Students Campaign for Clinton in N.H.

KEENE, N.H.--With the national election still 10 months away and President Clinton facing no major Democratic challengers, it might seem that serious campaigning isn't necessary.

But in a show of support for Clinton, about 35 students from four Boston-area colleges traveled to Keene, New Hampshire on January 20 to campaign for him.

A strong showing in next month's New Hampshire's primary, one of the first steps in the election process, could set a tone for the rest of Clinton's campaign.

"A lot of times people look to the New Hampshire primaries to see a candidate's national strength," says Dan Carney, a sophomore at Boston University, who joined the campaigning effort. "It's important that he have a large voter turnout on his behalf."

Students from Boston University, Northeastern, Brandeis and Harvard met at 9:15 a.m. and were driven to Keene by other Boston volunteers.

The students chose areas with traditionally high Democratic turnout for canvassing. After a short meeting at the Clinton/Gore headquarters to discuss the agenda for the day, they were taken to local neighborhoods to drop off campaign literature.

The students distributed fliers for about two hours and were then driven back to campaign headquarters. Students were provided with lodging in the local YMCA and returned to Boston on Sunday.

The New Hampshire trip was coordinated by Clinton/Gore volunteers, who contacted the college Democrat clubs throughout Boston, asking them to help distribute material.

H. Thayer Kinsberg, a Democratic state legislator from New Hampshire who volunteered to campaign with the students, says he believes the experience will benefit the students and American government in the long run.

"I feel if you become active early, it will be a lifelong process for you on a state and national level," Kinsberg says. "And you develop a sense of awareness which makes for a better government."

The students who participated in distributing fliers say they hope their volunteering will help improve the government.

"I figure the future is in my hands right now and I'm going to do anything I can to save it," says Andrea Lin, a first-year at Boston University. "If [re-electing Clinton and Gore] means giving up a weekend, it's worth it."

The New Hampshire trip gave some active college Democrats the assurance that they did everything in their power to help re-elect the president.

"It's important that people show beyond a vote that they support a candidate," says Dani Deigle, a first-year at Brandeis. "I want to know after the election that I did the best I could to get the person I believed in elected."

Grassroots efforts

With a bevy of Republican candidates, including dark horse publisher M. Steve Forbes, dominating the media attention heading into the New Hampshire primary, the trip provided college Democrats with the opportunity to focus more attention on Clinton.

"Even though there's no Democratic challenger, we're trying to show that there are people our age just as enthusiastic about our candidate as the hordes of Republicans that are up there for theirs," says Seth D. Hanlon '98, president of the Harvard College Democrats.

Reminding New Hampshire residents about Clinton's policies during his term as President was one of the major goals for David Gruberyear, president of the Boston University College Democrats.

"While Americans over the next few months hear [Republican] debates over anti-abortion planks and repealing assault weapons bans, it's important to remind the American voter who's been fighting for their interests for the past three years," Gruber says.

For others, the ultimate goal of the trip was to seek out new Democrats in a state dominated by Republicans.

"If I can convert just two people to vote for Clinton, that's double my vote to begin with," says Ronny Carney, a Boston University sophomore. He says he distributed approximately 70 Clinton/Gore fliers during the trip.

Local volunteers at Clinton/Gore headquarters in Keene rely on this kind of student enthusiasm not only to gain votes for the president, but also to cut down on the cost of doing so. The campaign would have been faced with the added expense of mailing fliers to local households if students had not distributed the fliers.

Both local and student volunteers regard the grassroots approach of going door-to-door and talking to voters as the best way to reach--and influence--people.

"The people who aren't on the grassroots level are the people who already care about what's going on," says Debbie Adler, a first-year at Brandeis. "Grass-roots is how you can get to the people who can vote, but don't get to do it on a regular basis."

The heavy turnout by young voters in support of Clinton reflects the negative reactions of students to recent Republican stances on issues which affect younger people most, some member of the college Democrats say.

Student aid was the major reason that one student gave for unhappiness with the Republicans.

"It seems the Republican party position is to cut student aid, which students obviously need, and that is why we flock to Clinton," Dan Carney says.

Students mention other policies popular with young voters which Clinton has embraced.

"Things like establishing AmeriCorps, his education policies and his policies on environmental protection--Republicans don't have policies on environmental protection," Adler says.

"A lot of students talk about health care as an issue," says Dan Carney. "Many of my classmates aren't particularly rich and health care as well as financial aid are major concerns."

Participating in Clinton's campaign allows college Democrats throughout Boston to interact with each other and express their views about the government.

"One of the added benefits of going to New Hampshire is meeting people from other schools," says Ronny Carney.

The Harvard College Democrats have planned three trips in February with similar agendas. Since students have now completed finals, the group expects a larger turnout of Harvard students campaigning for Clinton/Gore in New Hampshire.

Harvard Democrats will once again be joined by their fellow Democrats from colleges around Boston.