Around the Tubes - December 9, 2007

Some quick hits for a lazy Sunday:

• The Hill reports on the Fall 2007 survey from the Harvard Institute of Politics and the douchebaggery of Charlie Cook is revealed:

  Charlie Cook of the Cook Political Report said the recent rise in the youth vote is nothing more than a blip on the screen.

  “Sure, young people voted in higher numbers in 2004; so did left-handed people, albinos and battered-husband advocates,” Cook said. “People under 25 always vote in disproportionately low numbers, and I don’t think that will change.”

  Unbelievable. More on the IOP survey tomorrow.

• A new study of teen political behavior yielded some interesting results:
  

  The percentage of students who identified as extremely conservative decreased 5.6 percent from the first time the students were interviewed to the second, in red states. The students who identified as extremely liberal increased 8.6 percent, in red states. Furthermore, the percentage for those who identified as a Democrat increased about 5 percent, from before the elections to after.

  McDevitt emphasized the differences between partisanship and ideology. Identifying as a Democrat or Republican is not synonymous with identifying as a liberal or conservative. It was in this discussion that the practice of activism arose. McDevitt sees activism as a tool for young people to explore political ideologies, both liberal and conservative. In his study there are interesting figures to help illustrate this activism exploration by youngsters, especially in a time of political importance (election periods).

  I'm gonna try to get my hands on the actual study to look at this more.

• Joe, we hardly knew ye! In the Wall Street Journal, John Harwood unnecesarily genuflects to the conventional wisdom of David Yepsen, and Joe Trippi notes his own failures at attracting young Iowan's to the Dean campaign:
  

  But Des Moines Register sage David Yepsen warns Edwards would suffer if Obama and Clinton succeed in attracting college students and older women who are novices to caucus process.

  “Expanding the universe…is a difficult thing to do,” notes Edwards strategist Joe Trippi, who advised Howard Dean four years ago. The 2004 caucuses set record with 124,000 participants, but an Iowa State University poll suggests Jan. 3 contest could draw as many as 175,000.

• According to Silicon Alley Insider, ABC (political) news on Facebook is a bomb.
• Lots of ink has been spilled over the complications of an early caucus for Iowa students. Now the Boston Globe takes a look at the similar challenge facing New Hampshire Students.
• Young People For has announced its new class of Fellows.
• Ben Adler at The Politico notes the important rise of a new caucus within YDA: the Disability Caucus.