January 23, 2008

Our Voices, Our Future National Tour

Posted by Sarah Burris at 5:45PM

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"Through visits to high schools, colleges and young professional events, Chelsea Clinton, Members of Congress, and prominent Hillary backers will reach out to young people and inspire and mobilize support for the campaign. New supporters will be encouraged to engage their social networks in support of Hillary.

“Young people have always been a voice for change. Throughout my campaign, I’ve heard students and young professionals speak about the challenges we face and the solutions they’d like to see, from an education policy that makes college affordable to a health care policy that provides quality care to all Americans,” said Clinton. “Young Americans are thinking about our future and making their voices heard during this election, and I am listening, and I’ll be sure to continue to listen in the White House.”

South Carolina news reported the youth uprising today as well

"The question facing Obama, U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York and former U.S. Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina this week is whether these enthusiastic young voters will show up in large enough numbers Saturday to decide the state’s Democratic primary.

The stakes are high for the candidate who can mobilize the 612,000 eligible S.C. voters younger than 29.

Last Saturday’s GOP primary drew 44,000 young voters, according to exit polls. That was only 10 percent of the total turnout of 443,000. In contrast, 35 percent of the Republican voters last Saturday were over age 60. That trend relegated Mike Huckabee, who blitzed college campuses last week, to second place behind John McCain, who won with older voters."

Reuters reports a double digit lead Obama has on Clinton 43/25, leaving a mind to wonder if Clinton has written off SC and decided to move forward with Feb 5th states. Which brings about the race question again. Since the recent battles over race, Clinton has continued to slip in polls among African Americans and young voters.

Clinton's attempts to reach out to young voters might prove too little too late, but her outreach is exciting. For someone so firmly embedded in the establishment to recognize the importance and power of young voters is great progress! I wish her luck, but I also worry that because she was so late to the party it might not prove as fruitful - thus if it doesn't she could perpetuate the false stereotype that young people don't participate and they don't vote.