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.