MoveOn's Teetotaling Vote Pledge
Kevin has written in the past about Vote Pledges - essentially signed promises to vote on election day that GOTV organizations use to make sure people to cast their ballot. Earlier today, MoveOn launched their own (somewhat) tongue-in-cheek version of a vote pledge:
"I will not get so drunk on November 3rd that I am unable to vote on November 4th."
Huh, you ask? Let's review.
Last week, a conservative group, Let Freedom Ring, took advantage of MTV's new policy of accepting political ads to launch an attack on Senator Obama. The progressive rapid response to this ad came from MoveOn, which bought time on the network this week to run a positive ad about Senator Obama.
In response to that, Michael Reagan, right-wing radio host and son of the former President, attacked young voters on CNN as apathetic drunks who don't vote because we're too hung over to get to the polls:
Redonkulous. It flies in the face of all the statistics from the last 3 election cycles. It willfully ignores the amazing turnout in this winter's primary process. And it's just plain insulting. I've got no problem Drinking Liberally, but seriously, who is out getting hammered on a Monday night? I know it's his job to talk down the youth vote and do whatever he can to depress turnout, but that doesn't make it right. I'm almost as pissed at that CNN anchor for letting something like that stand unchallenged.
Cooling down and looking at the positive in all this, great job by MoveOn for the rapid response to the Let Freedom Ring ad, and for a creative effort to prove Michael Reagan wrong about young voters.
Go sign the pledge. If MoveOn collects 50,000 signatures, they will deliver the to Michael Reagan along with a nice cold keg of beer.
2008 Youth Vote in Context
The following charts and graphs are meant to contextualize the unique role that young voters played in the 2008 election, and their increasingly important role in a winning electoral coalition:
2008 Youth Electoral Map

2004 Youth Electoral Map

Youth Vote Partisan Advantage: 2000 - 2008

Youth Vote Historical Support: 1976 - 2008

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BTW
Michael Reagan is forgetting that, like most members of the generation who grew up playing Nintendo, my hand-eye coordination is so good that I can actually - get this! - vote drunk ... or, if need-be, hung-over ... It's not difficult. Throw some coffee down my throat, walk down the street in my slippers & robe, make sure to remember my sunglasses, hit the button that says "DEMOCRATIC", pull the lever &/or pass out afterwords.
Vote Republican? I'm not rich enough, & I don't hate all that many people ...