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The Daily OrangeThe great divide
Student Democratic groups struggle to find common ground
By Anna Kuchinsky
Posted: 10/28/08, 1:51 AM EST Section: News
Though he heads both groups and plans to keep them closely involved, Johnson said he has reservations about keeping them entirely connected.
"Technically, they are connected," Johnson said. "But we're keeping them separate, because some people who want to support John McCain aren't Republicans."
But the Democratic student groups are kept separate for other reasons.
"We're trying to work with them, but they haven't been very receptive," Brainard said of the College Democrats. "We invite them to everything and ask them to collaborate, but there are kind of bad feelings."
Brainard said some of these feelings come as a result of Students for Barack Obama playing a part in the national campaign and not just operating as a campus organization.
Brainard and Michael Short, the New York state field director of the national
Students for Barack Obama organization, applied directly to Obama's national headquarters to lead the campus effort.
Students for Barack Obama has faced obstacles because of its independent status, Brainard said. Because it endorses a specific candidate, SU does not recognize it as a campus organization.
"We can't get tables in Schine or rooms for our meetings," Brainard said. "We have absolutely no money at all, but we've actually been able to prove ourselves to the national campaign, and they're giving us more help now that they've seen we can get a lot of people mobilized."
The College Democrats and the College Republicans are both trying to register voters, though a divide has been created between the two organizations and Students for Barack Obama.
"While we may have differences, we're both interested in making the country work," said Guess, of College Democrats. "I'd like to see (the College Democrats and Republicans) get together and make some efforts to get people involved in the election in general."
Caitlyn Schneeweiss, secretary of the College Republicans, said it's important that the groups focus on registering young voters.
"I think the youth vote is really being mobilized by this election," she said. "And I hope we're going to see a lot of people going to the polls, because just talking about the fact that you're excited about the election isn't the same as going in and voting."
arkuchin@syr.edu
"Technically, they are connected," Johnson said. "But we're keeping them separate, because some people who want to support John McCain aren't Republicans."
But the Democratic student groups are kept separate for other reasons.
"We're trying to work with them, but they haven't been very receptive," Brainard said of the College Democrats. "We invite them to everything and ask them to collaborate, but there are kind of bad feelings."
Brainard said some of these feelings come as a result of Students for Barack Obama playing a part in the national campaign and not just operating as a campus organization.
Brainard and Michael Short, the New York state field director of the national
Students for Barack Obama organization, applied directly to Obama's national headquarters to lead the campus effort.
Students for Barack Obama has faced obstacles because of its independent status, Brainard said. Because it endorses a specific candidate, SU does not recognize it as a campus organization.
"We can't get tables in Schine or rooms for our meetings," Brainard said. "We have absolutely no money at all, but we've actually been able to prove ourselves to the national campaign, and they're giving us more help now that they've seen we can get a lot of people mobilized."
The College Democrats and the College Republicans are both trying to register voters, though a divide has been created between the two organizations and Students for Barack Obama.
"While we may have differences, we're both interested in making the country work," said Guess, of College Democrats. "I'd like to see (the College Democrats and Republicans) get together and make some efforts to get people involved in the election in general."
Caitlyn Schneeweiss, secretary of the College Republicans, said it's important that the groups focus on registering young voters.
"I think the youth vote is really being mobilized by this election," she said. "And I hope we're going to see a lot of people going to the polls, because just talking about the fact that you're excited about the election isn't the same as going in and voting."
arkuchin@syr.edu
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