of winning the support of youth; realization of the immense momentum given a social movement by the wild fervor and enthusiasm of young people as well as the importance of early training and indoctrination.”
He strives to “appeal to the most primitive, as well as the most ideal inclinations in man, to arouse the basest instincts and yet cloak them with nobility, justifying all actions as means to the attainment of an ideal goal”
He understands that the “masses are as hungry for a sustaining ideology in political action as they are for daily bread. Any movement which does not satisfy this spiritual hunger in the masses will not mobilize their whole-hearted support…”
Please read the Boston Globe’s long expose (Boston.com) of what occurred in Chicago during Obama’s tenure as a local organizer, then legislator. When Hillary called out Obama and his slumlord connections during a debate, she got booed. Only now is media beginning to look into her charges and boy, do they ring true. The poor people in Obama’s district were left with nothing from all his “organizing”.