by Vince Hale

Created on: May 02, 2008

The final six months leading up to the general election in November promise to be some of the most interesting days in United States presidential election history. The Democrats will most assuredly not have a unanimous candidate when they meet for their convention in Colorado, and the Republican strategists will use every trick in the book to distance their candidate from an unpopular sitting Republican president.

How history will remember the upcoming election remains to be seen, but one thing seems almost certain: young Americans will play a more prominent role in nominating the next president than ever before in the nation's history. But the question remains, is that a good thing? The answer, of course, depends on who you happen to be asking.

It's no secret that the overwhelming majority of voters in their teens and early twenties are supporters of Barack Obama. But why is that? Is it an idealistic naivety that would draw young voters to a candidate who promises a brave new world where war doesn't exist and all of the ingredients in the melting pot mesh together to form a perfect Utopian society, or is it something much simpler?

Could it be that younger Americans are easily swayed by a passionate speaker whose campaign rallies often begin with shouts of "What's up America?!?!?" and have the feel of a college frat party? The truth is it's probably somewhere in between.

Many first-time voters who will be pull the lever for Obama in November know very little about the man, his record in the Senate, or his candidacy; but that is probably not their fault. Obama has done little to outline a clear platform, but to younger Americans that doesn't seem to be overly important.

When quizzed about why they intend to vote for Obama most younger people would likely mention the word "change" without giving any indication as to what exactly he intends to change. Obama has done little to provide voters with his own definition of the word - and seems unwilling or unable to do so. And why would he want to dictate any real policy and risk the chance of ostracizing those who would disagree with him? His rhetoric of change mixed with loud and passionate rallies seem to be all that's necessary to whip a crowd of college-aged supporters into a starry-eyed frenzy.

Barack Obama has taken on a rock-star type of following, and his young fans are called "Obamaniacs" for a reason. The media has elevated Obama into a Cult of Personality, causing Obamaniacs to sometimes burst into tears upon his arrival at campaign rallies. Many fans gaze up at him on stage with an awe that is not unlike the Elvis Presley or Beatles phenomenon of the 1950's and 1960's.

Obama seems to have even managed to slither out from underneath the Jeremiah Wright scandal with nary a scratch in the eyes of his fans. And make no mistake about it, his young followers are "fans" and not "supporters." To be a supporter would imply agreement with his policies, which to this day remain unspoken. Since "change" is a campaign slogan and not a tangible policy, the word "fan" seems more appropriate to describe his followers.

Obama's concerted effort to reach younger Americans has thus far been a resounding success. Teens and the twenty-something crowd are rallying behind their candidate in unprecedented numbers. And if he indeed secures the Democratic nomination at the convention in August you can bet the young Obamaniacs will take their fanaticism to a new level.

So while Barack Obama has yet to present any sort of a platform, it has obviously not hurt his popularity with younger Americans. Who needs a platform when your fans have already placed you on a pedestal anyway?

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