Category: Mason Votes

Mason Helps Students Foster Political Interest

UPI: By Katie Zohorsky, Voice of Young Voters

Many adults have a sense that young people don’t care about politics or that they don’t believe voting is important. Two young women at George Mason University have a very deep passion for politics and what they believe is right for America. Though these women have drastically different views, they are both actively participating in this election process.

Valerie Bachelor, 23, is a 2007 George Mason graduate, and now she is involved in a completely different scene. “My classes at Mason gave me the historical and theoretical foundation I needed to put my work in politics into perspective,” Bachelor said. “Before college all I thought was that the Democratic Party was right and the Republican Party was wrong. As a college student, I discovered the pros and cons of both. This allowed me to solidify my Democratic beliefs and guide my career in politics.”

Shannen Cleveland, 19, a sophomore at George Mason, came to college with her political beliefs already firmly in place. “I have been a Republican, or had Republican ideals for as long as I can remember because that was the way I was brought up, but I started to identify strongly with the Republican Party about four years ago,” said Cleveland. “That’s also when I began researching candidates for elections.”

While Cleveland researched Republican beliefs and candidates on her own, Bachelor opted to get involved on campus. “The political activities I took part in, such as being on the executive board of the GMU College Democrats and working on a gubernatorial race in 2005, have shaped the networks I am a part of as a professional in D.C.,” said Bachelor.

Bachelor’s passion for politics recently took her to Denver for the Democratic National Convention. She attended as part of the Women’s Information Network, a networking organization for progressive, pro-choice women. “I knew I would have many more opportunities to be involved if I went to Denver. So I took a chance and booked my flight,” she said.

Cleveland attended the McCain-Palin rally on Sept. 8 in Fairfax, Va. “I skipped class to go to this rally because I thought that it was very important to be there,” she said. “After all, it’s history!

“The rally itself was an amazing experience,” she said excitedly. “First, they had a couple speakers tell the audience that they were Democrats, but because of McCain’s plans for when he’s in office, they are now going to vote for a Republican candidate in this election.” When Sen. John McCain and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin took the stage, she said, their speeches were just shortened versions of the speeches they gave at the Republican National Convention. “I thought that they did an excellent job at boosting the audiences’ confidence in the Republican candidates even more than it already was.”

Bachelor’s trip to Denver also made a big impact on her. As a former Hillary Clinton supporter, Bachelor is now supportive of Barack Obama. “I was really mesmerized by his speech,” she said. “I really think I needed to be there to realize that Obama is the guy.”

Bachelor also explained that the convention made her feel even more strongly that the country is ready for change. “We need a leader that understands how hard it is for working families these days,” she said. “He represents the change that is brewing in America as a whole whether you talk about healthcare, the economy, the environment or foreign policy. America needs a change after eight years of President Bush’s policies.”

While Bachelor seems to be mainly concerned with the economy, Cleveland has a different concern. “I believe that this election is extremely important with the country in war,” Cleveland said. “We are electing into office a new commander in chief who is ultimately responsible for making decisions that could be good or detrimental to this country.

“I am very glad I was able to see them speak, and the rally was very exciting to me,” Cleveland concluded. “I cannot wait for the election coming up in November!”

“For the first time ever in American political history a female and a minority have come out on top during the primary of a major political party,” said Bachelor. “This election has already changed American history.”

From: The Voice of Young Voters

Mason Votes Shows Film about Abortion

1:30 pm
Wednesday, October 1

Johnson Center, Cinema

Abortion has been a deeply divisive national issue since the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision, pitting pro-life against pro-choice citizens. Mason Votes is proud to present Lake of Fire, a definitive documentary covering both sides of the abortion issue. The movie will be shown in the Johnson Center Cinema on Wednesday, Oct. 1 at 1:30 p.m.

Tony Kaye directed this film and spent fifteen years gathering information, shooting interviews, and compiling footage for Lake of Fire. He was the director of other politically charged films, such as American History X. A warning to viewers, there are multiple graphic scenes in the film.

Obama Rally at University of Mary Washington Draws Thousands

By Rachael Dickson

Fredericksburg, Virginia-Thousands of Sen. Barack Obama’s supporters cheered him on tonight as he spoke through the pouring rain at University of Mary Washington.

According to UMW student Peter Ceo, a College Democrats member, people started arriving at the event at 10 a.m., nine hours before the Democratic presidential nominee and his vice presidential running mate, Sen. Joseph Biden, arrived.

“The line was well over half a mile long this morning,” Ceo said.

According to The Washington Post, Jay Snipes, chief of the University of Mary Washington police force, estimated that 12,000 people were at the rally and another 14,000 were unable to get in after the United States Secret Service stopped allowing people in around 5 p.m.

The large, diverse and fiercely loyal crowd withstood the afternoon’s high heat and humidity, which left many dehydrated. Though event volunteers passed out water bottles to the densely packed crowd, at least two attendees were observed taken away by emergency medical staff.

Later, when the sky opened up and it began to pour, the audience shielded itself with trash bags, jackets, Obama/Biden signs, blankets and whatever came to hand. Much of the press members took shelter, wrapping expensive cameras in ponchos as they retreated to a tent reserved for the traveling press or ducked under the risers.

Obama’s supporters took the opportunity to dance and sing in the rain to the music pumping out over the loud speakers, a mix of classics such as Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell’s “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and newer songs such as “Move Along” by the All-American Rejects.

The sun came out and dried out the crowd in time for a few preliminary speakers to give abbreviated speeches before Biden and Obama arrived. Fredericksburg’s state Sen. Edward Houck jazzed up the audience by leading cheers commenting on last night’s first presidential debate.

“Who won the debate last night?” Houck said, smiling at the crowd’s roaring answer of “Obama.” “The difference between Obama and McCain could not have been more obvious.”

He also commented on the importance of registering to vote, saying, “All across America we have the opportunity to reach out and touch the future.”

Raucous cheers greeted Biden and Obama as they walked out on the stage. Biden began the program to cheers of “Joe! Joe!” by talking about the differences between Obama and McCain at the debate.

“Last night McCain’s silence was definite,” Biden said. “You did not hear him say the words middle-class or working class once.”

Biden also criticized McCain’s foreign policy positions in Afghanistan and Iraq.

“We need more than a brave soldier,” Biden said. “We need a wise leader. And that’s Barack Obama.”

Obama cracked a joke to begin his speech.

“I know some of you got a little damp, and I’m deeply sorry,” he said. “Those of you wearing that special outfit, I would like to cover everyone’s dry cleaning bills tonight, but I can’t cause I got to use it on the campaign. So consider it one more modest effort to help the campaign.”

Later on in his speech, as another deluge of rain began, Obama took off his jacket after joking about his own dry-cleaning bills and then proceeded to continue speaking to the crowd for another ten minutes, without cover.

Obama also spoke on the debate, calling McCain “out-of-touch” and saying ““On issue after issue, you heard John McCain make the case for more of the same.”

He also joked about McCain’s use of “change” in recent political advertising by saying “Change is more than a slogan.”

Obama referred to McCain’s lack of mention of the words “middle-class” or “working-class” by saying “In 90 minutes, John McCain had a lot to say about me, but he had nothing to say to you…We need a president who will change the economy so it finally works for your family.”

Obama spoke of the American dream to succeed as well, saying, “In America, our destiny isn’t written for us, it’s written by us.”

After talking for almost half an hour, Obama said good night to the crowd, leaving the stage with Biden. The crowd dispersed quickly, eager to get to their dry cars and dry-cleaning bills.

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You can see Rachael Dickson’s photos of the event on the Mason Votes Flickr stream.

Debate Watch Party a Success

By David L Pierce

Over a hundred George Mason University students watched the first televised presidential debate Friday night at a Debate Watch Party in the Johnson Center.

Although the debate was focused on foreign policy, the economy took center stage in the beginning.

Sen. Barack Obama felt optimistic about the governmental bailout plan, but questioned America’s position in the situation. “How did we get into this situation in the first place?” Obama asked.

Sen. John McCain said that corporate greed and lack of responsibility has led the country into the current financial crisis. “We’ve got to start also holding people accountable, and reward people who succeed,” McCain said.

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were also major points of discussion in the debate.

Obama said that McCain was wrong in regards to the Iraq war. “You pretend like the war started in 2007,” Obama told McCain “the war started in 2003, and [when it started], you said it was going to be quick and easy.”

McCain said that Obama refused to acknowledge that we are winning in Iraq. He also noted that the former leader of all U.S. troops in Iraq, General David Petraeus, among other officials, believed that Obama’s withdrawal plan was dangerous for America’s national security.

The two presidential candidates disagreed on how to handle threats such as Iran and North Korea.

“[We have a] fundamental difference of opinion,” McCain said in regards to having preconditions before meetings with rulers of threatening countries.

He also said that Obama’s viewpoint of not having preconditions when meeting with officials of countries like Iran was dangerous.

“There’s a difference between preconditions and preparation,” said Obama in response. “Of course we’ve got to do preparations, starting with low-level diplomatic talks.”

Students held mixed opinions about the debate at its conclusion.

Junior James Greenan thought that McCain did a better job in the debate, but missed a few opportunities with his opponent. “[McCain] could’ve pointed out more instances where Obama’s judgment was wrong,” said Greenan.

Freshman Samantha Markey said that both candidates were pretty even in regards to their performance. Junior Kaitlyn Burroughs thought Obama did better than McCain, but expressed concern for the level of discussion. “Both candidates have lots of room to work on,” Burroughs said.

The Debate Watch Party was sponsored by Mason Votes, Cox Communications, C-SPAN and the New Century College.

Read Mason Votes’ live blog of the debate.

Debate Watch Party Organizers React

Students React to Possible Debate Postponement

In Professor Janette Muir’s class on presidential campaigns the question of the day was: will the presidential debate go forward on Friday? The class, which has students who will help to moderate Mason’s debate watch party, had a lot to say about presidential candidate John McCain’s surprising request for the first debate to be postponed.

“There are 98 other capable senators. I just feel that [President George W.] Bush waited too long to deal with this,” said junior history major Kaitlyn Burrough. “It is important for us to know their plans for the economy and their platforms since the problem is going to fall in their lap.”

Sophomore Catie Dugan disagreed with Burrough saying, “Despite everything Bush has or hasn’t done, he’s trying to do something now.” Dugan also said it is important for the two senators to do the job in Washington they were elected to do.

Currently, the debate is still scheduled for tonight at 8 p.m. although McCain has not yet announced if he will be in attendance. Mason Votes is co-sponsoring a watch party in the Johnson Center Atrium starting at 7 p.m. with pre-debate commentary from Mason Professors Janette Muir, Steve Klein, and Stephen Farnsworth, in conjunction with representatives from local Republican and Democratic committees.

Election interest is challenging for some students

By Jamie Gage, United Press International

With less than six weeks to go, it would seem that the election is the one topic on every American’s mind. But, that’s not necessarily the case. For various reasons some students are having a hard time getting involved in the election.

“There is so much associated with the election, I find it hard to even start to educate myself about it,” said Kristen Ryan, a senior at George Mason University. “I know some of what the candidates believe in, but I don’t know everything. I have an interest but it’s not the only thing that I care about.”

There are also some students who don’t have any particular interest in the election.

“I’m not even registered to vote,” said Allie Phass, a junior. “I know what is going on, but it’s not interesting to me. I don’t want to say I don’t care, but growing up the elections were never something my parents really talked about. I think that influenced me a lot.”

On the George Mason campus, it’s hard to not get bombarded by one of many volunteers attempting to get people registered to vote. These volunteers want college students to take an active role in deciding their futures.

“Getting students registered to vote is only part of the process,” said Jacob Plumb, a volunteer. “We really are trying to get the students interested in the election and interested in their own future.”

“Many of the decisions that are made by the president will directly affect the students and we want the students to take a part in helping to decide their futures,” said Plumb. “If 100 percent of people ages 18 to 25 voted, they would completely control the election. That’s something to think about.”

Viewing the candidate’s web sites is a good way to get information and watching different political events on the television is another.

“Sometimes I go online and read about the platforms that the candidates have,” said Ryan. “I feel the need to educate myself, because I want to be able to vote and know who I am voting for. I also watch the political events that occur because they are exciting and really show the candidates what they are made of.”

“Knowing is half the battle,” said senior Melissa Devine, a nursing major. “I want to be educated, because I want to know who I am voting for and I want to make a difference.”

From: The Voice of Young Voters

Video: Obama to Continue with Debate

Video: John McCain Suspends Campaign

Obama: Debate to Continue, Will Not Suspend Campaign

Democratic Presidential Nominee Barack Obama just finished a press conference responding to Republican Presidential Nominee John McCain’s campaign suspension and request for Friday’s debate to be postponed. In his statements, he rejected the idea that either a campaign suspension or debate postponement is necessary.

“It will be part of the president’s job to deal with more than one thing at once,” said Obama. “It’s more important than ever for us to present ourselves to the country.”

He did however offer his support and assistance to fellow legislators.

“If I can be helpful, then I am prepared to be anywhere anytime.” He does not, however want to “infuse Capitol Hill with presidential politics.”

It is not presently clear what McCain will do now that Obama plans to continue with the debate. Go to Twitter for Mason Vote’s live coverage of Obama’s press conference.