Contrary to the what the media portrays, not every politically minded college student is madly in love with Sen. Barack Obama. A panel of four Emporia State students gathered to discuss the race for the White House drove that point home last week.
The panel uniformly joined many of Obama’s older critics in questioning the freshman senator’s experience and the substance behind his inspirational stump speeches. The panel’s consensus was that they would vote for Obama’s opposition whether he’s matched against his Democratic opponent, Sen. Hillary Clinton, or in a head-to-head matchup with Republican nominee Sen. John McCain.
Three members of the panel — Jonathan Krueger, Kate Flavin, and Kurt Fifelski — said they considered themselves politically unaffiliated. The fourth panelist, Brett Mize, considers himself a Republican.
When asked to list the five issues that were most important to them in the election, three of the four had the economy in their top two items.
“For the past 20 years, we’ve been spending more than we’ve been making, and I think there’s a big issue there,” Krueger said. “Whether it’s education or something, I think something needs to be looked at there.”
Krueger’s top item was national security, Flavin picked the economy, Fifelski selected the budget deficit and Mize believed the most important issue was Iraq and the war on terrorism.
The panelists were asked if they believe that a president can make a big difference in the lives of Americans, or if the political system didn’t allow for much change. Krueger and Flavin believed that the president does have an effect on Americans’ lives, but the system of checks and balances limits his power.
“I think that it’s proven ... that a president can be a symbolic thing for most of the population, and make them feel like they’re having change in their life and have hope for their country,” Fifelski said. “Especially in times of desperation.”
In picking Clinton over Obama, when asked who they would vote for as the Democratic nominee, panelists cited the former First Lady’s experience.
“Growing up, being born in 1988, the first couple years of my (life) I had a Bush as president,” Krueger said. “Then we had eight years of Clinton, then eight more years of a Bush.
“I don’t know — I see experience with another Clinton in the White House over Barack Obama. He has a lot of great ideas, but I think that seeing that foreign policy and the experience therein — without it, being president is a very difficult job.”
Flavin said if Obama were elected, his lack of experience would lead him to rely on his advisors. She gave her vote to “maybe Hillary.”
“I’ve never thought of this, because both of them scare the living daylights out of me,” Fifelski said. “But I think I agree with Jonathan, that I’d have to side with some experience then. Because I liked Bill Clinton, I’d probably be flipping the coin for Hillary.”
Mize thought Obama was “a good person,” but he said he had philosophical differences with Obama on such issues as foreign policy and universal health care.
“And I think Hillary Clinton, while she’s still very liberal, is a lot more moderate than Barack Obama is,” he said.
When asked if he thought voters were ready to elect an African-American or woman as president, Krueger said he didn’t know if race or gender was really the main issue with voters in the battle between Clinton and Obama.
“I think the media has portrayed that as the main issue, that America isn’t ready, or they are finally ready, for this change,” he said. “But I see it more as these two candidates ... are actually very similar on their issues. ... I think it’s going to be something different that actually sways the voters.”
Flavin said it really didn’t matter if voters were ready to elect one of those groups, “because if you’re a Democrat and you decide that yes, I’m voting Democrat, unless you write in, you have to choose. ... But I think that really, it will come down to where they stand on the issues (for) who they vote for.”
Fifelski and Mize were in agreement that Obama’s race and Clinton’s gender were media issues, rather than actual issues with the voters.
Asked who they would vote for between Obama and McCain, the panelists went not only with McCain’s experience, but also his long documented history of votes in the Senate.
“I know where John McCain stands,” Fifelski said, “because I can look at the way that he’s voted for the past 28 years now or so as an Arizona senator — in comparison to Barack, who’s been in office for four. I have no idea where he really stands on anything, besides when he gets up on his soapbox.”
Added Mize, “Like they all said, I’ve listened to Barack Obama speak a few times on TV, and I can’t really get anything out of it. I mean, it’s somewhat inspiring, but I can’t really understand what his stance is on anything.”
Asked about a Clinton-McCain matchup, Krueger went back to what he had said earlier about having spent basically his entire life with a Bush or Clinton as president.
“Not just for that reason, but I think that John McCain ... has a different outlook on our foreign policy,” Krueger said. “He’s going to bring the country together on a more level playing field.”
Flavin said that in addition to McCain’s superior experience to Clinton, she agreed with McCain more on such policies as health care. Flavin too said she wanted a new family in the White House.
“I like where John McCain comes (from) in a foreign policy sense, except that we might go to war with Iran if he’s elected,” Fifelski said. “I don’t know — Clinton doesn’t have a very strong stance on foreign policy, besides ‘I don’t wanna do what Bush did.’”
Fifelski said he liked Clinton’s domestic programs because he is more of a social liberal, but would still have to go with McCain. Mize said he liked McCain’s policies better than Clinton’s.
Finally, the panelists were asked if they thought the presidential race would divide voters along demographic lines such as men vs. women and young vs. old.
Krueger, Flavin and Mize agreed that some people simply won’t vote for Clinton or Obama because of their race or gender, while some will vote for them specifically for the same reason.
“I believe there’s going to be a divide,” Fifelski said. “There’s always been a divide in the most basic of elections, whether it’s two white men, both from Yale, running against each other, let alone someone that doesn’t fit into that category.
“... I think this election might be good for the fact that there’s gonna be really high voter turnout, because there’s somebody different than just two white dudes.”
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Posted by dougmarshall (anonymous) on March 12, 2008 at 9:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It is good to hear there are college students not too heavily impacted by the liberal professors found in most higher learning institutions.
Posted by 77flint (anonymous) on March 12, 2008 at 2:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
No, they're just heavily impact by their overly conservative parents and do not yet have a view of their own.
Posted by open_eyes (anonymous) on March 12, 2008 at 2:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Well flint, that could possibly be because maybe their parents are a little older, therefore a little more mature.... and maybe a little wiser?
Posted by 09071976 (anonymous) on March 12, 2008 at 4:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ouch!
Posted by 77flint (anonymous) on March 12, 2008 at 4:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
If that was the case then why did the "older" and "more mature" parents put Bush back into office. I guess there was lack of that so called "wisdom" you're talking about. The only thing that i am really trying to say is that until you cut the "apron string" your views will be skewed and not your own.
Posted by 77flint (anonymous) on March 12, 2008 at 4:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ouch yourself, MAYBE, was sure used alot. MAYBE you aren't sure what it is you are talking about.
Posted by open_eyes (anonymous) on March 12, 2008 at 5:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Maybe, maybe not. I used it twice in the earlier post, if that's "sure was used alot", then that's fine. I guess I could say that the "older" and "more mature" adults were smart enought to not put Kerry in office? Time will tell..... these days, I'm often reminded of all the people (and there were alot!) who absolutely loathed Lincoln when he was in office. Time will tell.
I've said this before on here, but I too, was once a genius.
In my youth, I knew everything, adults were all out of touch idiots that didn't have a clue. I knew it all, like all my teenage/college age friends. And our parents didn't know anything.
Funny thing happened as we all grew older. Our parents got smarter every year.
But, back to the original point. You're correct, youth are many times heavily impacted by their parents - some "overly conservative", some "overly liberal". I certainly hope I've been a positive influence on the young in my life. But the first post is correct - the majority of college professors these days are definitely liberal-leaning. So is THAT fair to the youth? That a professor tries to impress his/her own views on impressionable young people? Or, should a professor just teach from an impartial viewpoint, and let the young people make up their own minds? Ah, there's the rub.....
Posted by Denise_Dorcey (anonymous) on March 12, 2008 at 5:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
A lot of wide generalizations going on here...
For example, my parents STILL believe Nixon was framed.
Sometimes age and perspective don't necessarily add up to more wisdom.
Posted by open_eyes (anonymous) on March 12, 2008 at 5:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
You're right. SOMETIMES it doesn't. But I WOULD make it a "wide generalization" that I've learned more and gotten wiser as I've gotten older and matured...... and I would guess it would be fairly safe to say that the majority of adults do gain in knowledge, understanding and wisdom as they age..... at least until we all get Alzheimers..... LOL
Posted by Denise_Dorcey (anonymous) on March 12, 2008 at 5:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I won't disagree with that evaluation, Open Eyes!
Posted by open_eyes (anonymous) on March 12, 2008 at 6:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Unfortunately, I think I'm already getting a touch of it.....
What the heck were we discussing? LOL :)
Posted by Denise_Dorcey (anonymous) on March 12, 2008 at 6:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Good one, Open Eyes!
Getting back to the subject, though. I hope that we, as a nation, can get back to working together to get things done rather than the divisiveness we've experienced for far too long coming from both sides of the political aisle. It's time for people over politics!
That's my wish and prayer this Lenten season.
Posted by open_eyes (anonymous) on March 12, 2008 at 6:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Amen.
Posted by alfalfa (anonymous) on March 12, 2008 at 11:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
To semi quote Hillary, if I knew then what I know now, I would still vote for Bush over Gore, and I would still vote for Bush over Kerry. Both would have been a disaster.
Posted by neighbor (anonymous) on March 13, 2008 at 6:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think it's sad that folks are going to be basing their vote on gender and race. Some will only be voting for Obama because of his black heritage. Some will be voting for Hillary because she is the first/only female candidate. Some will vote for McCain only because he is a veteran and was a prisoner of war. What else makes them qualified to be POTUS? Nothing!
Personally, I don't feel we have much of choice this go around, I don't like the three leading candidates at all, I can't see myself voting for any of them.
Posted by tunit (anonymous) on March 13, 2008 at 8:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I just have a real problem voting for McCain when he has said in this campaign that he does not understand the economy. The economy is the biggest issue for me in this election. The dollar is weak, the reason why gas prices are high is because oil is traded in DOLLARS. The weaker the dollar, the higher the price of oil. Also, McCain has said he would leave our troops in Iraq for 100 years. I can't agree with that. Bush got us into this mess, now we need someone who will get us out of it. Fix what's wrong at home first, then we can go fight someone elses war. One more thing. I wish I had a dollar for everytime McCain got up on his high horse and talked about serving his country. I get it. I thank you for your service. I don't need to hear about it everytime you speak. I am a registered Republican, but I'm TIRED of the way things are going. We need a fresh face in charge and new ideas. Which is why I will be voting for whoever runs against McCain.
Posted by netloafer (anonymous) on March 13, 2008 at 11:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
tunit
John McCain has said he's no expert in the area of economics. That doesn't surprise me. Most economists really don't know much about economics either. Harry Truman once said you could take ten economists and lay them on a floor head to toe, end to end, and you'd never come up with a straight line. About the only economists I've ever read that make sense are Adam Smith, F.A. Hayek, Hernando de Soto, and Thomas Sowell.
McCain may be over-using his military service. But then, when you've spent five years of your life in the Hanoi Hilton being stretched from the rafters like a piece of meat so often that all these years later he can't lift your arms higher than shoulder height, I think he might be entitled to talk about it. He did more for this country during that time than you or I or most of the readers of this forum will ever do.
Your vote is yours to cast. That's one of the things John McCain and other veterans have kept secure for you and me.
I haven't decided who to vote for yet. I was a Huckabee supporter. I'm listening carefully to what the candidates are saying now. I'm midway between Obama and McCain. While I'm sure that Mr. Mccain would like my vote, he would much rather just see me voting. His experience at the Hanoi Hilton have shaped that view.
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