After reading analysis of a Harvard poll on Obama, it is difficult to consider the contradictions. Obama’s biggest supporters – voters under 30 – still support him, but do not support his policies. For the President’s political consultants, it is a dream situation, since it isn’t about what he does – it is about who he is. Perhaps they should be the only ones rejoicing.
At first these results may seem surprising, but with just a little consideration, they are predictable. The under-30 group is regularly bombarded with news of celebrities and sports figures engaged in all manner of questionable and unethical behaviors. In spite of the various flaws they see daily, by and large, they remain faithful to whichever public figures they enjoy with few exceptions.
The focus on the person as opposed to the person’s actions is probably a direct result of the unending quest within the media (typically tabloids) to dig dirt. If one would decide to abandon a public figure purely because of a scandal or disagreement with something the individual said or did, one would be left with no one to pay attention to in the spotlight.
That is fine when considering Hollywood and the world of sports – it becomes troublesome when the same yard stick is applied in the world of politics. The fact that younger voters remain faithful to Obama may very well be a symptom of this, and unfortunately, it has the potential to do a disservice to the public at large. While it is a worthy pursuit to encourage young people to be engaged in political life and vote, the message that policy and actions should override charisma in the ballot box needs to be delivered. Perhaps organizations seeking to get young people to vote should also be teaching that the ballot box is not a popularity contest. Voters should cast votes based on what candidates and office holders do and what they stand for, not based on who they are.
Tags: Barack Obama, Harvard, The Nation, Voters
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