Rock the Vote

[RedHead1420]

Did anyone else watch Rock the Vote on CNN last night? While there were no mind-blowing statements made, there were some interesting moments. A good recap can be found at:

http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/11/04/elec04.prez.rock.vote/index.html

My impressions/quick overview:

1. All of the candidates seem a little out of touch with the twentysomething age group. They seem to be trying, well, some of them do, but I think they just don't know how to talk to us.

2. 4 of them admitted to trying drugs, one wants to decriminalize marijuana (that got a nice round of applause) one candidate wouldnt answer - bad move, what secrets do you have to hide?

3. They like PCs over Macs.

4. Gay and lesbian issues were asked about a lot, most of the candidates were for domestic partner benefits.

5. Everyone ganged up on Howard Dean about the Confederate flag remark.

6. Anderson Cooper (from CNN) was the moderator and damn, he looked good.

[paperjam1015]

Glad I'm not the only one who watches CNN for Anderson Cooper!!

I missed the debates but saw a recap on the news. Wasn't the one candidate who refused to answer female? Maybe she thought she'd be perceived differently. Or what would her kids think? If I were on Nat'l TV I'd refuse to answer too. Of coure I'd never be a politician b/c I wouldn't want all the media in my business. I'm sure they'll find out one way or the other.

And sounds like Edwards and Sharpton broke it down for Dean. Although there are many people around here who don't believe the flag is racist.

[Maraschinored]

Man, I remember when Anderson Cooper was really young and dorky and was on that school news show they made us watch in second period called "Channel 1". Did anyone else see that?
Anyway, to stay on subject, I didn't see the debate but I did read about it the next day. I'm glad Dean stuck with it on the Confederate flag comment. I don't think he was trying to be racist at all. He was simply acknowleging that there are a lot of different people out there with many different beliefs but ya know what? We all live in the same country and a lot of us want the same things, so we should all come together and vote for a candidate who can represent all of us. At least Dean wanted to talk about the issues, all the other candidates wanted to talk about was how much they could bash Dean.

[Rainster]

Arrrrggggh, I don't get cable so I couldn't watch the debate. From what I read, the Confederate comment was blown way out of proportion.

I remember "Channel One"! All through middle and high school... It tried to make the news extra-hip, in between ads blatantly aimed at teenagers! :p It's funny now, to see the old Channel One reporters in different TV roles...

[pisces2473]

Channel One is/was horrible. It's all about ads, not about real news. My school didn't have it, but if anyone's read Michael Moore's take on it...'nuff said. :)

[coll214]

I didn't get a chance to watch the debate, but read the recaps online.... I definitely think the flag comment was blown waaaay out of proportion...

I remember having to watch Channel one all through middle and high school... do they even still have it anymore??

[klo1335]

I watched the beginning of the debate but then I was embarassed for CNN and the candidates because:

#1) it all seemed very disorganized to me. Cooper had no control over the candidates or the flow of the show.

#2) the candidates were trying so hard to be "cool" that I couldn't help but laugh.

I still don't know who to vote for in the primary and the debate on CNN did nothing to help me make-up my mind :(

[Rainster]

pisces -- I totally agree with you about Channel One and the ads... we were 11, and we could tell that it was all about marketing Doritos and Pepsi!!

Personally, I find the whole "Rock the Vote" concept kind of condescending... then again, I've never had cable, so I have no idea how MTV or CNN presents voting and election issues to a younger demographic...

[Maraschinored]

klo- if you haven't already, check out:
www.deanforamerica.com

[paperjam1015]

WE had channel 1 the last two year I was in school...Anyone remember Lisa Ling on there? With her velver chokers?

[jku]

So funny about Channel One - they shoot it out of LA - the Ling family are wonderful people. Really. Smart, kind, and brilliant.

It used to be run by the EDISON SCHOOLS guy - Chris Whittle. Don't forget that they have big budgets because of those Doritos ads.

Did any of you find the stories they covered interesting or insightful? Did it help you in your understanding of the world?

[Rainster]

Aren't the Edison Schools pretty controversial? I thought a lot of community groups oppose the idea of a corporation coming in and "saving" public schools....

Actually, I think my school district agreed to the Channel One contract because it guaranteed every classroom would get a TV.
Instead of having to wheel the same one from classroom to classroom!

The teachers totally treated Channel One like an inconvenience. Sometimes they muted the broadcasts, sometimes they turned the volume down. In 7 years, not one teacher used the broadcasts in order to jumpstart a discussion. Maybe this was because the broadcasts HAD to be aired at the same time across the entire district... there was one semester where my calculus class had to watch it! Another semester, my best friend and I would use the top story as a debate topic, but we were TOTALLY the ANOMALY. Most other kids used the 15 minutes to catch some extra Z's in the morning!

And that Channel One "election" in 1992? I was in middle school, we all voted the way our parents were going to.

[Benwa]

Channel One is just one example of corporations sliming their way into the schoold. Most schools have a soda sponsor. I heard one story of a child being suspended for wearing a Pepsi shirt on Coke day (some coke rep was coming in for a visit, all the kids were going to stand on the playground and spell out Coke). Even textbooks are getting in on it. I read an excerpt that used Oreo's in a word problem, Joe has five oreos etc. The biggest abomination is fast food restaraunts setting up in schools. Yes, some schools have Mcdonalds and burgerking. Now they can poison their bodies too, every single day. Hey, but now we get to hear stories evrynight on the news how we're a bunch of fat asses. Hey maybe Channel One can put on a story about fat ass children right before the kids go eat at the school sponsored burger joint. It shows no sign of slowing. I'm hoping the kids brain will reach critical mass with all the advertising and they will revolt against it.

I find Rock the Vote to be a little sad. The candidates never look good. There old and always about five minutes behind. I wouldn't be surprised if one of them rocked out to "who let the dogs out". Can someone say lame white guy. Maybe Sharpton could get down, but that would be a bad stereotype. Rapping with Cypress Hill "Pick it, pack it, fire it up, come along and vote for al sharpton."

Does rock the votre even work? Something about rock and voting doesn't mix. Like when Brittney says how school is like totally cool.I can't believe discussion of the war was tossed to the way side. Its our demographic (as always) who is losing our lives over there. Our demographic are the ones who are going to have to live in the crap they create. We're the ones who're in debt from school and can't find jobs. We're going to have to deal with rampant corporations and polution. Who cares if the candidates use mac or pc or have smoked weed. Hell they can be surfing porn on their mac while smoking a joint in the whitehouse for all I care. Just start fixing things and if you can't fix it, snuff the joint out and if you still can't then ask someone for help. Rock the Vote is a petty attmpt to swindle votes, not to work in the interest of the young.

[Maraschinored]

Its pretty pathetic that whoever came up with those questions, like "What kind of computer do you use?" or "Have you ever smoked weed?" think that's what people our age are interested in learning about a candidate. Gimme a break. Like there is nothing more important that needs to be asked. :mad:

[jku]

Yeah, Edison is controversial - its basically a DEAD idea though. They went public with it for a while, and it fell flat on its face. You can't OPENLY make a profit off public education - Whittle should have been a little less idealistic, a little more cynical. The money in public schools is books - give some money to the right school board administrators in the biggest districts, and he would have been made.
I think I saw Whittle crying on a PBS FRONTLINE special - or was it 60 MIN?

SO funny about the comments on Channel One.
Rainster is right, nothing matters because kids at that age just believe whatever their parents believe.

But Lisa Ling is really an amazing woman. She has a sincere belief in the power of the news media. I remember she was discussing privately the imminent threat of terrorism in the mid-90s after coming back from the Middle East. She talked about the Taliban when they were destrying Buddhist statues - stuff that people didn't think about until 9/11.

Looking back on it - and working in News now, she is truly RARE, borderline bizarre, in this business.

A smart, attractive cosmopolitan woman - who has a strong interest and thorough knowledge of current events, politics, and culture.

[Rainster]

I agree, she seems amazing! I've read articles where she talks about challenging perceptions of Asian American women. Also, I've only seen "The View" once, on a rainy day in a hotel, and was impressed by her comments (no one else's!).