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Bush targets young voters through website
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by Stacy Waite
Wednesday, March 31, 2004
President Bush and Vice President Cheney launched a new website last week to target young voters.
The site, which is the first in a series of up to 10 more to be released in the next few months, is designed to “energize,” engage and empower young voters in the political process in support of Bush’s campaign.
The site’s Midwest representative did not return calls Monday, but according to a press release about the site, Bush campaign manager Ken Mehlman feels it is important to target young voters.
“Young voters will play a key role in the November elections,” Mehlman said. “We want to make sure that they are an integral part of our grassroots organization at a national level.”
The website offers a link to the results of the recent “March to Victory” contest, a grassroots effort that encourages volunteer recruitments from college students across the nation. The contest rounded up more than 7,000 volunteers to promote the Bush campaign in its first six days and will continue to recruit until April 2.
Thirty-two states are participating in the contest, and Michigan is leading the effort with 983 recruits.
The release also states that recent polls show President Bush leading over Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry among young voters.
According to a Harvard University poll released last October, better than 60 percent of college students are satisfied with Bush’s performance in office.
For UW junior Sofia Gaudioso, Bush’s website is an attempt to reach out to the college demographic, most of which she believes is composed of liberals.
“I don’t think that a medium young people use is going to change the fact that he is too conservative for the majority of our generation,” Gaudioso said, adding that she believes his policies are “contrary” to those college students believe in.
But University of Wisconsin co-chair of Students for Bush and second vice chair for College Republicans Jessica Schober believes the website will not only promote Bush’s campaign but the conservative view in general.
“I think for me personally,” Schober said. “What [the website does] is it finally unites the conservative voices at campuses nationally. [The site] provides a link between all the different universities involved, and you can check out and see what other clubs are doing — it allows states to network, and you can get great ideas.”
Schober said Students for Bush is presently focusing on recruitment. UW ranks ninth in the site’s volunteering effort, she said.
“There’s so much talk about how liberal Madison is, and when I first came here I was afraid to speak out because I figured I would get attacked,” Schober said.
Schober said interested students can attend the Students for Bush 5:30 p.m. kickoff at Bullfeather’s Wednesday, where Congressman Scott Klug, 2nd District, will be speaking to members.
