By Nick Haskell – Bellarmine College Preparatory
The presidential election of 2004 is shaping up to be the most
polarizing election in United States history. Our national media
has gone overboard, now turning even the smallest perceived
imperfection into a catastrophic indication of imminent failure in
a candidate.
By Nick Haskell – Bellarmine College Preparatory
The presidential election of 2004 is shaping up to be the most polarizing election in United States history. Our national media has gone overboard, now turning even the smallest perceived imperfection into a catastrophic indication of imminent failure in a candidate.
The media is utterly saturated with election coverage; not even the comics page is safe from the partisan wrath of Doonesbury and Mallard Filmore. Even P. Diddy is getting in on the action with his “Vote or Die” campaign.
Just how is the election stacking up in the youth around here? Surprisingly, the conservative of the election is not lagging amongst the liberal-charged youth.
Sixteen-year-old Kassie Keams of San Benito High School is amongst those who feel that the current national security crisis mandates that experience be the deciding factor. Kerry’s lack of experience fighting terrorism swings her vote over to Bush.
Gilroy High School sophomore Ashley Levonius thinks that Bush “just made a few mistakes, but it was for the better of our country.” She also said that Kerry “would just mess things up.”
This same concern with national security seems to be the deciding factor for most Bush supporters.
Live Oak High School junior Katie Robinson thought that Bush would be the better man for the job because, “he does care a great deal for our nation, and he’s done some great things for us. I respect Kerry’s ideas, and he seems to really want to improve things for us … but I just don’t think he’s cut out for the job.”
On the flipside of things, many people seem to be pro-Kerry simply for the virtue of being anti-Bush.
Gilroy junior Austin Caldwell boils the entire race down to one issue: he’s against Bush because Bush supports an amendment banning gay marriage. Although Austin is aware Kerry is also against gay marriage, he would cast his vote for Kerry simply in hopes of keeping Bush out of office.
Live Oak senior Megan Hamilton says she “doesn’t really keep up on the issues” but “doesn’t like Bush.” She expresses doubt that the situation would improve much under Kerry, but certainty that it would degrade under Bush.
Many local teens supporting Bush do so for reasons of foreign policy, especially national security. Many who support Kerry do so in order to ensure Bush will be just another civilian next year.
Looks to be a great election.
