POLITICO

memeorandum

Drudge Retort

Nation - Google News

NEWSMEAT - Headlines

The Drudge Report is the Fox News of the Internet

Proof-in-the-Works

Social Network Bar

100 Proof Politics Press Release - 10-28-10

Stewart, Colbert Rally Attendees Choose Sides

Young Voters encouraged to “Vote Sanity” or “Vote Fear” at upcoming event in D.C.

Washington, D.C. – With thousands of young fans descending upon the National Mall in DC to attend John Stewart’s “Rally to Restore Sanity” & Stephen Colbert’s “March to Keep Fear Alive” on October 30th, a local coalition of activists and organizations are encouraging attendees to choose sides using social media technology.

In the wake of competing liberal and conservative rallies this Summer, which generated largely older crowds, the upcoming Comedy Central sponsored event provides a forum for politically–oriented young voters to descend on the mall in massive numbers and make their voices heard just days before the 2010 mid-term elections, even if their political statements are interspersed with chuckles.

“The next generation of voters are not backroom-dealing politicians, nor are they angry geriatric tea party supporters,” said Erica Payne the Founder of www.VoteSanity.org, “They are seriously tuned into politics, but they like to laugh too. As the old saying goes, a little bit of sugar helps the medicine go down - that’s why tens of thousands are showing up on Saturday in DC.”

In order to gauge the political leaning of the crowd for this event, the online news-site 100 Proof Politics is sponsoring a competing vote between the two sides at the rally. By texting “Sanity” or “Fear” to (202) 656-4114, young voters visiting the Nation’s Capitol on the verge of this year’s mid-term election will show the country where their allegiance lies.

Early voting is available now on the internet to those who will not be able to make it on the day of the event. Voicemails, SMS texts, Facebook counts, & iPhone application results will be combined to produce the final tally. Results of the vote will be released to the press in time for publication on the morning of October 31st.

In true campaign fashion, two competing social media campaigns have sprung up on the web, supporting each side respectively: “Vote Sanity” at www.votesanity.com & www.votesanity.org and “Vote Fear” at www.votefear.com. The two campaigns additionally have created Facebook pages and Twitter accounts in order to communicate with supporters and spread the word through social media.

“There is no telling how this vote will turn-out,” Co-Organizer Billy Wimsatt from the www.theBallot.org said on the eve of the event, “It is exciting to see which side this crowd claims as their own, because they represent the next generation that will decide for years to come where our country is headed and where it goes.”

By capturing the attention of the youth vote on the verge of the mid-term elections, it is likely that the Stewart & Colbert event will impel higher youth voter turn-out and potentially shift the dynamic of many close races around the country.

“Jon Stewart is the Will Rogers of our time. His mixture of current events and potent humor is what keeps many young Americans tuning in every night.” Ryan Clayton of the online news-site 100 Proof Politics, summed it up by saying, “A lot of the young folks I know get most of their news from a comedian. So, if it takes a comedian to get their attention and motivate young voters to go to the polls this year, then so be it.”

To learn more about this project and follow the results of the vote, visit www.100ProofPolitics.com.

# # #

No comments:

Post a Comment