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June 30, 2009
E-mail a friendYOUNG VOICES
McCain Is Young Voter's Brand of Republican
“Love her! Love her! Love her!” first-time alternate delegate Ashley Barbera says about vice-presidential pick Sarah Palin. “I've been hoping that McCain would pick her for the last three or four months.”
First-time delegate Ashley Barbera shows off her new "McCain/Palin" button.
Barbera, a law student and part of the Maryland delegation, sat down to chat with our Web team at the start of her day. She filled us in on her schedule, which she says is “in flux” because of Hurricane Gustav, and on young voters' thoughts on Sen. Barack Obama.
“Young voters, they do care. They do pay attention,” Barbera says. “And once you start tuning into an election, you're going to see a lot more that Obama's a great speaker, but I think a lot of that is all there is.”
Barbera, who showed off her McCain-Palin button with pride, says that McCain's experience, personality and bi-partisan record attracts young voters.
“McCain, I think, is my generation's brand of Republican,” Barbera says. “He's a maverick. He stands up to Republicans or Democrats when he sees something that is wrong.”
No Longer the Party of Old White Men
First-time alternate delegate from Missouri Justin Smith agrees. The law student has been volunteering on political campaigns since he was 9 years old, supported Sen. John McCain even before the primary season began and says his initial excitement last week about Sarah Palin and the prospect of the conventions has been “tempered and subdued” this week by Hurricane Gustav.
“We're all concerned with what's happening in the Gulf and very worried,” Smith says. “It's not as much of a party.”
In addition to his delegate duties, Smith is blogging for the St. Louis Beacon where he reported on the mood at the convention Monday and told readers that the “Republican Party will be the second priority this week; America will come first.”
Like Barbera, Smith says that he's excited with the choice of Sarah Palin for vice president.
“Everyone thinks we're the party of old white men,” says Smith, a young white man. “But we can support women, and we do, and now that's being highlighted.”
Palin Must Hold Her Own
Stay-at-home mother of four and first-time delegate from Illinois Stephanie Hitt says she identifies with Palin, a mother of five who is the same age as Hitt.
First-time delegate Stephanie Hitt discusses McCain's choice for running mate.
“There's actually someone at the convention that I sort of look to and feel like I understand in a way,” Hitt says.
Hitt, who is also blogging about her convention experiences on her blog Hitt to Right, is from Obama's state and from the district that covers Hillary Clinton's hometown but is dedicated to the McCain-Palin ticket. The way for that ticket to win in November, Hitt says, will be for Palin to shine at the vice-presidential debate.
“If she can hold her own against a very, very tough statesman like Joe Biden,” Hitt says, “she'll be able to prove to the public that she's up for being a heartbeat away” from the presidency.