Candidates talking down to youth...let's help them "get it"!

[helleborient]

Yesterday, I read a heartfelt editorial in our local university's student newspaper explaining how that particular college student felt very offended by the entire Rock the Vote debate. The primary issue was being talkded down to...a focus on computers, pot, and rap music, to the exclusion of a number of serious issues. This particular student, and I would suspect a significant number of others, did not appreciate the candidates trying to appear "hipper" than other candidates. They wanted them to look like national leaders and act like national leaders.

The State of Illinois runs public service ads on the radio here that point out that communicating with your teenage children is not always easy...but one of the first things to aovid is trying to look "hip" and embracing their culture. That is perceived as pandering or being talked down to. If the State of Illinois gets this...we need to help our candidates and our party to "get it" too. These young adults are too important to lose by gimmicky, offensive pandering.

[La_Serpiente]

1. How do we do it though?

The CNN debate was terrible in its entirety. The Democratic candidates don't even know what they are doing either (that is the impression I am getting). Same with Bush as well. Maybe it is time to take out the Democrats and put in some younger faces. I don't mean in the presidential sense, but on the national scene like in the house and at the state and municipal levels.

I wouldn't know how to do it, but somehow, the generation of the presidential candidates needs to merge with the youth generation. The Democratic party needs to enact seroius reforms.

[eyesroll]

2. I wrote a blog entry about this...

I'm 28, so I'm out of the 18-24 demographic but still somehow in the target audience of the whole "Rock the Vote" thing.

There's a campaign called "Declare Yourself," which has a noble mission (voter registration) but a terrible execution. It features Norman Lear, Drew Barrymore and others. It's a zine-styled page that, to me, screams "marketing consultant" rather than "DIY/grassroots."

The Rock the Vote site is actually asking people to "vote your video" -- I realize you're supposed to just be rating the videos, but it just sends the message that young people are to be swayed with hip-hop and rapid-fire imagery.

I used the term "perpetual moron machine" to describe this sort of marketing. I think it fits.

[poskonig]

3. I agree.

I'm 24 and was also somewhat insulted by some of the questions, though in most cases, I realize the candidates themselves weren't responsible for them.

[helleborient]

4. But they were responsible for talking about hip hop...

I'm sorry but I don't really believe Wesley Clark cares about Outkast...but then I do and I'm 37, I don't know.

And Howard Dean was able to sing part of "Ms. Jackson" in an interview and praises Wyclef.

http://www.blacksfordean.com/newslog/archives/00000055.html

I guess I just think if you really care about hip hop and want to talk about it...work it in to your talk as something important...not to just try to look "hipper than thou."

[JI7]

5. so am i

i'm 24 also. but i know many around the same age who are mostly ignorant of the issues so i don't really blame the candidates. those who want discussion of more serious issues should attend events that are not targeted to younger voters if they want real discussion rather than pop culture.

[helleborient]

6. Most voters are mostly ignorant of the issues regardless of age...

I think it is the responsibility of the candidates to address everyone 18 and over as adults.

[JI7]

7. well

weren't they asked those questions ? that one girl asked who they want to party with. what a waste of chance to ask candidates a question that was.

[helleborient]

8. Those who asked the questions also told the media afterwards...

They were given the questions by CNN...and some protested against having to ask such stupid questions, but were given the option of asking or not participating.

[JI7]

10. i thought it was just one question

i thought it was just one person who asked a question that said after that they were given the question. it was a question about computers i think. is there any article or source which tells of other questions being given by cnn ? there should be a bigger issue made of this. but even if true, the candidates were still asked about it. they don't have much choice on that. unless there is evidence the candidates knew about questions being given by cnn which i doubt. but even on du you saw how everyone enjoyed clark's outkast video. and i assume most on here are not considered part of the "youth vote". it still comes down to the people having to be more into the issues.

[helleborient]

13. I'm not trying to trash the candidates...

I just think any or all of them would be better candidates at engaging youth voters if they dropped the necessity of having to show similar pop culture interests or sports interests, and instead talked to them like the experienced government leaders they are.

It was certainly possible for any of the candidates to critique the questions they were asked.

[JI7]

14. i know

i don't think you were trying to trash the candidates or anything. i have a problem with a lot of this also. but then i also see how people aren't very much into these things and are so uninformed. i blame the media for most of it.

[helleborient]

16. The media is such an easy target...

And I don't mean to attack you at all - I address the media stuff as a bigger issue.

You know, if the media is so bad - get people to go to journalism school and take it over!!!

Too many Democrats sound just like Republicans when Bill Clinton was President.

The media is a business - the left wing controls Hollywood movies, by and large - and the television news is moving rightward, but it changes over time - and we're not helpless, dammit!!

[Lydia Leftcoast]

9. As a former college professor

I know that the professors who tried to act "hip" were considered ridiculous. The trick was to be approachable and yet maintain your own dignity.

While their emotional maturity may vary, 18-year-olds have adult cognitive skills, and besides, there is no one "youth" mindset.

Jobs, education, and the draft are certainly issues that should resonate with a young audience, but I doubt that any young voters really require their candidate to be familiar with hip-hop.

The consultants may be reading too much into Bill Clinton's appearance on the Arsenio Hall Show back in 1992. Yes, he played his saxophone, but it was more a matter of showing himself as a "regular guy" than of trying show off his hipness with a ...saxophone(?)

[helleborient]

11. Bill Clinton was masterful at some of this...

His efforts to reach people where they were.

That is why he showed up on MTV, but when he was on MTV, he was still the "Bill Clinton" that he was everywhere else.

Singing Outkast lyrics is not really the "Howard Dean" we see everywhere else...or Wesley Clark talking about Outkast...they need to do some work to pull the images together to have it look like a multi-faceted person, instead of coming off as uncomfortable pandering.

[JI7]

15. agree

bill clinton was the best. and continues to be.

[JohnKleeb]

12. I actually dont like hip hop and rap

Yep there is no one mindset. You were around people only a few years older than I but that sums it up. Personally being my own unique person, Kucinich appeals to me on the best level of any of the candiates.