Quick Hits -- September 27th: Post-debate and Student Voter Act of 2008 Edition

Some post-debate reading:

• Newsweek just put out an open letter to young Obama supporters from a Millennial born on the cusp, Jonathan Darman. I like it all but this part, which unfortunately happens to be the crux of the letter.
  

  With the new fiscal reality, neither he nor John McCain should get away with promising everyone what he or she wants. In debates they will be pressed to explain their priorities. Seize this opportunity. To get the best of Obama, young people, cut out the blind devotion. Get off the Huffington Post. Stop the Facebook blasts. If you really want to be the change you've been waiting for, start holding Obama to some of his promises to our generation. In these waning days of the campaign, ask not what you can do for Barack Obama, ask what Barack Obama can do for you.

  This once again assumes that internet activism doesn't get anything done. Not cool.

• Is Friday night the best night to have a debate in order to attract more youth attention and involvement?
• A Columbus Dispatch piece visits a debate-watching party near Ohio State University to get feedback from both College Dems and College Republicans organizations on campus.
• Michael A. Cohen of the New America Foundation penned a decent piece appearing in the New York Times a few days ago on the state of the race.

  His words at the end dovetailed with the coverage of Obama's performance in the debate so far:

  All of these elements make the presidential debates so crucial for Mr. Obama — and so potentially dangerous for Mr. McCain. Unlike an acceptance speech before a partisan crowd or campaign advertisements, debates are the single best opportunity for a relatively inexperienced presidential candidate to show the electorate their qualifications for America’s top job. Indeed, Mr. McCain’s debate performance will be of almost secondary importance. If Mr. Obama, who already has the political wind at his back, is able to show that he has the proper facility with the major issues of the days to go head-to-head with Mr. McCain, he will go a long way toward erasing the doubts that many voters still have about his experience.

  Since June this election has been Barack Obama’s to lose. Because of his consistent message discipline, Mr. Obama has ensured that with approximately 40 days until Election Day, this is still the case.

• An actual example -- in Frederick County, MD -- of the energy from this election reinvigorating local parties.
• A piece on the Student Voter Act of 2008 -- Rep. Jan Schakowski's the lead sponsor -- that would require all institutions of higher education receiving federal funding to offer students the opportunity to register to vote while registering for classes.
• An article from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern examines preparations being made for another surge in the youth vote this November.
• "Youth Activism Isn't Dead, Just Different" -- a good piece by Ned Resnikoff found on Pushback.