Young Obama Backers Twist Parents’ Arms

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT: Young Obama Backers Twist Parents’ Arms
By JAN HOFFMAN
Published: April 8, 2008

The daily phone calls. The midnight e-mail. And, when college lets out, those dinner table declamations? Oh, please. Senator Barack Obama’s devotees just won’t give their parents a break. As the race for the Democratic presidential nomination continues, youthful volunteers for each candidate have been campaigning with bright-eyed brio, not only door-to-door but also at home. But the young supporters of Mr. Obama, who has captured a majority of under-30 primary voters, seem to be leading in the pestering sweepstakes. They send their parents the latest Obama YouTube videos, blog exhortations and “Tell Your Mama/Vote for Obama!” bumper stickers....

***

No poll has counted Obama supporters who made their choice at the urging of their children. But combined exit polls for all the primaries so far (excluding Florida and Michigan) show that Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton has edged out Mr. Obama, 50 percent to 46 percent, among voters ages 45 to 64 — those who are old enough, and then some, to be the parents of Mr. Obama’s young supporters. But even politicians are mentioning the persuasiveness of their children, either in earnest or as political cover, as a factor in their Obama endorsements. That list of Democrats includes Senator Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, Gov. Jim Doyle of Wisconsin, Senator Claire McCaskill of Missouri, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas and Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota.

While politicians inevitably invoke children and the future, rarely have the political preferences of children themselves carried much weight with their elders. On the contrary: when baby boomer parents were the age their children are now, the ideological and social gap between generations was more pronounced. Parents were, by definition, authoritarian. Their children were, by definition, anti-. But the sharp distinctions between generations have eroded. Parents now are exponentially more entwined with their offspring, inclined to place their children’s emotional well-being ahead of their own. Even when students live away at college, many parents call them and send text messages every day.

The Obama campaign was well positioned to capitalize on this veritable seamlessness. From the outset, Mr. Obama eagerly sought out young voters with his Internet operation and a widespread, efficient campus network. Those efforts are paying off: in all Democratic primaries to date (excluding Florida and Michigan), about 6 in 10 voters under age 30 have supported him, according to exit polls conducted by Edison/Mitofsky.

For some waffling primary voters, the relentless push by their children was good enough reason to capitulate. Eager to encourage their offspring’s latest enthusiasm, they have been willing to toss up their hands and vote for Mr. Obama, if only to impress their children. “Our kids are probably more precious to us than any previous generation of parents,” said Dan Kindlon, a Harvard child psychologist. “We have fewer of them, we’re relativists, and we’re more swayed by them. A lot of parents are a little afraid of their kids.”

For many parents, this campaign season also feels like a fond flashback: in their children’s unvarnished idealism, many see a resurrection of their own youthful political passions....

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/08/us/politics/08kids.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1207674068-FkHrqpsiEccr5YFiGRUIDQ&pagewanted=all

[polichick]

1. Boomers and their kids are gonna TAKE BACK THIS COUNTRY!!

[LisaM]

2. What kind of families are these? In my family, politics were shared

We have always all been liberal, and we have almost unanimously voted for the same people! Either the parents are unengaged in the political process, or the kids are going after a personality, not a platform.

[glowing]

3. You are rare among Americans.. I realize that my household was rare as

well.. Most Americans don't take the time to vote, so why would they speak about poliitics or issues? Most families are more apt to participate in the American Idol vote each week, than participate in a very important vote that sets the day to day policies that effect their lives.

[LisaM]

4. Or care about issues. Our family have always agreed on issues

so we are less likely to vote personality over substance. Which is why it mystifies me that others do the opposite (this dates back to Reagan, IMO).