February 1, 2008

A Day on the Road in South Carolina with SAVE

Posted by Sarah Burris at 3:33PM

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Friday - aka primary eve in South Carolina, a group of students with SAVE hosted their second candidate forum asking questions that concern young voters and voting rights. Sen. John Edwards faced a crowd of young people eager to ask questions. Given the focus this election on the uprising of young voters, young volunteers, and enthusiastic young folks SAVE is playing an important role in mandating the candidates talk about their issues.

"Edwards, born in South Carolina, focused on the economy -- South Carolina lost 6,000 jobs last month alone -- and made a straight favorite-son pitch, showing off his parents and pointing out that Clinton and Obama's feud reflect New York and Chicago politics (almost as if the state of "Pitchfork" Ben Tillman, Strom Thurmond and Lee Atwater was a stranger to the culture of bare-knuckled campaigning).

“You have been forgotten too long, and I will not forget you,” Edwards told the kids, urging them to be part of a "tidal wave of change." Says the NY Daily News

Once I met up with the leaders of SAVE - Matthew Segal (Illinois) and Kate Barney (Atlanta), and Hannah Ahern (New York) and asked a few questions, we quickly saw that we were kindred spirits in the youth movement.

"The turnout at our Edwards event shows that young voters are energized to learn substance and issues rather than slogans and catch phrases.

"Edwards talked about Washington being too polarizing and the polarization between the parties creates a negative atmosphere for young voters who are subsequently turned off by politics. He said that negative attacks fail to bring issues such as health care, the environment, the war, and the economy to the forefront. It deludes the dialogue in this country.

"He further discussed the importance of removing voting barriers. He said the last thing we need to do is disenfranchise eligible voters, particularly young ones who have an idealistic view of the process."

We then embarked on a day of Candidate Hopping - trying to find every event for every candidate we could.

Sen. Hillary Clinton was next. On street corners in Columbia, SC, volunteers held giant signs and implored us to Honk for Hillary. Two miles down the road a group of Obama supporters asked us to do the same. We did both times, eager to make noise and cause a ruckus.

In a nearby town probably 5 miles from Columbia the South Carolina Democratic Party was hosting a hot dog fundraiser where representatives of each of the campaigns were speaking. Former Congressman John Bonior for Sen. Edwards and Sen. Clinton herself who brought along her good friends Rep. Charlie Rangle chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, and David Dinkins -- the former mayor of New York City.

While the event was hosted by the State Party those working for the event were all young. I later found out that the party got the Young Democrats of South Carolina to serve their hot dogs to the crowds of people who turned out for a $25 hot dog with Hillary.

Filled to the brim with middle aged (and older) women, it seemed the only young people in the audience were kids being dragged along for the drive. When I'd see the perfect looking young person to ask about the event they would generally turn revealing press credentials or that they were HillStaff.

Finally a huge group of young people - I'd say lower twenties - walked by me - hotdogs in hand. I quickly stopped them to ask questions.

"Oh.... we're not from here. We're volunteers from Eastern Kentucky University," I decied this was a conspiracy.

Heather Ellis, 22, Political Science Major from EKU was here with her American Chief Executive class as a field trip to see politics in an up close and detailed way.

Are you a Hillary Clinton fan?

"No.... I'm a republican. There are about 25 of us here volunteering for democratic candidates, or the party, or just observing as neutral people..."

Who are you supporting for President?

"I actually really like John McCain. His opinion on Iraq is something I can agree with. He not only talks about a topic he actually gives a plan of action, how he plans to do it."

Are you volunteering for his campaign?

"I haven't yet. I've actually spent more time volunteering for democrats because of this trip. Kentucky's primary isn't until March so its not as big a deal."

Do you know if McCain has a big youth following?

"Well, he's a much older candidate... much much older. Older than dirt, so I don't know what he's doing with youth, but I like his plans of action."

What do you think about all of this - the primary, this election... everything?

"Its an interesting process. Its exciting to be involved in, and something to take very seriously. When young people step up and meet the requirements its nice when we can finally be appreciated."

Senator Clinton spoke with excitement and enthusiasm and the crowd was engaged and happy to applaud. Women for Hillary and Health Care Voter signs dotted the crowd.

She talked about the need to "Scrap No Child Left Behind," "Bring our Constitution out of cold storage," and "Act like Americans again." No mention of young voters, but a brief acknowledgment for the need of more affordable college tuition "for your children."

I'd say the final tally was probably 50 people under 30 in the audience, but that might have more to do with the fact that a hot dog was $25.

We weren't about to pay that, not to mention the long line that meandered through the parking lot. We clearly circumvented the volunteers at the front and came in a back door where all the media trucks were. I had my laptop and press pass around my neck, Matt and Kate, oozing confidence, were wearing suits and looked like they were meant to be there. No one asked questions and we got a front row seat to Senator Clinton. That said, we didn't eat their food... that would have been dishonest. Its entirely possible, however, that the SCDP is going to send me a bill for $75.

This might be a good point to mention that I chose South Carolina as another state to report from because I thought it would be warmer than Kansas and I wanted to flee the freeze. Not really working out the way I planned.

Next was Sen. Obama. We ran some quick errands thinking that if we showed up two hours, before the event began, at 10:45pm, that we'd get good seats. We were wrong. Two hours before the event even began there was a line around the block and down the street in the freezing Carolina night.

Again, my friends in suits, warmed only by our own hot air and audacity, walked around the building where the line began and stood in another line that seemed to be for VIPs. We went through security and were admitted into the event before anyone asked us who we were and what we were doing.

"That guy told us to come over here...." I said vaguely.

What guy?

"The tall one, with the dark hair. There he is!" and we made a run for it into the event - seating slightly left of center in the fourth row - behind the VIPs and the reserved seating. People in their 40's could never get away with this.

We waited two more hours while the auditorium that was filled to capacity all the way to the 2nd balcony, all with eager people who were clearly "Fired up!" and "Ready to GO!"

What was remarkably different from all of the other candidates, and from all of the events I attended in Iowa, was the community participation. An hour before the event started - with the place nearly filled, a local high school gospel choir took the stage with their band to perform the most most incredible performance I've ever seen. Hands raised high, clapping, stomping, feeling the power of music, of soul, and of change.

After them was a young man who played a violin piece with a hip-hop style mixed with an MLK speech as a hook. When I've see groups like the American Democracy Institute at one of their summits encouraging young people to impact their world and empower change in their own way - not just through politics but through playing - music, dancing, singing, and more I think about it in more of a traditional way. You know, things like documentaries or P!ink's new album or the Dixie Chicks. These people were the embodiment of those who are enacting change and empowering themselves to be heard in the best and one of the most profound ways I've ever seen.

Obama's rally was revival. It was the movement everyone talks about. I didn't get to see this in Iowa. I saw enthusiasm and excitement from all campaigns but this was something different. Two straight hours of high energy audience run activism. Chanting, several rounds of the wave, loud proclamations about being FIRED UP... it was the most powerful social movement I have ever witnessed in my life.

Alex sat down next to me. He was dressed nicely in a white button-up shirt, black slacks and a bright red bow-tie. He did NOT look like he belonged there. We deemed him the leader of "Bow-ties for Obama." As it turns out Alex is a republican who voted last week for his favorite candidate Mitt Romney. He loves the Governor - but fears that he's both unelectable and will probably not win the nomination. If that happens and he's faced with the likes of candidates Huckabee or McCain, Alex says he's going Obama.

Bright smile and just as amazed as I was, Alex pointed out that concerts he's been to at the auditorium that hadn't been as full as the event. He over heard us talking about Hillary's electability and coattails and agreed that a lot of the newly elected members of Congress are going to have a hard time running with Clinton at the top of the ticket.

"I know. I'm from here," he said.

If you thought the event couldn't get more insane with excitement and energy, throw the Senator into the mix. Obama came out to a crowd that stood jumping up and down and shouting for an entire hour. Through half of it I called my mom to let her hear the speech. She said she could barely hear Obama speaking but said she could tell that it was packed full of people who were screaming.

People not only cheered when they were supposed to - but they cheered when they weren't supposed to - totally unbridled by traditional polite crowd report folks shouted back as if empowered by the moment. Think of a Baptist Church or a tent revival. People were shouting AMEN - and at one point when Obama made a comment about starting out months ago when no one knew his name a woman in the back shouted "THEY DO NOW!" Obama laughed and for a solid minute the crowd erupted into chants of his name.

"I've never seen a crowd so excited. It was inspiring to see something as enthusiastic as a rock concert for a political event. If this is what we are seeing for politics it bodes well for our generation" Segal later told me.

It was well after midnight by the time we left the venue and we were too fired up and ready to go to crash for the night. So we went to the Flying Saucer - a bar with like 500 beers on tap. That was where I met Joe - a non college grad who was not voting because he didn't care.

"What does it matter," he said as he checked my ID. "I don't bitch about politics either. I just don't care."

It was an insane day with a range of thoughts and opinions about the election. One thing is for certain - this is the first time in my life I've seen anything like it. I think my generation will talk about this election for a long time.