Clinton Finally Launches Student Campaign Program

Hillary Clinton announced her student campaign program the Hillblazers Thursday at Wellesley. She joined many of her fellow candidates in focusing on college students which I certainly applaud her for.

According to the Sacred Heart University Institute

"Among young Democrats, Hillary Clinton was the top choice to win the Democratic primary (54%), followed by Barack Obama (24%), and John Edwards (8.4%)

But when examining support for Sen. Clinton among college grads vs. high school grads only, you see more of an even spread with Obama.

The Clinton campaign has done a lot to tap into support among women but not quite enough with young women and there are noticeable differences between the other campaigns that built a youth focused infrastructure early and quickly - particularly the issues they choose to focus on when talking to young people. Tip: Its not always about college affordability.

The email that Sen. Clinton sent to supporters speaks of her years at Wellesley as the times that

"inspired me to change the world"

a message I am sure resinates with today's college students and the 18-30 demographic. I'm sure I speak for many when I say that we feel powerless in the face of so many problems facing our country.

A few of my friends in several states have heard from the Clinton campaign as possible state directors for the Hillblazers program and I noticed one at a party a few nights ago recruiting excitedly. Many of these folks are state YD directors and directors of their University chapter of the YD's which is disturbing given the fact that they should be remaining neutral. This program is sure to be a success among already passionate Clinton supporters and will certainly increase her voice on campuses.

While I doubt that she will steal away support from the already energized and organized Obama supporters - in the event that Clinton is the nominee her infrastructure now may help earn street cred with the BO folks in the future (which I am in no way saying I would want to occur).

As was indicated both in the NYTimes and again by Sen. John Edwards in the most recent debate, Senator Clinton has begun moving her campaign out of primary mode and more into general election mode. This turns my mind to wonder if Senator Clinton's campaign didn't consider youth outreach as important for her primary campaign but is now acknowledging it as a must for the general (regardless of whether or not voters choose her).

The other possibility is that the Clinton campaign didn't need anything special to focus on some primary youth voters because they were satisfied without spending a lot of time on that demographic.

And while I am excited to see the Clinton campaign launching this program and focusing on young people or as Mike would call it - the "youthroots" I noticed an all too common trap that they have fallen into: The assumption that youth outreach has to do with college students. As the Obama campaign corrected and the Edwards campaign avoided youth outreach doesn't start at the door of a university. We are quite a bit more diverse than that.