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POLITICAL EYE: Pizza, actor help energize Obama rally
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David Becker/Las Vegas Review-Journal
UNLV students Ashley Celis, left, and Jason Murphy, right, cheer Wednesday at a rally in support of President Barack Obama at UNLV. » Buy this photo
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Actor Kal Penn is one of President Barack Obama's national campaign co-chairmen.
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Updated: Feb. 27, 2012 | 8:09 a.m.
Beatrice Mendoza and Jessica Jauregui, senior biology students at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, sat together, nibbling slices of Big Mama's & Papa's pizza and waiting for a rally to start to support President Barack Obama's re-election.
In 2008, Mendoza voted for Obama like millions of other young people who were key to the Democrat's victory in Nevada and nationwide. Some 66 percent of voters under 30 backed Obama four years ago, according to Pew Research Center, a record high percentage of the youth vote.
"I don't remember why I voted for him," said Mendoza, now 21 years old. "I think I'll probably vote for him again, but I haven't looked into the other candidates yet."
Mendoza said she attended Wednesday evening's rally for Obama to hear what his campaign had to say about why students should keep him in the White House for a second term.
Jauregui admitted, "I came to see Kal Penn," an actor speaking at the rally who worked in the White House for two years until August as a sort of ambassador to young voters.
Jauregui, a 22-year-old transplant from the Philippines, said she's a permanent resident and can't vote yet anyway, although she and her family plan to become U.S. citizens one day.
The young women were among the curious in the rally crowd that drew more than 100 students, including Democratic activists who said they planned to work for Obama's re-election.
"He's been very good for us from the beginning," said J.T. Creedon, a 29-year-old political science major who has lobbied the Nevada Legislature on behalf of students. "He doubled the Pell Grants. He cares about education. I registered as a Democrat just so I could vote for Obama last time."
Creedon is the type of gung-ho supporter Obama is looking for to help him recapture the magic that got millions of first-time voters to register in 2008 so they could back him at the ballot box.
Looking around him, Creedon said there seemed to be a lot of enthusiasm for the president among students gathered inside the atrium at the UNLV Science and Engineering Building. But offering a bit of free dinner probably helped draw more than a few hungry college students, he added.
"Pizza, that's what gets students here," he joked before biting into a slice.
And there was plenty, about $300 worth in huge open boxes: five "Big Papa" cheese and pepperoni pies at 36 inches each and two "Big Mama" pies at 28 inches each with mushrooms on top.
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In Nevada, Obama has lost a lot of his young voters, according to a recent analysis.
The Silver State's voter registration rolls have dropped by more than 117,000 people since the 2008 election, according to the nonpartisan Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement at Tufts University in Massachusetts. Of that total, nearly 51,000 were between the ages of 18 and 25 for a 43 percent decline in young voters, according to the study released on Dec. 30.
Registered young Democrats still outnumber young Republicans in Nevada -- 45,222 to 25,182 -- the study said. But young voters as a part of the state's overall electorate dropped by several percentage points, from 11 percent of registered voters in 2008 to 7.85 percent in October 2011.
"Given the overwhelming support young voters showed President Obama's 2008 campaign, with nearly two-thirds of young voters casting their ballot for Obama, this drop in the share of the electorate comprised of young voters could prove a major difficulty to the 2012 re-election campaign for President Obama in Nevada," the study said.
Retaining an advantage in registration among young voters "requires intensive effort" because young people are more likely to move, requiring them to register again, the study said. More than 4 million people reach age 18 every year, creating yet another new group of voters to register. A similar number of voters "age out" of the youth voter groups, according to the study.
The question remains whether Nevada Democrats will match the voter registration drive that four years ago added 100,000 new Democrats to the rolls, giving them a big advantage over Republicans.
Closer to the election, Democrats often put up tables on the UNLV campus to register voters. Candidates will, too, such as U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., who's running for the Senate.
The UNLV College Republicans have been putting up a table every day outside the student union to hand out information and register voters in an attempt to even the political scales, said Thomas McAllister, the new president of the organization since the semester began in January.
"I don't think the youth are going to fall for Obama's broken promises," McAllister said. "They can bring Kal -- what's his name? -- Kal Penn and try to sway voters all they want. It won't work."
McAllister said the difference between 2008 and 2012 is that Nevada now tops all the bad lists for the highest unemployment rate, at 12.6 percent, in the nation and record home foreclosures.
The Obama administration argues the president inherited an economic mess from President George W. Bush and Obama's policies have prevented another Great Depression.
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When it comes to Obama messengers, actor Kal Penn plays the role pretty well.
Penn was the star speaker at the "Greater Together Student Summit" at UNLV, which was one of a dozen university rallies the Obama campaign is planning through March in 10 battleground states.
Best known for his starring role in "Harold and Kumar go to White Castle," Penn is one of Obama's new national campaign co-chairmen. He's also the former associate director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, which led the outreach to young voters.
"The president was elected because young people got involved," Penn said in an interview before Wednesday evening's rally. "I'm here to encourage them to join us again."
Four years ago, Penn said he traveled to 26 states with a message that Obama would bring change after eight years of Bush, two costly wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and a rapidly sinking economy.
Penn said the message to young voters in the 2012 election is to keep Obama in the White House to prevent the GOP from undoing his work. Penn listed as Obama accomplishments health care reform, support for Pell education grants, getting rid of "don't ask, don't tell" so homosexuals can serve openly in the military, ending the war in Iraq and slowly reviving the economy.
"They are very well aware that all of the reforms can be rolled back," Penn said.
The UNLV rally was the third one this month, after Ohio and North Carolina. Youth summits also are planned at university campuses in Florida, New Hampshire, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Colorado and Virginia, the Obama campaign said, and will include a focus on African-American colleges.
Nevada Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford, who was a college Democrat at UNLV and is running for Congress this year, told the students they could stay home and complain about things they don't like or they can be counted and ensure a better future by voting for Obama.
"The best way to articulate where you stand is by voting," Horsford said, adding that the youth vote put Obama in the White House in 2008 and would be the winning factor again in 2012. "It's going to be because of you that we are successful in making sure he is re-elected."
Contact Laura Myers at lmyers @reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2919. Follow @lmyerslvrj on Twitter.
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Yeah baby! Let's rally for four more years of debt, drifting and incoherent foreign policy, class and racial warfare, support of "occupy" movements, anarchists for Obama, multiple luxury vacations to Aspen and Martha's Vineyard, lack of balanced budgets, more entitlement programs, unaccountable czars, protection of Delta Smelts over farmers, tax money for crony green companies, lack of transparency, $5.00 gas, $75,000 electric cars no one wants, passing bills by reconciliation instead of votes, unemployment checks as "stimulus," support of global warming scams, "shovel-ready" nonsense and great big lies every day. These students don't have a clue. It's like rooting for a asteroid to hit the Earth. Insane.
"Moist & Meaty wrote on February 27, 2012 10:16 PM: Meanwhile, the Young Republicans rally across town at CSN was packin' 'em in with deep fried pork rinds, Corn Nuts and Pabst Blue Ribbon."
Moist & Meaty flat out making $#!+ up.
3 1/4 years of failure by Bummer and these students and the Dems still believe Bummers. he `s still repeating the exact same talk he gave in 2007 and not much has been done.Now in Afganistan our ally`s kicking our butts. and Iran is gonna close the Strait of Homuz. Obummer has 8 more months to fufill his empty promises. Gingrich says he`s the most dangerous Press we`ve had.
I Do NOT endorse this. Please don't use my name in Abomination's benefit.
Franklin needs to stop being a crank.
Hey RJ censors print this, KILL the Invading Spics. After all posting honest debates the RJ won't allow, so let’s try to post things that fit their dishonest agendas about those that oppose their or Obama’s agendas. Even if it is enormously absurd and not honest intentions but fits the stereotype they like to portray. I tried to post several non-offensive posts but the biased censors will probably allow this nonsense to post and censor others honest opposition and debate. Mind you I'm posting complete nonsesne, even I don't agree with.
Meanwhile, the Young Republicans rally across town at CSN was packin' 'em in with deep fried pork rinds, Corn Nuts and Pabst Blue Ribbon.
I've seen this sort of censorship before. Someone new comes in to start a shift and they don't like the way the conversation is going and viola! Only one side of the argument is heard. Just like ABC, NBC and CBS. Welcome to the new USSAR.
Why won't the RJ sensors let my response go through?
Franklin, Glenn Beck was obsessed with that Hitler stuff too, twisting it to attack his political enemies.
How much do you hear about Glenn Beck now? He was way too goofy, EVEN FOR FOX!
And that's goofy. Take a hint. Give it a rest.