Gore Courts Young Voters

There was no question this time about boxers or briefs.

The closest Al Gore '69 came to an iffy moment on MTV's "Choose or Lose" special was when he was asked about whether Ralph Nader-leaning liberals should worry about throwing away a vote.

In what has become somewhat of a ritual for candidates seeking to boost their popularity among young, likely voters, Gore answered questions from a college-aged audience two nights ago at the University of Michigan.

The MTV News special was broadcast last night and simulcast at the Institute of Politics (IOP), where 40 students and about 20 area residents watched.

Topics covered ranged from medicinal marijuana, which Gore opposes, to Napster, which Gore supports as long as artists are compensated, to same-sex marriages, about which Gore was equivocal.

Gore also made a concerted effort to focus on issues that appeal to younger voters, calling for tax deductible tuition payments, and calling education a "number one priority."

His efforts did not seem lost on the students who watched at the ARCO Forum.

"College students are generally more interested in issues like education and tax credits for college tuition," said David Villarreal '04.

On the MTV show, Gore was also asked questions about abortion, school violence and other issues that many students said they found relevant.

Students interviewed agreed that programs like "Choose or Lose" play an important role bringing issues concerning younger voters to the forefront.

"MTV involves more people. You have to do it--it's another form of debates. Next time they'll be debating on the Internet," said Cynthiaa Medina, a student at the Kennedy School of Government.

President Bill Clinton helped mobilize young voters in the 1992 election with his youthful image and his saxophone playing-prowess on the "The Arsenio Hall Show." Over 40 percent of eligible 18 to 24-year-olds voted that year, breaking a trend of lower turnout that built up in the mid-1980s.

Despite the efforts made by politicians, many students said candidates need to do more to attract college-age voters.

"I think they (politicians) can focus more on youth-oriented media. Instead of going through the routes of CNN or C-SPAN, they could have debates on David Letterman," said Hannah Choi '01, the chair of the Student Advocacy Committee for IOP

Students watching the forum said they believed the trend towards even fewer people voting would not change this election year, considering the slate of Gore, George W. Bush, Patrick Buchanan and Ralph Nader.

"Politicians complain about a lack of interest, but it is incumbent upon candidates to connect with the population," said Matthew Ocheltree '04.