Reason to Believe Youth Will Pull Through

Youth tour in Wisconsin

The youth were supposed to put John Kerry over the top, but they didn't come out in numbers that were expected. This time is different. At least that's my hope. The youth vote is needed to make up for the expected percent of the population who would vote against Obama because he is black. There is evidence that the younger voter (18-35) will vote in force because they have been fueling Obama's campaign. They are invested.

Atlantic: Every four years, it seems, especially among Democrats, the idea that the youth vote will rise up and make a difference gets bandied about excitedly and then … well, not much happens. Young people were supposed to put Al Gore over the top in 2000; four years later, they were supposed to deliver the Democratic nomination to Howard Dean. This year, the youth excitement has attached itself to Barack Obama. But unlike in the past, there’s reason to expect that this enthusiasm might produce real results.

In past cycles, anecdotal evidence of increased youth involvement—the media’s fixation on “Rock the Vote,” say, or on Howard Dean’s Internet supporters—never translated to the polls: no tidal wave of young voters ever materialized. But for Obama, one has. Take Iowa: In 2000, Democratic caucus voters younger than 30 made up about 9 percent of the electorate. In the 2008 Democratic caucus, they made up nearly a quarter. If Obama can replicate that turnout in a general election, he’ll have a very good shot at becoming president.

University of Pennsylvania Students Back Obama

a recent poll showed the majority of students supported obama over clinton. what's better, they say they're going to vote:

Among Penn students, 73 percent of registered Democrats favor Obama for the nomination, compared to just 26 percent for Clinton - who appeared in Colbert's show, filmed on campus, last night in an appeal to young voters before Tuesday's primary.

Penn's numbers are also comparable to statewide data - according to the poll, which also includes data from campuses across Pennsylvania, 71 percent of students supported Obama, with 28 percent favoring Clinton.

The trends revealed in the poll are not surprising for a college campus. Obama has won the youth vote in almost every state since the nominating process began in January.

But the poll did reveal that whomever they support, roughly nine in 10 students are paying attention to the election, with 86 percent declaring that they are likely to vote in the primary.

Wisconsin Students Turn out for Obama

71% - nearly 3 out of every 4 voters - between the ages of 18 and 29 voted for Senator Obama in Tuesday's primary.

students for obama

Obama Laundry 101

university of wisconsin rally tonight.
the students for obama campaign is working out of Laundry 101, a coin operated laundrymat with a bar in madison. Wisconsin votes feb. 19.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Barack Obama has promised a new kind of politics, and based on the look of his campaign headquarters here, he's delivering.

Obama's campaign is working out of a small space in a coin-operated laundry that has a full bar, a dry cleaner, arcade games and television sets. It's a far cry from the storefronts and offices that campaigns typically call home.

The business, Laundry 101, is popular with University of Wisconsin-Madison students and has won national attention as an interesting place to do laundry and - this being Wisconsin - have a beer. Owner Zach Brandon is a city council member and Obama supporter.

"It has to be the most unique campaign headquarters anywhere in the United States," Gov. Jim Doyle said during a news conference there Monday. "It's the most unique Laundromat anywhere, and it's the most unique headquarters."

Doyle spoke near an arcade hunting game called "Call of the Wild." Behind him, students volunteering for Obama typed on their laptops.

Niel Moser, a campaign volunteer who was painting signs Tuesday afternoon, said he enjoyed the atmosphere.

"This is amazing. You've got everything you could want: a Laundromat, a bar and a dry cleaner," he said. With a laugh, he added: "When I walked in here, I said, 'We're going to have a clean sweep.'" madison daily

governor jim doyle at the laundry room 101