'Clear warning signs': Focus group shows lack of enthusiasm for Biden among the young

[brooklynite]

Source: NBC News

WASHINGTON — Joe Biden is in no danger of losing young voters to President Donald Trump. But he faces a lack of enthusiasm among Millennials and Gen Z voters with the potential to decide his fate if they stay home or vote for a third-party candidate.

Many of these voters preferred Bernie Sanders in the Democratic primary and perceive Biden as a blank slate. They aren’t sure that he’s a change agent or that his policies match the scale of their problems. Some worry about his age and fitness. Most seem open to supporting Biden to stop Trump but need to hear more from him.

That’s the conclusion of new focus groups that delve into the mindset of Millennial and Gen Z voters who self-identify as Democrats or independents in 11 battleground states. They were conducted in late and mid-April by the political consulting firm Global Strategy Group on behalf of NextGen America, a youth-focused progressive advocacy group.

The good news for Biden is that many voters are persuaded by the argument that his views aren’t so far from those of Sanders, and by endorsements from leaders whom young people trust, including Sanders himself. Biden also benefits from the contrast with Trump, who is immensely unpopular among young Americans.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/clear-warning-signs-focus-group-shows-joe-biden-s-lack-n1201581?cid=sm_npd_nn_tw_ma

[mahina]

1. Yeah I can verify personally as this was the conversation at the dinner table last night.

It’s crazy making.

Joe needs to get out there asap on every channel of social media, yesterday, and connect with young people.

[lagomorph777]

20. Staying home or voting 3rd party is a vote for Trump and is suicidal.

[mahina]

91. That's not what I am talking about

My young family member said well I’lo vote for him obviously but I don’t feel great about it and I’m not going to help

And it upset me

[lagomorph777]

93. I'll vote and help but hard to get too optimistic. But it's life or death so gotta do it.

[CBHagman]

130. I've heard that from young neighbors about generic candidates...

...so I think it is both a general and specific issue. I hear complaints about lack of excitement. And to be honest, I remember the dizzying enthusiasm for Barack Obama, and from many demographics, in 2008. But that can't always be replicated, not even for a second term.

So I would hope part of the work would be framing things in terms of young adults' future and immediate present, on many issues: health care, gun safety, voting rights, and absolutely the environment.

[RobinA]

158. I Get It

But they have to get used to the fact that there are going to be very few candidates throughout ones life that one can be excited about. I was excited about Clinton, Bill and that’s about it in my 42 years of voting. I liked Obama, but he wasn’t liberal enough for me.

Plus, I’ve pretty much had it with excitement for awhile. Think I’ll see if I can get an I Like Ike pin at a flea market. Oh wait, he aren’t allowed to have flea markets. Like I said, I’m going with boring.

[CBHagman]

167. I know. Voting is more like paying your electric bill or cleaning your gutters...

...than it is like going to a much-anticipated movie. I'm worried I'm going to slip and say, "Well, you'd better get excited" to the next voter, of any age, who complains about not feeling excited. Perhaps what happened to Puerto Rico after two hurricanes and what's happening now will make the stakes more real to people.

The stakes were real enough to me in 2000, and that was before 9/11 and the Great Recession. I will always wonder how much we might have done as a country if Al Gore had been president.

[Cha]

129. Well, I have personal stories to counteract that..some of my

just voting age grand nieces, nephews, and grandkids are excited to be voting for the First Time for Joe Biden! They are spread out all over the country, too.. New York, Connecticut, North Carolina, Florida, Oregon, and California.

They don't believe any of hate-filled Propaganda spewed about him.

I am so proud of them.

[Judi Lynn]

144. They are worthy, conscientious, bright young people, Cha. Your post certainly cheers me up.

Thank you, so much. ❤️️

[Bettie]

2. Marking for the many who will come

to say that young people are undeserving and should shut up.

They want to hear more from him.

People who aren't boomers or older actually do matter.

[George II]

15. If they want to hear more from him they should pay more attention to him. He's saying it, but...

...they're not listening to him.

You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink.

[agingdem]

22. my 22 year old granddaughter and 20 year old grandson

Last edited Thu May 7, 2020, 05:56 PM - Edit history (1)

are paying attention as are their friends...my granddaughter asked me if I thought Joe was the best we've got and I said he's the best at this point in time and she agreed...

[Hav]

39. Have they heard about Biden's plan

for free public college/university (depending on the income, of course)? Just asking because that could be potentially a point of interest for them and if they don't know about it, then it kind of touches what George said: That they don't really listen to what Biden has to offer. I think there are several policy proposals that supporters of Sanders, for example, should find attractive.

[SergeStorms]

126. I think anything promised as "free"...

is out the door now that the country is saddled with the immense debt from the virus. I may be wrong....

[George II]

58. According to the premise of the "study groups", your granddaughter and grandson are exceptions.

[agingdem]

94. I don't think they are exceptions...

Last edited Thu May 7, 2020, 06:42 PM - Edit history (2)

my granddaughter's university graduation was cancelled...her finals are online, her friends are sequestered with their parents...my grandson will be taking his university summer school classes online as will his friends but they've had it..they're scared but are desperate to see what's left of their "normal" day to day lives..and they are pissed..pissed at Trump...as to "study groups" I trust them as much as I do the Gallup poll..not at all

[George II]

99. I didn't mean to say they were, but younger voters do historically vote in smaller numbers...

....than other age groups.

I got interested in politics in my early teens, my first campaign was at 17 years old.

[agingdem]

101. I know this is an inadequate comparison

but my grandchildren referred to Trump's Plague and their generation's Vietnam..

[JI7]

146. If they are paying attention why would they ask if Biden is the Best ? Do they enjoy what Trump is

doing ?

Biden has a record of his own .

[agingdem]

150. Hey...I grew up with Joe so to speak

my grandkids did not..they loathe all things GOP.. trump and his slobbering sychophants disgust them.. they loved Obama and would've voted for him every four years the rest of their lives..pre plague they looked at Biden and they saw "old"..they wanted "new" but not anymore...now they see wisdom, empathy, experience, fearlessness, civility, and, yes, eloquence...Trump and his kind destroyed their world...they want revenge and so do I...

[PatSeg]

80. Yes, I have

He was thoughtful, intelligent, and authentic, not to mention presidential.

Welcome to DU!

[Cha]

97. Biden had an excellent interview on MJ's.. why are you tryiing to Smear

Joe Biden?

[Cha]

107. Clearly you are.

[PatSeg]

119. Well

That one didn't last long! I had a feeling that would be the case.

[Cha]

121. So did I, Pat!

Thank you!

[PatSeg]

123. I always give most newbies

the benefit of the doubt, but some just ask to be remove!

[ancianita]

100. This isn't a public opinion issue or a matter of guessing. It's about his latest medical.

Last edited Thu May 7, 2020, 05:34 PM - Edit history (1)

A public report of his mental and physical health was released last December. Bernie did not release a medical report.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/meet-the-press/blog/meet-press-blog-latest-news-analysis-data-driving-political-discussion-n988541/ncrd1103456#blogHeader

Welcome to DU.

I'd like to suggest that you use the topic box at the top of the main page to find out what previous threads have covered here. It does a few good things for new members. It helps them find more links to previous discussions on issues that might still be floating around. It's also a good way to lurk and learn about this site and the party in general.

[LiberalFighter]

43. Damn right. And they have plenty of time to do that now.

And too many of these reporters are doing woe is me type reports.

[AtheistCrusader]

64. This dismissal is a great way to lose the youth vote.

[George II]

82. What dismissal? The fact is that Biden IS getting his message out, across many platforms, but....

....the "youth vote" isn't interested in politics, or at least at a lesser rate than all the other age groups.

Even Sanders's support this year overall was very very low compared to other age groups.

[Kaleva]

86. Dismissal? They deserve our contempt and scorn.

Self centered piles of shit.

[AtheistCrusader]

102. This will certainly help the situation.

[LanternWaste]

160. I dig how you awkwardly move the goalposts on this one and pretend relevance.

[AtheistCrusader]

161. I didn't move anything.

Thanks for the relevant post I guess.

[Demsrule86]

96. You can't lose what you never had...I say fuck them...70,000 + people are dead and these folks are

not enthused? Double fuck them.

[agingdem]

106. you bet...

the 18 to 20 something voters live online...Facebook, instagram, blogs, podcasts..they're getting Biden's message...the kids may be selfish as hell (who isn't at that age) but they're not stupid...their world is gone and they blame Trump...and honestly I don't care if healthcare and the environment and social security isn't their top priorities ... remember 30 is old...if this is their reason to vote for Biden then so be it

[Demsrule86]

120. I agree with that... I think most of these kids those who vote will vote for Biden.

[JI7]

147. LOL , The so called Youth Vote NEVER votes and it's because they just aren't interested

in politics as much .

THat has been true of EVERY GENERATION .

and Considering all the shit going on now if their concern is their feelings than fuck them and anyone else .

[Codeine]

151. There is no youth vote.

We’ll probably lose the goblin vote, dwarven vote, and half-orc vote as well, because they’re just as much fantasy as the much-vaunted youth vote.

[treestar]

142. Yep. They all have phones

would be easy enough to pay attention.

Bernie has lost! Bernie has endorsed Joe! A month ago now, I think! And we are still hearing this.

[AtheistCrusader]

162. Any wedge in a storm.

"23.7 million young voters participated in the 2016 presidential election, a 50% voter turnout of citizens aged 18-29 in the United States.1 Young voters supported Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump by 55% to 37%."

https://circle.tufts.edu/latest-research/election-night-2016-24-million-youth-voted-most-rejected-trump

50% turnout, with more than half voting for our candidate is nothing to sneeze at.

[hamsterjill]

62. Stop that right now.

We don’t need to get into age crap. That’s exactly what the Republicans want.

I’m a boomer and I’m very interested in Joe’s plans for ALL people. It’s how our society survives. You know, caring about others? Remember that is what sets Democrats apart from self-centered, self-serving Republicans.

Give Joe a chance to address this. But if someone - ANYONE - uses this as an excuse not to vote for Biden, we will have four more years of Trump. Most of us, I dare say, will not survive that.

Yes - this is THAT important. Get in line and vote for Joe. No excuse is good enough not to do that.

[maxrandb]

131. Oh, I thought you were marking for the hundreds of "Dem enthusiasm gap" stories

that are about to come.

This shit is planned propaganda to try to demoralize Democrats and supress Democratic votes.

Funny how you NEVER see stories about "young people just aren't excited about Donnie Dollhands", or "Warning! racist white people feel Donnie Shit for Brains just isn't resonating with them".

Heard the same shit in 2016, and Clinton got 3M more votes, just not in the right places... probably because of the hundreds of "enthusiasm gap" stories. Heard the same stuff in 2018 midterms as well.

Any Democratic, or progressive leaning person who would not crawl naked through a mile of broken glass under a sprinkler of rubbing alcohol to defeat this fucking inhuman, amoral spawn of hell is not worth wasting your time on.

If they aren't going to vote now, they're never going to vote.

If that's why Donnie Fucked in the Head wins, then America deserves to fucking die.

[Bettie]

135. Nah, but if you look there are plenty of people who

really dislike young people.

[texasleo]

3. This will matter when/if young people ever start voting

[maxsolomon]

9. When they do, we win.

For some reason I cannot fathom, some Millenials/Zs loved Sanders, who's OLDER than Biden. But it wasn't all (it wasn't any of the ones in my house).

There would have been a lack of enthusiasm by youth no matter which Septuagenarian won the nomination.

[progressoid]

52. As one of those millenials told me, "Bernie is young at heart."

[Thekaspervote]

57. That maybe what they said, but it didn't turn into votes for bernie now did it?!

Just one more excuse as to why they don’t show up to vote

[progressoid]

72. Or.

Stop Blaming Young Voters for Not Turning Out for Sanders...

When younger Americans did swing to voting in the 2020 Democratic primaries, they usually cast ballots for Sanders by large margins, even in states that Sanders lost by large margins. Take Michigan, where Biden won by nearly 17 points. Sanders won 18-to-24-year-olds by 61 points; 25-to-29-year-olds by 56 points; and 30-to-39-year-olds by 19 points—while losing 40-to-49-year-olds by 6 points; 50-to-64-year-olds by 44 points and voters aged 65 or over by 52 points. Biden prevailed in Michigan because the two oldest voting categories cast a decisive 52 percent of the ballots.

...

But why? Why does this age voting disparity exist and persist? Why is it growing? Some Americans have been taking the easy way out—people blaming. It is easy to blame Sanders and his supporters for naively relying on the unreliable youth vote to carry him to the Democratic nomination. It is easy to blame the Sanders campaign for not turning out the youth vote. It is easy to blame young voters for not turning out for Sanders—all their rallying in person and on social media failing to result in voting. But what if something else is happening?

...

Simply put, the reason young Americans have been less likely to vote than older voters is the same reason for the better part of American history people of color have been less likely to vote than white people; why women were long less likely to vote than men; why poor people have been less likely to vote than wealthier people; why prisoners have been less likely to vote than non-prisoners. For the better part of American history, Americans have been taught there is something behaviorally wrong with prisoners, with poor people, with women, with people of color—with young people—and not with the policies stopping or suppressing their voting. These ageist ideas cover up the ageist policies that make it tougher for young people to vote, just as racist ideas cover up the racist policies that make it tougher for people of color to vote, and just as the intersection of ageist and racist policies make it the toughest for young people of color to vote...https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/03/stop-blaming-young-voters-not-turning-out-sanders/608137/...

[Demsrule86]

87. If you don't vote, you have no influence and no say...and young voters never have turned out.

[progressoid]

104. So why the obsession on DU to slam young voters?

Why aren't we blaming the Greatest Generation and Boomers for putting Trump and his party in power?

[maxsolomon]

124. Because we're hoping the Youth will save us from ourselves.

Or more accurately: save us from our peers.

[AtheistCrusader]

163. Because it's an easy way to wedge our party from within, and suppress turnout.

2008 gave them a reason to show up, and you can see it right there on that graph.
We need to give them reasons, and reasons like 'this candidate is fucking awesome' is a lot more compelling than 'their candidate is a total sack of shit'.

[PatSeg]

81. "Bernie is young at heart"?

I guess that is in the eye of the beholder. I often saw the cranky old man who yells a lot. I honestly worried at times that he would give himself another heart attack.

That said, I often agreed with a lot of what he said, but did not see him as the person to accomplish his many goals. I can, however, see how a young person might not see that.

[Mr.Bill]

92. I would have told them

that's an odd thing to say about someone who had a heart attack recently.

[progressoid]

109. It's not about his age.

Young at heart:

Having a youthful outlook, especially in spite of one's age

[Mr.Bill]

112. I'm just talking about the use of the word "heart".

It's an irony thing.

[Codeine]

152. Was that just after they attended a Bernie rally/concert

or just before they didn’t bother to show up and cast their vote for him in a primary?

[progressoid]

155. Hahaha!

No, I don't think she got a chance to see him this year. But she did vote for him. As did her husband.

[Thekaspervote]

56. Agree!

[JI7]

148. they DID NOT come out to vote for Sanders Either , There were young candidates they DID NOT

come out to vote for either .

[we can do it]

4. I'm really fucking tired of this shit.

[DavidDvorkin]

6. No kidding.

[LakeArenal]

24. When does this become a RW talking point?

So few younger people are politically savy.
This is a RW talking point to me.

[Thekaspervote]

60. Oh me three!! If they can't look at what's happening and feel compelled to vote then it's hopeless

[turbinetree]

117. Yepper spot on......this shit happened in the last election....

talking point comes out and this does exactly what its intention are................this just pisses me off............

[R B Garr]

145. Same here.

Well said.

[Happy Hoosier]

5. Well, despite being "enthusiastic" ...

... they didn't show up for Sanders, so......

[thesquanderer]

31. True, but he was out before almost half the states had even voted. (n/t)

[Thekaspervote]

67. Doesn't matter whether half or all the states voted. Bernie wasn't turning out the youth vote

As he claimed he would and so he lost. No big surprise.

This is an ongoing issue...the young don’t vote. Many of us that are older have been waiting with baited breath for the youth vote to show up.

[treestar]

141. The states that had voted that added to the

count mattered - they didn't show up there, either.

[Codeine]

153. I guess all the "youth" live in those other states? nt

[thesquanderer]

159. No, but just as the residents of different states don't all vote alike,

the youth of all states may not vote alike either.

But sure, there's no doubt Sanders did not get the youth turnout he was expecting in many of the states that did vote.

[AleksS]

7. "A blank slate?"

Really? Really?

The guy has been in public service on the national level forever. He was VP for EIGHT YEARS. His slate is more well known than a dozen Bernie’s with his one message repeated ad nauseum.

Blank slate. (Facepalm)

[LakeArenal]

26. VP under the greatest president of my lifetime.

So not only the don’t know current politics they don’t know recent history as well.

[treestar]

143. And the VP of one winning candidate

that DID excite them!

[PatSeg]

84. Yes

And that would be because they really weren't paying attention and don't have a grasp of recent history. There are few people who have the vast experience of Joe Biden, not to mention his integrity and authenticity.

[Codeine]

154. Ignorance is a straight-up devastating condition.

Sadly, some folks revel in it.

[murielm99]

8. They are the ones who will have to live with the mess.

We older people will be long gone, along with democracy as we knew it.

[sunonmars]

28. Play them the handmaids tale and say thats your future if you don't get off your ass and vote.

They may understand that better.

[DrToast]

10. Not worried

He's doing better with older voters. And those people vote.

[Thekaspervote]

69. Agree! Court the voters... not those that feign no enthusiasm. It's a waste.. they just don't vote

[Scurrilous]

88. Yep. Go with those who show up to vote.

Older voters could offer Biden a new path to the White House

<snip>

'The dominant assumption among Democrats for years has been that the best way to expand the Electoral College map is to expand the electorate by turning out millions of additional young people and minorities. But Joe Biden's campaign may be pointing Democrats toward a different path to widening the presidential battlefield.

The former vice president's surprising strength among older voters in polls could offer him an unexpected opportunity to broaden the electoral map, even if he struggles to mobilize large numbers of new voters.

People older than 45 composed a larger share of voters than the national average in 2016 in all six states that both sides consider the most likely to pick the next president, especially Arizona, Michigan and, above all, Florida, according to census figures. Improving on the Democratic performance among those seniors offers Biden an alternative route to tipping the six key swing states -- which also include North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin -- than by exciting more young people to vote, which could prove a difficult challenge for him.'

<snip>

'Many Democratic operatives still believe that the party's long-term future will pivot on its capacity to increase turnout among younger and nonwhite voters, especially in the Sun Belt states growing in population. But that conviction is giving way to a growing awareness that the potential path to victory for Biden, given his own unique strengths and weaknesses, may rely less on that forward-leaning mobilization than on a throwback strategy of reducing Donald Trump's elevated margins from 2016 among older and blue-collar white voters to the slightly smaller advantages Republicans enjoyed with them 15 or 20 years ago.'

https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/28/politics/joe-biden-2020-older-voters/index.html

[emmaverybo]

11. Makes a great story. Yeah, he IS out there and has taken up policies on student debt, free

tuition Warren offered, adopted a raft of reform policies targeted at racial inequities,
conceded that Bernie should get delegates...

But young people don’t bother to follow him on social media where he has a daily presence—then there is this at the end of the story:


“The good news for Biden is that many voters are persuaded by the argument that his views aren’t so far from those of Sanders, and by endorsements from leaders whom young people trust, including Sanders himself. Biden also benefits from the contrast with Trump, who is immensely unpopular among young Americans.“

Of course never lead with the good news.

[luvtheGWN]

30. His campaign needs to do a series of ads

by people the millennials and Gen Xers DO follow. That shouldn't be hard to do -- not rocket science!

[Demsrule86]

89. No, Money will be an issue and this group doesn't vote.

If they didn't turn out for Sanders, why bother?

[Thekaspervote]

70. Thank you! A voice of sanity...and good news

[yaesu]

12. If we could just find a way for Biden to campaign on Animal Crossing

Seriously though, that would be cool as most 20 somethings spend more tome on AC than anything else.

[kurtcagle]

45. I don't know

I think it would actually be a pretty good move.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

13. To all, esp young: "Vote as if your FUTURE depends on it because it does." . . . nt

[George II]

14. There was no reference to the specific "focus groups" involved, unless I missed it....

....all the links in the article went to other articles from March.

To me this is just a "progressive advocacy group" trying to screw with our primary results. Of course a political consultant working on behalf of NextGen would come up with results that they liked.

[kansasobama]

16. Some younger voters tend to just sit out and not vote anyway

These young voters have always complained and tend to not vote. They also sit out during off-year elections. In fact, that is true with even other Democrats and we have always paid a price for it. Even Bernie does not engage during off-year elections. If he had done that, he would have expanded his base. I am an older voter and I like Bernie. But, I am somewhat tired of his voters who complain a lot and find an excuse to not vote. Also, I was always upset he kept out of limelight during off-years. I have suffered debacles in 1994, and during Obama year off-year elections.

Younger voters who vote better vote. Do not expect anything better if they give Trump four more years.

[LakeArenal]

27. Bernie is not a Democrat in "off" years.

[Doreen]

17. The ones who supported Sanders are worried about Bidens health?

You stupid idiots! Sanders is older than Biden, maybe by only a year but still. Who in the fuck was the one who had a bloody heart attack? It wasn't Biden.

[Mr.Bill]

83. And I'm worried

about a guy who gets up every morning and spray paints himself orange getting four more years to destroy the country.

[totodeinhere]

98. Bernie's heart attack scared his supporters. But then they realized that Joe is almost as old as

Bernie so now they also worry about Joe's health. And I think it's OK to worry about Joe's health but we have to vote for him. I have worried about the possibility that Biden could get exposed to the coronavirus. There is a lot to worry about nowadays.

[msongs]

18. editorial opinion piece and analysis nt

[Lulu KC]

19. I am at the point of believing nothing negative I hear about Joe

I don't know if it's denial, a survival instinct, or belief that this is all routed through DT and Vlad. But whatever it is, it's GOTV time in November for Congress if nothing else!

[Thekaspervote]

71. Absolutely!!

[Dopers_Greed]

21. I voted for the first time in 2004

NOTHING ever seems to get the youth vote to turn out.

Not the Iraq War
Not the financial crisis.
Not the fact that an orange wannabe-Dictator was running.

Now we have the COVID crisis, and they are yawning because the nominee doesn't "excite" them.

[luvtheGWN]

32. Yeah. Their answer is invariably

"Politicians, they're all the same".

Well, not in this case, buddy.

[Thekaspervote]

73. Yup! The msm just wants a horse race story

[Polybius]

133. My first was 1992

I was the only teen out of all of my friends that voted. They all said politics is boring. Now they are in their mid-late 40's and they all vote.

[OrlandoDem2]

23. If they had turned out for Bernie in bigger numbers we might have a different nominee.

The numbers show they didn’t turn out for “their” candidate despite all the “excitement”.

[OneCrazyDiamond]

25. Do we even need them to win?

Honestly, Trump is low hanging fruit.

[progressoid]

53. Trump was low hanging fruit 4 years ago too.

[OneCrazyDiamond]

55. Yeah, but we now all see its rotten, and will kill us.

The young don't vote.

[helpisontheway]

29. Hell they did not show up for Bernie..If they want

to stay home after 4 years of Trump then so be it. He is ruining their future for generations. I don’t know what else Biden can do. He is reaching out to them and trying to include policies beneficial to them. I honestly don’t know what else he can do. And VP pick will not matter because most people vote for top of the ticket. As long as the VP is not a moron (ala Palin) they usually don’t make much of a difference as far as generating enthusiasm. I don’t even think having a female on the ticket is a big thing for young voters.

[Afromania]

33. They need to suck it up. We aren't voting for a single person.

The vote here is for climbing back on and away from the ledge or falling into the abyss. Anybody that has to be energized about voting now is a damn idiot. All any of us need to know is that Biden is competent as is the whole crew he rolls with.

Thats it.....THATS IT.. Jesus fucking Christ.

[BComplex]

34. Biden's team HAS TO HIRE A BUNCH OF SOCIAL MEDIA assistants to hit the social sites

24/7 starting yesterday! All the computer geeks need to find their best media assistants to hire for the campaign.

[Politicub]

35. Well that's despressing

It is rare that I see something from Biden unless it's on Twitter or DU. I don't know who is running outbound communication for the campaign, but the team needs to step up its game.

Biden has a canvas on which he needs to paint a clearer picture that appeals to a broader audience.

I'm trying not to worry, since we're a few months out from the general election. But news stories like this remind me of how absent he is in the news or online.

[Thekaspervote]

77. If he's absent from the new media that's on the msm, not him.

I see his ads, posts, virtual appearances going on every day!

[TygrBright]

37. So... they're enthusiastic about... [Redacted]? REALLY?? Woah... n/t

[BonnieJW]

38. Young people don't vote

It doesn't matter if he connects with them, they don't vote. They go to rallies and work the phones but it's usually to meet other people their age. When November rolls around, they don't show up. I think I read that their turnout percentage is in the low 30's.

[Grokenstein]

40. "Sure, the house is on fire..."

"But I won't try to put it out because (sigh) nothing 'inspires' me enough to do so. Change my mind. This is fine. Everything is fine...hey, where are you going? The house is on fire!"

...Now, now, we mustn't be judgey!!

Maybe we should just raise the voting age. Think that would light a fire under some asses?

[redstatebluegirl]

42. Well there is an old song for this "you can't always get what you want".

I know that is tough, but that is life. The younger people in this country have more to lose than I do at my age. Imagine if you will a Supreme Court if there is 4 more years of Trump? Imagine the environment if there is 4 more years of Trump? I will be worm meat but they will be here still griping and not voting because they can't get exactly what they want. Sometimes we don't get the candidate that meets all of our wants and needs, but they are head and shoulders above the alternative. That is life in a republic.

I voted the first time I was old enough and have missed only a couple of votes since then, including local and state elections. As my Dad used to say a school board can screw with your life more than a President can. it isn't a perfect system and I know many young people are suffering, but nothing changes if you don't get out and vote. What that means is sometimes you vote for someone you don't "get excited about", but vote who you think will do the best job of the ones you have to choose from. Then if you don't like what you get, run yourself, or work hard to get someone who shares your values elected. Griping doesn't do a lick of good.

I think Bernie has ruined this generation by giving them the idea that all they have to do is "resist" and they will get a boatload of programs they want with no problem. No, you don't get anything that easy. You realize that in a country like ours, when it is working properly, it is two sides fighting for things and one side never gets everything they want. Vote young people, run, knock on doors, make calls, work for your candidate and if they don't win do something constructive to get what you want, or at least some of what you want.

[qazplm135]

44. I mean

Their enthusiasm for Sanders didn't lead them to actually voting for him. Young voters just don't vote. Give me the older and middle aged voters and I'll win every time.

[ancianita]

46. Focus groups? That's IT? Focus groups are far from representative sampling.

There's no detailing of how GSG formed the groups, or if they even came from ELEVEN(?!) so-called battleground states.

This is bogus corporate hype.

"GSG also served as the pollster to Congressman and House Democratic Caucus Chairman Joseph Crowley, who lost the 2018 Democratic primary election for New York's 14th Congressional District by 15 points to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez despite a previous GSG poll showing Crowley up by 35 points[11][12]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Strategy_Group

[Squinch]

51. Focus groups conducted by a "progressive" company, no less. Clearly ratfuckery.

[Thekaspervote]

78. Thank you!!

[Chainfire]

47. Biden is going to have to convince

the group that he will represent them and their goals and dreams.

[Thekaspervote]

54. There is nothing that will convince those young or old if they are not already terrified of what's

Happening to vote this MF out.

[ancianita]

65. No he won't. They know the deal. They just have to get their asses off the couch and go vote

to save their futures.

In 2016,

70% of 18-29 year-olds did not vote.
60% of 30-44 year-olds did not vote;

only 38% of 45-64 year-olds did not vote,
and just 15% of 65+ did not vote.


If the young think America needs to progress, they'd better stop treating politics as irrelevant to themselves, thinking they're impervious, and get the hell up and go vote. The only reason their preferred candidates aren't standing is because the young didn't get out and vote for them.

No Democrat needs to prove anything to them, if they're as smart as they think they are.

[Codeine]

156. Why?

Isn’t it enough that the other guy is literally flying the Republic into a mountainside? This is one of the most starkly binary electoral choices in American history; anyone who needs “convincing” in the face of this is a goddamned moron unworthy of anything but absolutely unrelenting scorn and humiliation.

“Goals and dreams” my ass.

[Thekaspervote]

48. the Media.. once again shooting the dem candidate! If Biden is doing so poorly why is he

Maintaining a sizable lead over dotard?

Millennials and gen z are inspired by video games, bars, smart phones, iPods. I for one am not in the least bit surprised

Do we really have to put these kinds of “studies” out here on DU??? Really?

[iluvtennis]

59. + agree. So if they aren't enthusiastic for Biden, does that infer they would support trump. Don't

think so. They may be apathetic now, but come November, I think they will vote Biden. I gotta look for the silver lining.

[Thekaspervote]

79. +1000

[quickesst]

49. why young people flock to rallies....

..... and are loud and outspoken at them, but failed to show up to the polls has a simple scientific answer. Rallies are exciting and loud, while actually going to the polls is an exercise in boredom. It's a shame that a lot of people won't pay attention to science when it comes to certain subjects. Nothing against young people since I was once one myself, and thinking back, I absolutely agree with the findings. It's just fact.

Snip:
The rational part of a teen’s brain isn’t fully developed and won’t be until age 25 or so.

In fact, recent research has found that adult and teen brains work differently. Adults think with the prefrontal cortex, the brain’s rational part. This is the part of the brain that responds to situations with good judgment and an awareness of long-term consequences. Teens process information with the amygdala. This is the emotional part.

More at:
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=1&ContentID=3051

[rwsanders]

138. Would also explain the wave of young joining alt-right rallies. But if local get out the vote

groups paid attention to this, there would have to be a way to make getting together to vote fun and trendy.
And might shake up the primaries a bit. Too many people don't get involved until the final vote and are then disappointed in the candidates.

[quickesst]

139. if you re-read your post....

.... And really think about it, you have answered your own question.

Quote:
"Would also explain the wave of young joining alt-right rallies. But if local get out the vote
groups paid attention to this, there would have to be a way to make getting together to vote fun and trendy."

Women over 30 didn't wait until the final vote. Seniors didn't wait until the final vote. Men over 30 didn't wait until the final vote, but despite the huge rallies which were basically street parties for young people, not only did they wait until the final vote, they didn't bother to show up then. Yes, I'm talking about Republicans. I think I'll stand by my trust in science, and the facts it proves.

"Just 13% of validated voters in 2016 were younger than 30. Voters in this age group reported voting for Clinton over Trump by a margin of 58% to 28%, with 14% supporting one of the third-party candidates."
https://www.people-press.org/2018/08/09/an-examination-of-the-2016-electorate-based-on-validated-voters/

[Codeine]

157. "Fun and trendy"

Jesus fucking Christ.

It’s voting. It doesn’t need to be fun. You do it because that’s your fucking responsibility. I voted at 18 (for Mike Dukakis) and in every election since. I’m not any smarter or wiser than anyone else, so why do they need fluttering flags and cartwheeling clowns and whacky waving flailing-arm inflatable tube men to get them to the polling place?

It’s fucking ridiculous. They can fucking vote or they can shut the fuck up.

Fun and trendy my ass.

[Squinch]

50. Focus groups? Focus groups associated with Sanders, no less? What kind of bullshit is this?

[progressoid]

61. What a bunch of MALARKEY!!

[ibegurpard]

63. Not worried about lack of Democratic enthusiasm

We've seen over and over again in the past few years that we are DETERMINED to show up. More worried about roadblocks being put in the way of voters.

[MosheFeingold]

75. Nor I

I was a Bernie supporter, but I will vote for Biden. In fact, Biden was among my last choices.

But I'm a grown ass human. I've voted Democrat my entire life (excepting a couple of local elections, where it really is the person and not the party). Not going to stop now.

People hate Trump. That's enough to get them to vote.

[greymattermom]

66. That shouldn't matter much.

That group doesn't vote.

[steve2470]

68. If a young person votes for Trump, they have that horrific albatross forever around their neck

The difference could not be more stark between Trump and Biden. There is no comparison. Like the classic Biblical comparison between Satan and God.

Not enthused about Biden ? Ok fair enough, but for god's sake, just vote for Biden. And, oh yeah,
young people have this bad habit of not voting.

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

74. Facism vs. not facism - them's the choices kiddos -

I get to say that cos Im 67 going on 99. Feeling old and just tired of crap in general.....

Can I get an "OK boomer."

There are many credible authors/observers who make a compelling case that reelection of trump, esp in combination with continued R senate, will in fact be the end of democracy as we know it. This is not a drill!

[Buckeye_Democrat]

76. Kids today!

I don't mean to sound like past generations of old people, but I'm not hopeful about young people in this country fixing this mess any better than my generation of Gen-X dummies.

It's anecdotal, but I've met too many of them quoting nonsense they saw on Facebook. So they seem to lack discernment like so many other Americans, to me.

[SpankMe]

95. He needs a veep who WILL appeal to younger voters

And then he needs to put that person front and center in the campaign, and then make them effectively a co-president with expanded responsibilities once in office.

[Demsrule86]

118. A big no to that.

[hotrod0808]

103. Tough shit.

The sole Democratic Presidential candidate that I was ever excited to vote for since my first election in 1992 was Barack Obama. The rest were merely toeing a line to protect my voting rights, or union membership, or the rights of women. I'm not exactly excited to vote for Biden, but he's a good man who has the interests of Americans in mind, not the interests of himself. This is the election that will determine the path of this country. Vote Biden.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

111. You sound like me!

Obama was the only Democratic nominee who excited me too.

I was excited by some other candidates going back to the 80's, but Obama was the only candidate who won the nomination.

Clinton received my vote FASTER than anyone else, however, but that's only because she was running against Trump.

[hotrod0808]

115. We had

a diverse panel of candidates that grew out of control. Sen. Harris, Sen. Warren, Julian Castro, Mayor Buttigieg, and so on. Frankly, Tom Perez should have made some deals with some of the candidates to back off now and try again in another cycle. That's beside the point, though. Old, white male was not my first choice even though I really, really like Joe Biden as a person. So, I'm going to do what I did in 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004, and vote for the fucking winner of the primaries. What is so fucking hard about this? Why is there any question at all? That's how it goes when you are a member of The Party.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

116. The alternative has never been acceptable to me.

The Republican nominees over those years? Forget it!

[Polybius]

134. Dole wasn't too bad in 1996

If I had to choose one Republican nominee since 1992, I'd pick him. Not saying much.

[EllieBC]

108. Ok well I'll guess they'll just stay home and whine online?

I’m fairly certain that any of us who have been voting for a bit have voted for not our favourite candidate at some time. Suck it up.

[CaptainTruth]

110. Then there's this poll: Young Voters Solidly Favor Biden Over Trump

Young Voters Solidly Favor Biden Over Trump

[link:https://www.usnews.com/news/elections/articles/2020-04-23/young-voters-solidly-favor-joe-biden-over-donald-trump-poll|]

"Harvard's Institute of Politics poll of young Americans 18-29 years old, found that among likely voters, presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden has 60% support, compared to 30% for President Donald Trump."

[Mr.Bill]

113. If we ever figured out a way for people to vote on Facebook

these people would run the country.

[captain jack]

122. "Some worry about his age and fitness"!? Bernie had a heart attack while out campaigning! n/t

[Skittles]

125. I find that very understandable

if anything, utter disgust for Trump sounds more logical a motivation

[Hortensis]

127. Just need enough to get them to the polls. Remember,

they've all been marinated their entire lives in The Big Lie by anti-Democratic, anti-government propaganda from both right and left. Most grew up believing those who used Hitler's "The Big Lie" technique to indoctrinate them against Democrats. On the left, of course, it's that there's no real difference between Democrats and Republicans. On the right that liberalism is fascism and we eat babies' faces. It's The Big Lie because every brief examination belies the lie.

Ridiculous, but Hitler proved the technique of telling lies so "colossal" and obviously untrue that no one would believe someone would try to tell them IF they weren't true. And of repeating them until they became deeply embedded "common knowledge."

Considering the societal pathology affecting so many of their parents and communities, that the Republicans have caused it to lose a lot of its potency is a very good thing. We certainly couldn't do it without their help. Good and earnest are boring, and easily disbelieved.

“Mein Kampf”: “In the big lie there is always a certain force of credibility; because the broad masses of a nation are always more easily corrupted in the deeper strata of their emotional nature than consciously or voluntarily; and thus in the primitive simplicity of their minds they more readily fall victims to the big lie than the small lie, since they themselves often tell small lies in little matters but would be ashamed to resort to large-scale falsehoods....

It would never come into their heads to fabricate colossal untruths, and they would not believe that others could have the impudence to distort the truth so infamously. Even though the facts which prove this to be so may be brought clearly to their minds, they will still doubt and waver and will continue to think that there may be some other explanation. For the grossly impudent lie always leaves traces behind it, even after it has been nailed down, a fact which is known to all expert liars in this world and to all who conspire together in the art of lying.”

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

128. Well you know, 40 yrs ago young people were whining about Carter being

not left enough (supposedly) and claiming that he didnt inspire anyone to go vote for him, 20 years ago it was whining about Gore supposedly being "boring" (supposedly) and claiming that he didnt inspire anyone to go vote for him.

What I wouldnt give to have had "boring" but competent Dem presidents the last 40 yrs. Just think where we'd be now.... sigh.

[ananda]

132. Lack of enthusiasm here too!

But I will contribute and vote for Biden.

[Capt. America]

136. Because Trump is a spry 73 year old. Please. I want a unicorn too.

[Union Yank]

137. Don't blame me/us we voted for Sanders.

But I"LL still vote for Joe in General...

Let's be real Biden is very old, and not much to get excited about Warren would have made a much better candidate..

Biden will have to Campaign like Hell in Michigan and Pennsylvania his 2 most critical states...

If Joe wins Michigan AND Pennsylvania ( his birth state) Trump will have NO path to 270!!....

[JI7]

149. Young people DID NOT come out to vote for Sanders Either and THEY DID NOT vote for Warren either

and THEY DID NOT vote for any of the young candidates either .

[Codeine]

166. How the actual fuck

are you able in one breath to say you voted for Sanders and in the next complain that Biden is too old? What kind of cognitive dissonance training did you undertake in order to enable that level of contradiction?

And if Warren would have made a better candidate she would have won some states.

[Codeine]

170. I don't feel that way at all.

Bernie is the epitome of the grumpy old man bellowing at everyone who doesn’t bow at his feet. Biden doesn’t give me the same impression of set-in-his-ways impatience that marks everything Sanders does.

[treestar]

140. Can't identify. When I was young I did not have

to be enthusiastic. Voting is just civic duty to me.

Why can't they get excited about a Senate campaign or a House race too? Or a governor? They got excited about Beto. How about even just look and see if anyone "exciting" is running for some lower office.

If they must have excitement, there is plenty out there that is not the Presidency.

[Marrah_Goodman]

164. I think if we do not fight for every single vote possible, we could lose.

Young, old, black, white and everyone in between. That means using whatever we need to to reach them all.

Also, we need to find a way to get young people excited and wanting to be involved. We need everyone to help get out the vote.

Just my two cents

[Codeine]

171. If the thought of kicking Trump to the curb

isn’t enough to excite a person then nothing we can do will work. Voting is a right we are privileged to have; anyone who can’t be bothered to exercise that right is just utterly fucking useless and I don’t want to hear from them at all, ever again.

[BigDemVoter]

165. If they are fucking stupid enough, they will have the younger generations blaming THEM.

[greenjar_01]

169. brooklynite gonna just attack Biden for the next several months

Big Dem donor, though, doncha know. Private dinners with Senators and whatnot.

[Maxheader]

173. Meh..

Bfd..imho.

The rebel vs a moderate. Guess who the young like?

Guess who will sing a different song after starting a family..?..

[truthisfreedom]

174. I'm sure there are PACs that could figure a way to send messages to the young voters to register

and vote by mail as soon as they can.

[truthisfreedom]

175. I'm sure there are PACs that could figure a way to send messages to the young voters to register

and vote by mail as soon as they can.

[Indykatie]

176. The Media Needs to Give it A Rest with These Stories About Lack of Enthusiasm With Young Voters

Elections aren't decided by turn out among young voters if we have decent turn out in general. The mid terms showed Dems are fired up and won't be sitting home in Nov. If young folks decide to come out and vote good. If not, we'll still succeed. Biden isn't like Bernie in that his only path to victory is reliant on young voters. We all saw that they couldn't be bothered to go vote for Bernie despite his promises of a bunch of free sh*t.

[Joinfortmill]

177. True, I'm sure.

But unlikely to make a difference because the young are notorious for not voting.