“Kerry won’t actually be able to do a whole lot with split control. But it is still better than what we have now,” he said.
While he acknowledged the importance of youth participation for winning campaigns, he said that he “doesn’t have the magic answer” for getting youth—or other non-voters—to the polls.
“I’ve never found a way to convince young people to vote,” he said.
Later in the afternoon, Chair of the Massachusetts Democratic Party Phil Johnston also discussed the importance of young people, whom he termed “troops for progressive campaigns.”
Johnston revealed that this year’s Democratic National Convention, which will be held in Boston, will be the first “interactive convention”—videoconferencing technology will help create a “national conversation about the importance of the presidential election,” he said.
He criticized the impact of money on campaigns, but conceded, “Campaigns can’t do anything without it.”
While Johnston condemned the Bush administration, Governor Mitt Romney, R-Mass., did not escape free of criticism.
“We have the worst governor in the history of the state and the worst president in the history of the country,” Johnston said.
In addition to the speakers, the conference featured an information session on the Democratic National Convention and a campaign training workshop entitled “Campaigning 101.”
“Campaign training was a great way to help us solidify our methods for directly connecting with voters,” said Wellesley senior Carolyn A. Schultz.
The afternoon also included a brief presentation from the League of Conservation Voters members, who distributed pamphlets featuring a headshot of George W. Bush that read, “Some things were never meant to be recycled.”
Many participants said that the opportunity to interact with other politically energized students was the most valuable experience.
Smith College sophomore Lenore S. Cho said she drove across the state from Northampton, Mass. to mingle with other college Democrats.
“There is such a divide between western Massachusetts schools and the Boston crowd,” she said. “It’s nice to come together to socialize.”
—Staff writer Faryl W. Ury can be reached at ury@fas.harvard.edu.