Open Letter to Two Undeclared College Superdelegates

The following was sent as an open letter to two undeclared superdelegates (Lauren Wolfe and Awais Khaleel, who are the President and Vice President of College Democrats).

Awais & Lauren :

Four years ago, a friend of mine in Texas was working a minimum wage job so that he could one day go to college. His phone rang one evening, and the voice on the other line offered him a $90,000 job driving a truck for a defense contractor in Iraq. He called me and asked what I thought he should do. No matter what he decided, I remember thinking, "What a sad day when the world's richest, most powerful country can only offer 2 choices to someone who wants to go to college: minimum wage, or $90,000 in a war zone."

After reading Jason Rae's note earlier this week, I feel obligated to share with you my experiences as a surrogate at colleges and community centers from Virginia to Indiana, Ohio to Pennsylvania, Wisconsin to North Carolina.

State after state, I have been meeting young people who, for the first time in their lives, are not simply voting, but volunteering for a campaign. After being told for years that their voices don't count for much, they have risen up and joined us in securing a better world for all Americans. Many of these folks cannot afford a college education. Many lack health care. Some are caring for ailing parents. Others are first-generation Americans. Overwhelmingly, they've answered the challenge that Senator Obama has given them: to take responsibility and become involved. I ask you not to ignore them any longer.

Young voters are mobilized for Barack in some of the most unlikely places. I'm reminded of a very moving event at the largely conservative Miami University of Ohio several weeks back; Ranked as the 4th least diverse school in the nation by the Princeton Review, our surrogate rally drew 500 students -- a large number of whom showed up with handmade "Obama '08" signs. The College Democrats on campus were blown away, having never seen more than small double-digit attendance at any of their general meetings. These several hundred students, a great many of whom were conservative Republicans, came to learn more about Barack Obama and left that night as supporters. I ask you not to deny them the opportunity to support the Democratic Party.

It was indeed important to remain neutral as the candidates themselves reached out to young Americans. As representatives of a college group, I respect your decision to have waited until your constituents made their voices heard in a clear fashion. But that time has come and gone. You are no doubt aware that this election season started with an increase in youth voter turnout of 135% above 2004 levels in Iowa. Senator Obama won the 'youth vote' by a 4-1 margin in that state, followed by 3-1 in New Hampshire, and 2-1 in Nevada.

He is the only candidate -- Democrat or Republican -- to have an active National Arts Policy Committee to preserve and encourage the ties between the arts and culture, education, civil/national preservation, and national & international security. He is the only candidate -- Democrat or Republican - to have made a commitment to true reform and refused federal lobbyist money in his presidential campaign. He also refused to stand idly by, and spoke out publicly while Senators McCain and Clinton voted to authorize a war that continues to send scores of young Americans overseas.

Perhaps three weeks ago was not the right time to pledge. But neither is three weeks from now. Your failure to pledge now risks returning those passionate, first-time voters to a political landscape of the same old games that caused them to maintain such distance from the Democratic Party before. If you are being pressured by others to wait until later in May or June to pledge, please be aware that you risk hurting the majority of folks who have made their clear choice in Senator Obama. I work with them every day. These young voters were mobilized because of a belief in their ability to change the game-playing Washington establishment politics that has failed them for so long. You may be reluctant to endorse because you are DNC officers, but you have a mandate from scores of young voters to pledge now. As the future of the Democratic Party, they look up to you. Please don't let the system fail them again. This should not be about party politics and should not be about insider loyalties. This is about the constituents you represent, and their inclusion and involvement for years to come.

Your failure to pledge now also risks denying young, first-time voters the very things for which they have supported the Democratic Party now: universal health care, access to education, freedom from war, a sustainable environment, fair, unionized jobs, and serious, long-term economic solutions. Please don't risk pledging too late and hurting their credibility.

You need to pledge your support for Senator Obama today. You need to do this for the scores of young voters who turned out in unprecedented, historic numbers. You need to do this for a college freshman I spoke with in North Carolina last Monday, who tirelessly splits his time between school, volunteer work, and helping care for his ailing father. You need to do this for the brave young men and women who are in the military, and for the young woman in Minnesota who, with tears streaming down her face, explained that she can't pay off her student loans on a teaching salary.

You need to do this for people like my friend who was making minimum wage four years ago. He ultimately turned down that job offer in Iraq. He has still not been able to afford a college education. You need to show him that the richest, most powerful country in the world hasn't forgotten him.

Best,

Kal Penn

Surrogate/National Arts Policy Committee Member
Barack Obama for President

Kal Penn (Kalpen Modi) is an actor based in Los Angeles. He currently appears on the television series, House, is an Adjunct Professor of Cinema, Sociology, and Asian American Studies at the University of Pennsylvania, and is pursuing a Graduate Certificate in International Security at Stanford University. He is a surrogate for the Obama Campaign and a member of the Campaign's National Arts Policy Committee

Comments

[ebbtide]

I would like to know who the hell are they and why they have any power at all. Why? Whyt do we depend upon some college kids to determine a winner? Why. Hell, why don't we have high school kids as members of the superdelegates? Hey, why not junior high kids too and even kindergarten kids. This method is absolutely NOT Democracy. This is so stupid and I suggest we get rid of this ridiculous super delegate crap once Obama wins and becomes president.­. It is offensive.­and dismissive of Democratic voters and demeans the voters as if college kids know better than informer or even uninformed voters.

Dean, get rid of this system. It sucks.

[ohmercy]

YAYYYY YOU!
I agree completely.

In fact let's get rid of Dean too. This has been a debacle.

[queotic]

I am not a fan of the superdelegate system either, but I disagree with your opinion that young people do not deserve a say. There are 3 college superdelegates (I believe) out of 796 superdelegates, so they wouldn't exactly be "determining the winner." As an Obama supporter, you should keep in mind that it was young people, mostly college students who first gave Obama a chance in Iowa, bringing him to the national spotlight. It is also young people who have helped give him such big wins in so many states. The Obama campaign has also been actively campaigning in high schools, since high school students can vote in a primary as long as they'll be 18 by the general election. Remember - it's about judgement, not "experienc­e."

[Softnsweet]

I completely agree. These kids are our future. Great post by the way!

[c1ee]

At first it was "Oh, the youth turnout never happens. Obama's youth vote won't be significan­t.". Now it's become "who are these snivelling infants to affect the outcome that i want! Deny their vote!"

Why stop there? How about we let only people with college education be allowed to vote? Bachelor degree minimum. Oh, and get rid of the really old people. Anyone over 60 should be considered senile and their voting rights removed.

[ohmercy]

I'm sorry Kal but I have to disagree with you.
Clinton is staying in so that all her supporters can vote.
Of course she is saying other things but she said several weeks ago that she wanted all Americans to vote and what does it say if she then drops out?

All American's, All college studen'ts haven't voted so these two young people should not make their decision known until they do if that is their choice. I find it irresponsible to want to shut down the process and force others to vote or endorse when they aren't ready. This is still America.

[kgb999]

There is no question who the youth vote favors - even Clinton herself said so. No matter if your metrics are most votes, consensus, participation, or any other measure - there is no way that Clinton is going to change this metric in the next few weeks.

It's the difference between the students being allowed to show their power as superdelegates or being forced into submitted silence. I think it would be very symbolic if the students were given some national recognition for their participation. It would certainly build enthusiasm and energize these supporters for the November contest. It would be sad if they don't get their props because their "leaders" sit on their butts because Bill Clinton threatened them.

This is one case where pressure on these delegates is warranted. There is no benefit for their constituents in their staying neutral.

[ohmercy]

Well, yes a good proportion of the youth vote is voting for Obama.
And yes "there is no way that Clinton is going to change this metric in the next few weeks."
But what does that have to do with anything I have said?
The students are free to do what they wish, others have so why are you stating they are being forced and implying that Bill Clinton is threatening them?

Get their props?
I think they are getting a lot of recognition and a lot of appreciation from those supporters of both camps who are not engaged in vicious undermining of one candidate or the other and are not practicing the politics of personality.

And what does it benefit them if these delegates make a decision now?

[ohmercy]

As RedBirdy said there are a lot of young people who have been engaged for a long time and didn't need a personality to engage them... still it is great that there are so many new voters. If their newly found political voice is genuinely/committed to the country and Democracy then it should not matter who votes when or how long the race continues. It gives them a chance to see clearly how Democracy works and how the Democratic Party works for both good and ill. It shouldn't matter who the President is, if people are committed to change and have found hope then working for change doesn't require a particular person. One might consider just the opposite reaction would occur if they did not like the policies of the government. There would be more reason to get/stay involved to bring about change. If their involvement is dependent on an Obama Presidency then "winning them over is a rather shallow "victory."­What hope will there be if even with an Obama Presidency they will get involved in the day to day of political work?being "the people" of by and of and for the people?

This is not a personality contest and it is a shame both the MSM and the blogosphere has created that atmosphere though it is indicative of our current "culture." Survivor: Presidential edition.

[ebbtide]

the reality is, even if all her supporters vote, she still cannot win. Period. She conintues to wreak havoc on the party. This is not unusual in primary elections, Sorry, but that is the reality of the humbers.

[weareas1]

Excuse me, ohmercy, but your Straw Man is showing. Where in Kal Penn's article did you see him asking for Senator Clinton to drop out of the race? Please find that passage and copy and paste it into a reply.

Kal is not asking Clinton to drop out, and I'm sure he would insist with complete honesty that he wants everyone who can to show up and vote in the remaining primaries -- whether they vote for Obama or Clinton. Right, Kal?

Kal is asking these two Superdelegates to commit to a candidate as soon as possible -- preferably to Obama, obviously -- but if they're going to vote for Clinton, then they should commit to do so now. You got a problem with that, ohmercy?

[harriscrl3]

I think these superdelgates just want to show that they are powerful and a way to show that is to hold back their support until the last minute but in the end they will do the right thing.

Carol

[S1m0n]

At this point, those refraining from commitment run the risk of appearing to be act more from a desire to protect their own future political career prospects than any desire to exercise sound judgement, or to represent their constituents fairly.

[RedBirdy]

So, Kal, young and passionate folks are only for Obama, and we'll risk losing them if delegates don't support him. Nice. Think about what this says to all of the young democrats who've always been passionate about politics, and aren't for Obama. This piss or get off the pot shit is really getting to me.

[ohmercy]

agreed.

This idea thAT INSPIRATION IS RELIANT UPON OBAMA THE MAN INSTEAD OF THE PLARFORM IS DISTURBING.

Opps, sorry for the caps, hit lock by miswtake.

[kgb999]

"Think about what this says to all of the young democrats who've always been passionate about politics, and aren't for Obama."

#1: This is the first election many (most) are allowed to participate in, so I challenge your basic premise. Those who participated last election are no longer "College Democrats", they are now in a different demographic.

#2: It says: "he's our party's nominee (which he is) - The media is following our every move!!! Let's band together and take our newfound power to the White House! "

[rzan]

Obama has fully involved young people in his senate race. When Kerry ran, one of the reasons he lost was that young people didn't get out and vote. He just didn't know how to inspire them.