The Youth Vote in 2008: Students Flood New Hampshire on Eve of Primary

[babylonsister]

Such great news! On Dem. Now! today:

http://www.democracynow.org/2008/1/7/the_youth_vote_in_2008_students


The Youth Vote in 2008: Students Flood New Hampshire on Eve of Primary

Students from across the country have flooded New Hampshire on the eve of the nation’s first primary there. We speak with three Princeton University students who are campaigning for different Democratic candidates and the teacher who brought them there.

The first Presidential primary is just one day away and campaigning is at a frenzied pace in New Hampshire. Candidates are gearing up for a day of meetings, rallies and house gatherings in a last-minute push for votes for the party nominations.

In the Democratic race, two new polls show Barack Obama with a whopping double digit lead over Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire after earlier ones suggested he had drawn level. A USA Today/Gallup poll said Obama had opened up a 13-point lead over Clinton. The same poll showed John Edwards running a distant third.

On the Republican side, surveys indicate John McCain is leading in New Hampshire. The USA Today/Gallup poll said McCain had a 4-point advantage over Mitt Romney with Mike Huckabee—the Republican winner in Iowa—way back.

New Hampshire has been flooded with campaign volunteers of every stripe, but the story of 2008 is the youth vote. Melissa Harris Lacewell is an associate professor of Politics and African-American Studies at Princeton University. She is leading a group of Princeton students in New Hampshire to volunteer with the Presidential campaigns of their choice.

Melissa Harris-Lacewell, Associate Professor of Politics and African-American Studies at Princeton University. She is leading a group of Princeton students to volunteer with the Presidential campaigns of their choice.

Melody Chan, Princeton University student volunteering for Barack Obama’s campaign in New Hampshire.

Regina Lee, Princeton University student volunteering for Hillary Clinton’s campaign in New Hampshire.

Michael Collins, Princeton University student volunteering for Dennis Kucinich’s campaign in New Hampshire.

[pegleg]

1. I would never pin my hopes on the student vote

Historically, alot of talk but very low turnout in the general elections.

[babylonsister]

2. If the Iowa caucus is any indication, that could be changing. nt

[cmaff05]

4. True

But we will need to see more evidence of that. Hopefully the New Hampshire and South Carolina youth come out in full force during their primaries. Only then will I say that Obama can rely on the youth vote.

[cali]

3. Also low turnout in the primaries

but that's changed- clearly. And in 2004, they did turnout, although they didn't turnout the way they evidently will this year.

[pegleg]

5. I believe the college turnout in '04 was only about 18% - far below

expectations and probably caused a dem loss.

[cali]

7. voters between 18-29 were up considerably in 2004.

And the expectations were'nt that high.

[pegleg]

10. true, but it varied from region to region.

[hayu_lol]

6. If Obama pulls this one off...he has probably got the nomination...

As a Hillary supporter, what I heard overnight was that the line up right now is approximately this:

Obama: 43% and rising

Clinton: 27/30% and falling slightly

Edwards: 23%(best he has done in the numbers so far)

NH has about 44% indie voters. The youth movement, all organized on cell phones(no polls)is predominently behind Obama(as in Iowa), and the large number it appears to be of Repugnant crossover voters.

Hillary is getting no middle-aged/older white males, but good response from older women.

It plays out this way:

In Iowa, Obama took about 40%. Edwards/Hillary tied at 30% each for 60% of the vote. Edwards attempts to link with Obama for the debates--Obama being the guy to get next to leaving Hillary alone and vulnerable. Voters may not have liked the tag team set up. Obviously Edwards was attempting to dump Hillary and vice versa. Both failed. Had Biden and Dodd not dropped out, the situation might have been different.

: I understand that a search and rescue unit has been out combing the wood of NH looking for Dennis who did not show up where he was supposed to be. News at 11.

If Obama pulls this off, it is likely that the black support in SC, much of it belonging to Clinton, will end up being solid in support of Obama...who already has worked the heck out of SC. One can predict that a win for Obama in NH equates to a win for him in SC.

Doesn't matter at that point what Nevada does. On to Super Tuesday and the end of the contest. Unless the usual southern problems surface in the near future, looks to me that Obama has the nom.

[cmaff05]

8. Huh?

": I understand that a search and rescue unit has been out combing the wood of NH looking for Dennis who did not show up where he was supposed to be. News at 11."

Could you elaborate here? Maybe I'm missing something here, or are you saying Kucinich is MIA?

[Imagevision]

9. After Bushco, why would anyone trust the repugs again...?