When Barack Obama stands on the steps of the Capitol and recites theoath of office, there will have been no single age demographic moreinfluential in his election than ours. Through the countlessofferings of Camp Obama, and the influx of new Students for BarackObama chapters, our generation is ready to make our voices heard.This is readily seen in Atlanta, where a Camp Obama session broughtout 185 concerned and active citizens, including a 17 year old whowants to work for change.
Ben Turner, a student at Southwest DeKalb High School, said he got"motivated to learn political organizing skills in part by problems at his high school, which he said has had malfunctioning air conditioning and crowded classes despite promises that improvements would be made."
Not content to sit on the sidelines and hope that someone would comealong to fix the problems that he and many others faced, Ben decidedto attend Camp Obama and learn the tools needed to run a successfulcampaign. "I've got to learn how to organize, not only for Obama, butfor when something needs to be done in my own community," said Turner.It is this message of hope and change that is driving people to CampObama, that is moving people to stand up, that is motivating ageneration thought to be adrift.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution wrote a solid article about Ben andothers who attended the Georgia Camp Obama, and I recommend it toanyone who wants to know how the grassroots movement is going.
If you want a completely unbiased and boring report about Barack Obama’s performance on the Daily Show, you probably should not be getting it from the Students For Barack Obama site. However, if you want to see it for yourself and make your own decision, well, that we can help you with. Watch below to see Obama’s stellar performance:
We asked our entire blog team to write up their own brief opinions, and after carefully sorting through all of those that were submitted, we picked the best:
“I thought that Obama really did an incredible job incorporating humor as well as seriousness into what turned out to be a great performance.”- Carey
"Obama addressed the core of what is wrong with our political system when he noted that too often political debate is not 'on the level.' It's so inspiring to see a sincere leader remain so even in a grueling campaign season laced with so much opportunity for gamesmanship. History shows us that serious problems are only solved when we have faith enough in one another to tell the truth; Barack continues to offer this brand of leadership to the American people." – Luke
“Barack Obama's performance on the Daily Show made me feel like anything was possible no matter what the odds. I felt the Cubs could win the World Series, I felt like Saturday Night Live could once again be funny, and I felt that a young, charismatic, brilliant politician could change the world.”-Jason
A phenomenon is occurring within the Obama campaign, with thousands upon thousands of students flocking to Barack, and supporting him through these very early stages of the 2008 Presidential election. Typically, the grass-roots youth movement swells, like Dean in '04 and Gore in '00, then dies down after a period of time. So it's important to note that the Obama youth movement is bucking this trend, and actually increasing momentum.
One of the reasons for this is that the main Obama campaign has firmly grasped the energy and enthusiasm of the youth movement, and has directed it in efficient and effective ways. One of these directions was the immensely successful Camp Obama.
In an article published in the Capital Times, the campus chapter of Students for Barack Obama for University of Wisconsin in Madison was profiled due to success not only in their state, but in the nearby state of Iowa. Andy Gordon, the group's campaign chair, attributed the continuing success the group has had to the fact that, "many of us have already been trained on how the caucuses work and what to do."
In fact, before school started, the dedicated members of the UW-Madison SFBO chapter were in contact with their counter-parts in Iowa, campaigning and helping out with various tasks. The group has also taken initiative in the new media area, encouraging Facebook participation, and using e-mail as a campaign tool.
The article focusing on this youth movement as well as the impact that the UW bunch has had can be found here.
Rock the Vote recently published on their official blog a post that will like excite the political junkies among us. It's about using Census Date to analyze the youth vote; thrilling to those who know and love means, medians and modes, and interesting to those like me who think the median is the part of the road you keep running into.
The article is entitled, "Researching Young Voters Using Census Data", and you guessed it, explains certain tendencies with young voters using the Census. All sarcasm aside, it is a fantastic piece with a ton of information, especially for a campaign that is being championed by young voters.
The article does not give you the conclusion, rather sets up the data and all of the information you need to draw your own conclusions. Everyday, you hear about this percentage of people voting this way, or this group wants that candidate, but the process is skipped over, and only the conclusions are being presented. Thankfully, Rock the Vote is different.
The SFBO blog staff urges all of you to look at the numbers and come to your own conclusions. We happen to know that no matter what way you slice and dice the numbers, young Americans are overwhelmingly in favor of change. And it's not secret to us that our candidate represents real change.
But by examining the numbers yourself, you become active in the process. And that's a great first step. Once again, you can click here to access the post over at Rock the Vote.
How many of you receive your daily news source from Jon Stewart? Don’t be bashful, like most progressive college students, I do as well. Jon Stewart’s show on Comedy Central is one of the most honest and critical variety shows that is one of the best news shows on cable. Lucky for all of us, Barack Obama will appear on the Daily Show next Wednesday, the 22nd of August.
And you could be there.
Head over to Obama’s website here, and invite your friends and family to join in support of Barack Obama. When they go to register at My. BarackObama, they will get the chance to share their story of support. The Obama camp will select the most interesting story and give them a free travel ticket as well as a ticket to the show. Plus, the person who invites them, hopefully you, will receive the same package.
So, start inviting your friends and family, and maybe you’ll get to laugh out loud live during one of Stewart’s infamous monologues.
The first Dinner with Barack was such a rousing success that the campaign decided to do it all over again. The list of people who were selected to join Obama over a casual dinner was released, and among the four lucky individuals is a concerned parent of an Autistic child, a senior citizen who is participating in her first political campaign, and an Air Force Veteran who served in the current war in Iraq.
All of them are a diverse and admirable group of people, but, the one that stands out to me, mainly due to the fact that she is a student like all of us, is Brittany Washington. Brittany is currently a student at Howard University, and her plans of service are as ambitious as Obama’s run for the Presidency.
She wants to join Teach for America, which is a program that sends college graduates across the nation to teach in underrepresented schools. A worthy goal, but Ms. Washington’s drive doesn’t stop there. She also plans on getting her doctorate in education and public policy, with a dream of opening up her own charter school.
Brittany has an understanding of the plight our public schools are in, as she is a volunteer in one of the toughest public school districts, Washington D.C. When asked about life in D.C. public schools, she said “The windows are broken out, and there are never enough chairs or lights. It's just ridiculous. And we expect these kids to compete with other kids who have chairs and windows."
Brittany’s story is just one of the four Obama will hear when he dines with these politically savvy individuals. Once again, the campaign has selected four people whose stories, while unique and remarkable, have similar ties to everyone watching and waiting for change. And while Brittany’s story, as well as Ms. Grossman’s, Mr. Wilson’s, and Ms. Unruh’s, are truly fantastic, it just shows that this campaign is reaching people of all backgrounds, and while doing so, bringing out the best in them.
Stay tuned for a recap of the dinner.
Barack Obama was in Washington D.C. today to deliver a speech at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Obama provided a step-by-step plan for how he will handle our current military situation once he is elected President. Above all, Obama wanted the American people to understand that even though he is adamantly against the war in Iraq, that does not equate to being soft on fighting terrorism.
After 9/11, our current administration led our nation to the wrong battlefield under false pretenses. Obama stated today that, “We did not finish the job against al Qaeda in Afghanistan. We did not develop new capabilities to defeat a new enemy, or launch a comprehensive strategy to dry up the terrorists' base of support. We did not reaffirm our basic values, or secure our homeland.”
Obama advocates a return to the real fight against terrorism, a fight that is fought on correct terms and correct battlefields, as he feels our current administration has only give us a false direction. Instead of fighting a noble and honorable war, “we got a color-coded politics of fear. Patriotism as the possession of one political party. The diplomacy of refusing to talk to other countries. A rigid 20th century ideology that insisted that the 21st century's stateless terrorism could be defeated through the invasion and occupation of a state. A deliberate strategy to misrepresent 9/11 to sell a war against a country that had nothing to do with 9/11.”
Obama’s plan is complex, befitting a drastic shift in foreign policy, yet the main points are as follows:
We need to get our soldiers out of Iraq, and let them fight terrorism where terrorism is, which includes Afghanistan and Pakistan. We need to develop partnerships and resources to capture terrorists and contain their networks and weapons. We need to end the support, be it financial, moral, or population that terrorists receive. We will not compromise our values, and we will regain the high ground.
It is important for all of us, whether you are a student, adult or child, to understand that our military conundrum that we are currently fighting is not going well. It’s important to understand that fighting this war without a concise plan will inevitably bring more danger to our homeland.
It’s important to understand by electing Obama, we elect a man with an intelligent plan to fight a war that is not being fought correctly.
You can read the entire speech here, or you can listen to selected clips here.
“It is time to turn the page, When I am President, we will wage the war that has to be won, with a comprehensive strategy with five elements: getting out of Iraq and on to the right battlefield in Afghanistan and Pakistan; developing the capabilities and partnerships we need to take out the terrorists and the world's most deadly weapons; engaging the world to dry up support for terror and extremism; restoring our values; and securing a more resilient homeland.”
A new ad from the Obama camp is making rounds in Iowa, and its message echoes the theme of the campaign as a whole, that of change. The advertisement, entitled “Take it Back” revolves around Obama’s charge to remove the extreme influence of lobbyists and Political Action Committees.
This ad really hits home, and hopefully will be a stalwart of the Obama for President run, as it continues the flagship message of "Change". This ad should be the standard for the campaign's future short-ads, as it was positive, uplifting, and filled with hope.
You can watch the ad here.
It does not come as a surprise to me that the political leanings of American students are generally to the left. What is surprising however is that the percentage of young Americans that think of themselves as liberal is increasing at an extreme rate.
An independent group called Democracy Corps did a survey of 1017 young people, ages 18-29, and the results are intriguing. Among likely voters, 55 percent of the youth polled would pick Barack Obama in the upcoming election, compared to only 40 percent for the leading Republican candidate. Additionally, university students choose Obama over anyone else, be it Democrat or Republican. Obama has a 27-point lead versus the GOP frontrunner.
For proof, you need to look no further than the Chicago Tribune today, where an article entitled, “Obama hones youthful image” explains the phenomenon. One of the reasons young people flock to Obama is because, “enthusiasm from a generation that is just coming of age fits with the message of optimism that Obama seeks to convey.”
Young Americans are also drawn to him for his early opposition to the Iraq War. “His early opposition to the war in Iraq links him to a political cause that is motivating many young people,” according to the Democracy Corps report. The survey reported that more than 60 percent of young Americans are extremely against the war, which makes sense because young Americans are the ones fighting the war.
In 2004, 56 percent of people aged 18-31 voted for the Democratic nominee John Kerry, but in 2006, the youth vote was 60-38 in favor of the Democrats for Congress. Furthermore, over the last two elections, (one presidential, one non-presidential), youth turnout is increasing. These are the two most telling statistics, as more and more American students are voting liberal, and more and more young Americans are coming out to vote.
We hold the fate of our country in our hands. We actually have the power to affect change in America. We young Americans can no longer tolerate being a generation of apathy. We must lead our peers into a position of power and influence. Barack Obama shares our hopes and reflects our dreams. We don’t need surveys or articles to tell us why young people come to him in droves, but it’s nice to realize that the rest of the country has come to realize that it is time for our generation to make stand.
Barack Obama spoke at the College Democrats Annual National Convention in South Carolina, and, surprise surprise, stole the show. The convention is designed for politically concerned college students to get together and discuss important beliefs and ideals, and once again the message presented by Obama echoes the concerns of our nation’s youth.
The theme of Obama’s speech was the need for our generation to step up and get involved, as well as scolding politicians for taking granted the efforts that our generation is engaged in. Obama threw down the metaphorical gauntlet, saying, “Now, in this election, it’s our turn. It’s your generation’s turn to write a new page.”
The Chicago Sun-Times had a nice piece entitled Prove Cynics Wrong on Obama’s belief that our generation is no longer one of apathy and ignorance, “Barack Obama urged college-age Democrats to defy conventional wisdom that young people are politically apathetic, telling them America needs a new generation of leadership and they need to spread the word on campuses by getting out the vote.”
The Associated Press reported on Obama’s understanding of the compromise that will be required for the next President of the United States. Obama told the enthralled audience about his plans for being a uniter, stating "the reason that this president has failed to lead this country is because he hasn't been able to unite our country. He's polarized us when he should have pulled us together." With Obama’s charisma and intelligence, I do not think winning over the other side of the political spectrum will be that difficult, and with the amount of applause and appreciated of the crowd, I think they feel the same.
While Obama’s speech is a highlight that will get mainstream attention, another highlight which will sadly be glossed over is the fact that so many devoted and involved college students showed up and had a great time arguing over politics.
Several Students for Barack Obama members showed up to the event with cameras flashing, and some of the photos are below:
Barack Obama had another rousing debate performance on Monday night, and the reviews have been extremely positive.
A CNN Focus Group in New Hampshire on the night of the debate reported that, "Barack Obama got the most favorable in terms of the best performance from the 24 people who are here tonight." Furthermore, individual answers were rated high, "Senator Barack Obama was showing some favorable responses to his answers. particularly when he spoke about fighting lobbyists, specifically on healthcare."
The mainstream media was not the only press that was raving about Obama. An editorial in Blue State entitled Obama Wins Democratic Debate stated, "The CNN-Youtube Democratic presidential debate came and went. Our editors have voted, and we agree that it was Barack's night. Tonight he also appeared very presidential, pragmatic and charismatic."
In my opinion, his best review came from the American Prospect, which wrote, "Barack Obama owned this debate. He started off with a series of clear, crisp answers that deftly turned questions to his advantage, and he was doing that Obama thing that he does where he manages to look luminous and transcendent, as if he just stepped out of a Wordsworth poem, trailing clouds of glory. (He doesn't do this all the time, but when he does, watch out -- this is when he binds people to him.) While there were a many other good reviews, the last one that I wanted to point out was one on a specific theme that played a huge part in the debate. Obama critiqued lobbyist's influence on the other candidates, as well as the negative effect they can have on national politics. The Washington Post said, "He castigated lobbyists and special interests in Washington, offering a sweeping condemnation of business as usual (by both parties) in the nation's capital. 'We don't need just a change in political parties,' said Obama. 'We need a change in attitudes of the people representing Americans.'"
With a vote of 78-18, the HEAA was re-affirmed in the Senate, and is now heading to a Joint Committee to iron out the differences between the House and Senate bill. While Senator Obama was not in D.C. today to vote on the piece of legislation, his ardent support and vigorous work on this issue has earned him a spot on the above mentioned Joint Committee.
In fact, the first bill Senator Obama introduced on the Senate floor was the Higher Education Opportunity Through Pell Grant Expansion Act, which points the Higher Education Act in the same direction as the one that was just passed. The Republican-controlled Congress killed that bill in committee, yet now that progressives control both houses, the ideals found in Obama's first action can be brought to fruition.
Sen. Ted Kennedy, the Chairman of Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee described the benefits of the bill as, "immediately increasing the number of Pell grant recipients and the amount of aid, simplifying the financial aid process for low-income students, restricting the amount monthly student loan payments to 15% of their discretionary income, forgiving the debts of those who commit to public service, and reforming the student loan system so it works for students, not banks." (link to where you found quote)
As students, one of our most pressing issues is the burden of debt many of us have when we leave school. While some of us will not see a dime from this HEAA, as our burdens are less, those that need help will be more likely to receive it. Low-income families will receive the largest chunk, and middle-income will receive the rest. This is a progressive, just, and financial equitable solution to the rising costs of higher education.
It's time for everyone, regardless of income, to be able to afford some type of higher education. When Obama stood as a freshman Senator and argued for our rights as students, argued for more government assistance in terms of financial aid, when he was pushed aside by those unwilling to take money away from the lenders, he did not back down. And he will continue to fight for equal opportunities for all classes of Americans.
Donna Brazile, a writer for the D.C.- based Roll Call, recently about Senator Obama's ability to speak truth to power. Normally, I would describe Obama's speaking style as charismatic, or inspiring. Brazile agrees that he is full of optimism and exuberance, however, she argues that what Americans need is just a little bit of anger, and only recently has Obama found his "presidential voice".
Brazile was the campaign manager for Al Gore in 2000, and currently runs her own grass-roots political consulting firm, so when she discusses what candidates should and should not do, campaigns pay attention. Her belief is that "voters sometimes confuse anger with power, thinking that candidates who express raw emotion can effect the change they seek."
Obama has been able, without exhibiting the anger that typically candidates need, to win over those who are expecting candidates to speak truth to power. A good example of this change is Brazile's discussion of Obama's willingness to compromise. At first, Brazile writes "he often left us feeling that he may be too willing to compromise to create the hopeful and positive new direction for the country that he so often talks about."
Now, with his presidential voice, "Obama understands the importance of reaching across the partisan divide and working with Republicans, he also has a clear understanding of the Democratic principles of fairness, security and opportunity for all. And he stands ready to champion those issues on behalf of those who are trying to make the American dream their reality as well as those who live it as their everyday existence."
His ability to speak truth to power without the anger that we have so long been accustomed to is refreshing, and Brazile believes that "Obama is finally hitting his groove. He is sharing a personal narrative and spouting a record of achievement that distinguishes and defines him. He is forging a message that can both motivate the base needed to win the primaries and yet appeal to the swing voters so crucial in the general election."
We, as students, have been searching for a candidate to inspire us. We were looking for a candidate to speak to us not as kids, but as Americans. We were looking for a candidate to speak truth to power speech not wrought with anger. The article is just more evidence that we’ve found him.
The Students for Barack Obama Blog continually highlights Senator Obama’s continual support of the United States Armed Services by his ardent demands to bring them home from a war that needs not to be fought. I for one have written several posts discussing Obama’s stance that the War on Terror is an honorable war, but Iraq is not the right battleground to wage it. Obama’s fears became a reality today when a declassified National Intelligence Estimate confirmed what he has been saying since 2002.
Obama released a statement saying, “This morning's declassified NIE is a chilling reminder of what we have feared all along. After almost six years, awesome sacrifices by our brave men and women in uniform, and hundreds of billions of dollars spent, we are no safer than we were on 9/11. This is a consequence of waging a misguided war in Iraq that should never have been authorized, and failing to seize the opportunity to do lasting harm to the extremist networks that pose a direct threat to our homeland. It is deeply troubling that more that nearly six years after 9/11, al Qaeda maintains a safe haven, an intact leadership, and the capability to plan further attacks. It is time to act to correct those mistakes, and the first step is to get out of Iraq, because you can't win a war when you're on the wrong battlefield.”
It’s young Americans who are fighting this war. It’s young Americans who are honorably engaged in an ongoing conflict. And it is young Americans like you that have an opportunity through the political system to stand with Barack Obama and say:
We have had enough. We are ready for change.
MyDirectDemocracy, a self-described “group blog designed to discuss the progressive movement and political power”, featured an article Sunday entitled Barack and the Youth Vote. The blog focused on the various ways youth participation effects the direction and enthusiasm of the Obama for America campaign, and much like the bloggers for Students for Barack Obama, the author over at MyDD feels that this is a breathtaking new phenomenon.
The blog post rearticulates topics and ideas that SFBO bloggers have written on, including Camp Obama, fundraising, and the active part young Americans are playing in this campaign. The author went so far as to cite the Students for Barack Obama Blog, and the effort we are putting into presenting pertinent information as fast and as eloquently as we can.
Our SFBO blog got a vote of confidence from this article, and while all of us here thank the blogger for pointing us out to MyDD’s readership, we do not plan on resting on our laurels. All of us on the blog team believe that once people see Senator Obama’s platform, listen to one of his speeches, read one of his books or participate in a campaign events, Obama’s natural leadership, charisma and intelligence will win them over.
We are going to keep on writing like we have been, but we are also going to work on ways to bring people to our blog. We have several ideas in the works and will presenting them in the weeks to come as we look to take the blog in a new direction.
