Team Obama targets teens as secret weapon

First posted at WashingtonTimes.com

I've written quite a bit about the youth support Sen. Barack Obama has generated this year, and some of it from teens who aren't even of voting age.

The campaign also is creating this "persuasion army" of supporters who can persuade their friends, family and neighbors that Obama is the right man for the job.

Check out this video Team Obama has posted combining both ideas.

"My friends and I all work really hard to get them to vote and register," says Julie Solomon, 13, in the video. "We start out easily and just start saying, 'So, did you watch the debate?'"

Another teen says he tells his grandparents he "may not in the future help them with text messaging or Tivo."

The video has been watched more than 58,000 times since it was posted last week, and it's part of their campaign asking young people to have "The Talk" with their family members.

The campaign supplies helpful "ideas to get the conversation started . . . about why you support Barack."

Among them:

Bring it up at dinner or in the car

Post policy sheets on your fridge at home

Share a campaign video with them to spark discussion

Invite your parents to attend a grassroots event with you - and invite their friends who are supporters, too

Find out how Barack's plans (like his tax cuts) would affect them

Talk about news coverage of the candidates and your thoughts on that coverage

Read our talking points on the issues

— Christina Bellantoni, national political reporter,

The Washington Times

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