Howard Dean visits MU, speaks about youth involvement

Howard Dean spoke to a crowd Saturday morning about youth involvement.

By Mary Daly

Published Sept. 8, 2008

At a rally Saturday morning at MU, Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean stressed the importance of young voters in the upcoming election.

Dean, who ran an unsuccessful presidential bid in 2004, addressed a crowd of more than 200 students, faculty and community members at Stankowski Field.

The rally was the second to last stop on the Register For Change bus tour, an effort on behalf of the Democratic Party to increase voter turnout and awareness.

Young Democrats of Missouri President Rick Puig spoke before Dean.

"I've never been asked to introduce anyone quite like this," Puig said.

Puig discussed the importance of the youth vote in the election, and said youth involvement is "everywhere."

"You can see it on campus, in your neighborhoods, even today at this engagement right here," he said.

Dean spoke about issues important to young people, such as the war in Iraq and the economy.

"We're spending $10 billion a month in Iraq," he said. "That money should be in Missouri. You should never trust a Republican with your money."

Dean went on to say the country could and should do better with politics, but it needs the help of its citizens.

"Politics is what you do in your life for your community," he said. "Barack Obama's not gonna win this. I'm not gonna win this. Joe Biden's not gonna win this. You are going to win this election and we can't do it without you."

Dean said the young generation is important to change the outcome of the election and to change politics in years to come.

"The message we get from your generation is, 'Won't you please stop fighting on the things you can't agree on and start working together on the things you do agree on to make the world a better place,'" he said.

Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama is the first candidate who represents the young generation's message, Dean said.

Dean also stressed the importance of young people registering to vote in order to make a difference. Volunteers at the rally were registering students to vote.

"Imagine a ring of really burly security people surrounding this whole thing," Dean said in reference to the area around Stankowski Field. "You ain't leaving here until you sign up to vote at those tables."

Kelley Robinson, a Campaign for Change staff member, also encouraged audience members to register to vote after Dean's speech.

"Now is the time we are going to take back Missouri, neighborhood by neighborhood, vote by vote," Robinson said.

Nate Kennedy, Young Democrats of Missouri College Federation chairman, said Dean is a politician who understands the power of the youth vote.

"He's always been really supportive of young college Democrats and young activists," he said.

Kennedy said young people are influential in this election.

"The primaries were just a preview of what's to come in November," he said. "I think 18- to 25-year-olds are being grossly under-sampled in the polls because they don't fit the pollster definition of being a likely voter."

There are a lot of students who deeply care about the upcoming election, Kennedy said.

"These students are more active than ever before working on campaigns, knocking on doors, making phone calls and talking to their friends," he said.

Kennedy said the Young Democrats are working nonstop until the election, registering students to vote and educating them about the candidates.