Obama, Dodd, and the College Vote: A Little Perspective, Please?
Submitted by WantMyCountryBack on December 2, 2007 - 1:53pm.
Crossposted from Daily Kos
In the past couple of days, I've seen a diary, and lots of comments, saying that Dodd is trying to disenfranchise the youth vote in Iowa. I've also seen a diary, and comments, that Obama is using Rovian tactics.
Before we decide that it's "Off with his head!" for either Democrat, both of whom I admire, let me explain why I believe neither claim is true.
Let's look first at some history, because as always, context is everything.
There has been an issue in Iowa, in previous years, as to whether campaign staff should caucus there. Many staffers may be living there for a year or more, and as such were often legally eligible to caucus. So if it's perfectly legal, why not? Well, some felt that it was not really fair. That the caucus ought to be for Iowans with roots in the community, not out-of-staters there temporarily. To have all one's staffers caucus, while legal, would be bad form and gaming the system in a sort of smarmy way.
Earlier this year, Obama's campaign, among others, made an agreement not to do so. Obama agreed that it was not entirely fair, and in fact, the "fraudulent" quote from Dodd that everyone became so lathered over is actually a quote from Obama's promise earlier this year. Note that these are Obama's words, not Dodd's:
condemn any attempt to fraudulently influence the caucuses
Please realize that in that quote, Obama was speaking of activities that may be perfectly legal under election law.
So, fast forward. Dodd hears of Obama's brochure drive, and the fact that not only is he encouraging students to caucus, but he is encouraging students whose home is elsewhere to come back to caucus in Iowa rather than their "home" state. One can argue which place is truly home, and the law says that they can vote in either, but not both. But Obama was convincing them to choose Iowa rather than voting in their family's state.
Dodd then sees a political opportunity to cry foul. He tries to throw back in Obama's face a promise that Obama made to not have campaign staff vote in Iowa. He tried to do a "gotcha" and claim that encouraging out-of-state students to come back to Iowa and vote was a breach of Obama's original promise, and just as "fraudulent" as having temporary out-of-state staffers vote.
This was Dodd's fuller statement, in context:
DES MOINES - Chris Dodd for President Iowa State Director Julie Andreeff Jensen today released the following statement in response to Des Moines Register columnist David Yepsen’s piece about the Obama campaign’s new strategy:"I was deeply disappointed to read today about the Obama campaign’s attempt to recruit thousands of out-of-state residents to come to Iowa for the caucuses. Given that the Obama campaign once said they
‘absolutely condemn any attempt to fraudulently influence the caucuses,’ we had hoped they’d follow the Dodd campaign’s lead in working to protect the integrity and spirit of the caucus process.
I think Dodd's wrong, of course. Let me repeat that: I think he is wrong. It's two different things, and many of those students are very much a part of the Iowa community, more so than their home state. But it was a clumsy attempt to nail Obama with going back on his word, not a calculated attempt to disenfranchise students. It was a miserably ill-advised and failed "gotcha" on hypocrisy.
Obama is not using Rove tactics. He has not forgotten every principle he ever had. He is a good Democrat. Obama found a way that the election law (voting in either place) will work to his favor, and is doing his utmost to exploit it. Bravo for him! He may get the nomination, and I'm glad to see he'll fight, and turn whatever he can to his advantage. We need that in our candidates.
Dodd is also a good Democrat. He has not forgotten every principle he ever had. He has fought for us on so many occasions, and is not a disenfranchiser the likes of the Jim Crow writers, and the nasty little groups that mess with ballots and obfuscate the language, or try to prevent people from getting to the polls. He really shouldn't be tarred with that brush. He's not actively tried to stop anyone from voting, he just tried to call hypocrisy on Obama, and did it in a very, very stupid and clumsy way.
I prefer not to think the worst of either of them, as neither has given me reason to suddenly think they have morphed into unprincipled Republicans. Your mileage may vary, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Once again, I'm just not very into that whole "accuse and eat your own" thing when it comes to Democrats, unless someone can give me a big fat buttload of incontrovertible proof.
both ways, IMO, as far as the ethics go. My main point is that characterizing the disagreement as either "Rovian tactics" or "Disenfranchisement" is a completely unproductive attempt to win the argument by polarization and demonization. And it sucks.
"As long as war is regarded as wicked, it will always have its fascination. When it is looked upon as vulgar, it will cease to be popular." - Oscar Wilde
I agree, WMCB. And, as I said above, Obama's effort to get the students to the caucuses is in no way fraudulent.
To the extent that Obama is favored among the college set, and to the extent that it's legal for out-of-staters to register in Iowa, it's probably a good ploy for him.
I wonder: If an out-of-state student comes from a state whose primary is in May, and if that student registers in Iowa for the caucuses, and if the primary season goes to the wire, can that student then re-register in his or her own state and vote again?
Stan Davis
Lakewood, CO
Wes Clark -- Don't settle for less.
Make America All It Can Be!
Absolutely not.
"Some of them put on their cowboy boots and put their feet up on the desk." -Wes Clark
for people to get to the polls. All campaigns provide rides to the polls on election day - the only thing different about this is the distance involved.
Proud to be an American.
The original pledge was about campaign staff, not students from out of state going to college in Iowa. The Iowa state government itself has instructions for what such college students can do - either register to vote in Iowa or register to vote in their home state and if they can't be in their home state on election day, then vote by absentee ballot. The only difference this year is that the primary has been moved to Jan. 3, during the college holiday break. This has never happened before. For some reason, Dave Yepsen got all bent out of shape over this, even though as far as I know he never has before. As I said, out-of-state college students in Iowa have always had the option of registering to vote in Iowa and participating in the Iowa caucuses. One of Hillary Clinton's co-chairs of students for Clinton, who is from Minnesota but goes to college in Iowa, was quoted in an article in October saying that she was planning to drive back to Iowa so she could caucus in Iowa for Clinton.
Also, I don't think this is where any Democrat wants to go. Remember Florida, 2000? One of the many problems in Florida in 2000 was that many black out-of-state college students had registered to vote in Florida, which they were entitled to do, only to find out on election day that they weren't on the lists of registered voters. So, I'd suggest Yepsen and Dodd and any one else who thinks this is somehow "fraudulent" or "unethical" think again. Perhaps it's just sour grapes because this year one of the candidates happens to be from Illinois, which borders Iowa, and evidently there's quite a few students in Iowa colleges whose home state is Illinois.
And this works for all candidates, but I can't see how a relatively "local" election system, based on caucuses can allow out of state residents to take part. This is supposed to be the people of Iowa's deal, not some temporary resident college students from Illinois, New York, or wherever. I think this should be OK in a national election, but not in something like this. But what do I know, I'm old fashioned.
We need to replace their thugs with our thugs.
P.S. I think this would work in Obama's favor since most of the out of state students in Iowa come from Illinois. Who wants to go to school in Champaign, for pete's sake.
Local politics has the most impact on a person's day-to-day life and therefore, students should have the option to vote in their local elections at college. After all, they are on campus at least eight months a year, for as many as four years - or more, depending.
Proud to be an American.
many out of state college residents pay out of state fees as part of their tuition and many hold jobs necessitating a state income tax on their wages. I don't see how that wouldn't qualify them as residents of the state where they attend college.
"The citizen who sees his society's democratic clothes being worn out and does not cry out is not a patriot but a traitor." -- Mark Twain
have to do with the Iowa caucus? Hey, let's all move there and enroll in a class. That way we can vote for Obama, too. What the heck; we can return home shortly after.
We need to replace their thugs with our thugs.
"Iowa should be for Iowans" -- hrc
goose/gander
[...] In fact, Clinton is counting on the support of some out-of-state students attending Iowa universities. Sarah Sunderman of Iowa State University, who was announced in a news release as a leader of the “Hill Yea”
Students Leaders for Hillary, told the Des Moines Register in October that “she will drive back early from her home in Minnesota to take part in the Jan. 3 caucuses.” [...]
MORE: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1207/7125.html
fair enough?
"The citizen who sees his society's democratic clothes being worn out and does not cry out is not a patriot but a traitor." -- Mark Twain
perhaps even revoke their statehood
They've done quite enough for us historically already, thanks! heh ;)
edit
The same people who brought us such luminaries as John Kerry! yay!
Biden was kissing their arses on tee vee last night- after ten minutes I told Mark- Kiss their butts?!
Me? I would probably be going at them hammer & tongs... might even have to be physically restrained! hahahaaaa (kidding)
Do a Noah's Ark principle. Instead of two, work with 20.
Get twenty of each from each state to move to and populate Iowa.
Twenty gays from California. Twenty Muslims from Michigan. Twenty more Muslims from Minnesota. Twenty more gays from New York. Twenty native Americans from New Mexico. Twenty more from Arizona. Twenty black people from Ohio and twenty from Alabama, and twenty from Louisiana. Throw in twenty Katrina victims. Twenty transvestites from West Hollywood (for Rudy), Twenty vets with PTSD from anywhere. Twenty homeless vets. Twenty Chinese from San Francisco. Twenty animal rights activists from Wisconsin. Twenty Buddhists from Oregon. Twenty Haitians from Florida. You get the picture. If we gotta keep Iowa, make Iowa truly representative. It will be a big ark.
I voted in my college town. And that started in 1958. Locals didn't like it then, but it was the law.
My grandaughter moved to New York City from out of state for college, registered immediately, lived and voted here four years. That was where she LIVED. She now lives in California where she will vote until she moves elsewhere.
My grandson enrolled at the University of Michigan last August, registered to vote in Ann Arbor. That is where HE LIVES.
where they live AND pay taxes!
"The citizen who sees his society's democratic clothes being worn out and does not cry out is not a patriot but a traitor." -- Mark Twain
When I worked on or off campus during my college days,local taxes were taken from my pay.
And during the four years my granddaughter worked in New York City, she COMPLAINED about the amount of taxes she paid to New York City.
Thanks for bringing this up.
Won't a lot of those students be home for the holidays anyhow? Seems like they would vote at home if that's where they register to vote. If they are getting in state tuition for being a resident somewhere else, then they're going to vote where they are a resident.
...people from out of state.
One disadvantage of the caucus system over the primary system is that you can't vote in a caucus by absentee or by mail.
Stan Davis
Lakewood, CO
Wes Clark -- Don't settle for less.
Make America All It Can Be!
if it's all legal and fair...."hope" they stick around and take a stab at turning Iowa blue in the GE after they pick the nominee.
Iowa went for the dumb a** in 04. Pretty sure they did in 2000 too. They could use the help.
First, Obama's drive isn't fraudulent, since it's legal. It may be slightly unethical, though.
I was having trouble remembering how I voted when I was in college. Then I remembered that I couldn't vote 'til I turned 21, by which time I had graduated. I kept my registration at my parents' address during grad school, though.
I also kept my registration there when I lived in Norfolk, Virginia in the Navy. The Soldier and Sailors Relief Act allows active duty military personnel to keep their "home of record" while they move around, both for tax and voting purposes.
If I had gone to an out-of-state school, I would have felt funny voting in my college town instead of home.
Stan Davis
Lakewood, CO
Wes Clark -- Don't settle for less.
Make America All It Can Be!