As a UC Berkeley student I was the youngest in attendance among about 100 supporters of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. On the day after Obama’s landslide win in South Carolina, and just nine days before the Super Tuesday primaries in California and 21 other states, those who paid $1000 to attend ‘Writers for Obama,’ which featured local luminaries such as Michael Chabon and Dave Eggers, were almost ebullient with hope.
Chabon, who along with his wife and fellow author Ayelet Waldman, has been a strong supporter of Obama, spoke about the senator’s commanding use of language to inspire, noting that his words bespoke deeper ideals and beliefs than some critics have given him credit for.
“It is not mere rhetoric,” Chabon said of Obama’s speeches, “It is a reflection of the fact that he thinks for himself.”
A significant majority of my peers are supporting Obama. At this event, members of the larger community expressed in eloquent words and detailed outlines of policy why they supported the candidate. As one of the few students in attendance, it was revealing to hear professors and authors express reasons for supporting Obama that were often quite similar to those expressed by my friends and fellow classmates.
Dave Eggers, a bestselling author who founded 826 Valencia, a San Francisco-based writing workshop for youth, talked about students he tutored and their unique support of Obama.
“These young students see Obama as themselves,” he said. “He speaks about the limitless potential of America and it resonates with young people.”
Later I spoke with Eggers and reminded him of a passage from his bestselling novel A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius in which his younger brother reaches out to shake Bill Clinton’s hand when the former president was dining one night in Berkeley at the well-known restaurant Chez Panisse.
“That’s funny,” he said. “Back in the 90’s Clinton was the candidate that inspired that type of hope among people, especially youth. Today Obama seems to be that man.”
In addition to explaining the enthusiasm on part of young voters for Obama, writers in attendance suggested why Obama might have appeal to artists.
“Creative people are perhaps particularly attuned to the need for change,” said Jesse Nathan, a Berkeley resident and writer for literary journal McSweeneys. “Writing is always a political act.”
Though guests expressed support for Obama as a leader who could inspire and bring change, the event also featured Berkeley professors such as Dan Kammen of public policy and environmental sciences, who spoke about the Obama campaign’s environmental platform.
At a recent campus event sponsored by the Cal Berkeley Democrats student group called the 'Mockus', in which supporters of Clinton and Obama debated and then caucused, most of those on either side agreed that the policy platforms of each were only slightly different. But the professors who spoke Sunday made it clear that Obama does in fact have unique ideas that set him apart.
“Obama seeks to make green energy good for everyone,” Kammen said. “We need to turn blue collar jobs into green collar jobs.” He noted that California counties that invested in green businesses have seen large increases in job opportunities.
Public policy professor Michael Nacht, a former member of the National Security Council, spoke about Obama’s foreign policy vision, and his plan for a gradual troop withdrawal from Iraq.
“Bush is so reviled in every NATO country,” Nacht said, “Obama has the ability to turn that around.”
Though the mood was upbeat and optimistic, San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris, who gave introductory remarks, reminded those in attendance that there was much more work to be done to convince others around the nation and California, that Obama would be the best candidate.
“So many people don’t want to have hope because they don’t want to be disappointed,” she said. “We need to make sure everyone we know votes, writes to friends from their heart, and acts inspired.”
As a student I know that young people, no matter whom they are voting for, are more inspired by and interested in this election than they have been in quite a while. Hopefully that interest will translate into votes.
-Andrew Stokols, Contributing Writer. Andrew covers just about anything. Feel free to let him know what you think at: astokols@berkeley.edu
---Chabon, who along with his wife and fellow author Ayelet Waldman, has been a strong supporter of Obama, spoke about the senator’s commanding use of language to inspire, noting that his words bespoke deeper ideals and beliefs than some critics have given him credit for.
“It is not mere rhetoric,” Chabon said of Obama’s speeches, “It is a reflection of the fact that he thinks for himself.”
A significant majority of my peers are supporting Obama. At this event, members of the larger community expressed in eloquent words and detailed outlines of policy why they supported the candidate. As one of the few students in attendance, it was revealing to hear professors and authors express reasons for supporting Obama that were often quite similar to those expressed by my friends and fellow classmates.
Dave Eggers, a bestselling author who founded 826 Valencia, a San Francisco-based writing workshop for youth, talked about students he tutored and their unique support of Obama.
“These young students see Obama as themselves,” he said. “He speaks about the limitless potential of America and it resonates with young people.”
Later I spoke with Eggers and reminded him of a passage from his bestselling novel A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius in which his younger brother reaches out to shake Bill Clinton’s hand when the former president was dining one night in Berkeley at the well-known restaurant Chez Panisse.
“That’s funny,” he said. “Back in the 90’s Clinton was the candidate that inspired that type of hope among people, especially youth. Today Obama seems to be that man.”
In addition to explaining the enthusiasm on part of young voters for Obama, writers in attendance suggested why Obama might have appeal to artists.
“Creative people are perhaps particularly attuned to the need for change,” said Jesse Nathan, a Berkeley resident and writer for literary journal McSweeneys. “Writing is always a political act.”
Though guests expressed support for Obama as a leader who could inspire and bring change, the event also featured Berkeley professors such as Dan Kammen of public policy and environmental sciences, who spoke about the Obama campaign’s environmental platform.
At a recent campus event sponsored by the Cal Berkeley Democrats student group called the 'Mockus', in which supporters of Clinton and Obama debated and then caucused, most of those on either side agreed that the policy platforms of each were only slightly different. But the professors who spoke Sunday made it clear that Obama does in fact have unique ideas that set him apart.
“Obama seeks to make green energy good for everyone,” Kammen said. “We need to turn blue collar jobs into green collar jobs.” He noted that California counties that invested in green businesses have seen large increases in job opportunities.
Public policy professor Michael Nacht, a former member of the National Security Council, spoke about Obama’s foreign policy vision, and his plan for a gradual troop withdrawal from Iraq.
“Bush is so reviled in every NATO country,” Nacht said, “Obama has the ability to turn that around.”
Though the mood was upbeat and optimistic, San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris, who gave introductory remarks, reminded those in attendance that there was much more work to be done to convince others around the nation and California, that Obama would be the best candidate.
“So many people don’t want to have hope because they don’t want to be disappointed,” she said. “We need to make sure everyone we know votes, writes to friends from their heart, and acts inspired.”
As a student I know that young people, no matter whom they are voting for, are more inspired by and interested in this election than they have been in quite a while. Hopefully that interest will translate into votes.
-Andrew Stokols, Contributing Writer. Andrew covers just about anything. Feel free to let him know what you think at: astokols@berkeley.edu
PostScript: While he did not win California, Obama did come in first place in Alameda County (where Berkeley is and where I am) by a substantial margin.
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