July 23, 2004
I'm fired up to attend my first political convention to see what they are really all about. Growing up watching the conventions, I was always curious about those thousands of people in funny hats waving little American flags. Now I get to spend the next week with them, and in my current hometown of Boston no less, just a few miles down the Charles River from my alma mater, Harvard University.
Being a part of the WWE's Smackdown Your Vote! program has been an honor and a privilege, and it feels good every day to be fighting on behalf of the interest of WWE fans ages 18-30 and young people everywhere. I was recently on a political talk show, and some of the other participants indicated that the conventions are meaningless, and nothing really happens. I despise that cynicism, and I was getting close to laying the Smackdown on some folks. When I watch the political talk shows at home, with all their negativity, partisan bickering, and beltway gossip, I can see why young people are often turned off to politics. But it doesn't have to be that way.
The conventions are important if you know what to look for. The important “official” thing that happens is that the people who will run for President are formally chosen by their respective political parties. Unofficially, it’s the first time many of us really get to hear what that candidate’s campaign is all about. Maybe the pundits and reporters are already on the ball - it’s their job to follow this process 24/7 – but for the rest of us, who have jobs, go to school, volunteer, or take care of our families, the convention is our first real opportunity to hear what these candidates are saying. The tickets are set, the pieces are in place, and now it’s “Showtime.”
Having built my professional wrestling career doing live television on Spike TV’s Monday Night RAW, I know how important it is to hit a home run your first time in front of an audience. You only get one chance to make a first impression. Over the next month, we’ll get to see the candidates’ “A” games, without the messages being diluted through spokespersons or the media. Those of us not it the target “swing states”, where the candidates aren’t spending much time or money, will finally get to hear the party message straight from the people who will one day be leading our great country.
Let’s be honest, the two parties are offering two very different visions of the future, and we are all going to spend the rest of our lives dealing with the consequences of the direction the next wave of elected officials leads us. For the issues relevant to those of us between the ages of 18 and 30, the election will set the tone for possible legislation that will influence our ability to get our first job, afford health care and a college education, deal with the ever-growing burden of debt from college loans, or have Social Security when we retire. After visiting the injured soldiers at Walter Reed Hospital, most of whom are ages 18 to 30, I understand the significance of the role that the next President will have in influencing how many of us will see ourselves, or friends and family, go off to fight wars on foreign soil.
What I want to learn at these conventions is how the political parties and the candidates for President and Congress intend to reach out to people my age to address our legitimate and credible concerns.
We’re off to a strong start. WWE, along with several other organizations working to get more 18- to 30-year-olds to vote in this election (including the Harvard Institute of Politics), issued a national voter issues paper called The 18-30 VIP. President Bush and Senator Kerry have both responded to the issues and concerns in the VIP, and you can check out their answers at smackdownyourvote.com. We are letting the candidates speak for themselves, and us young people have to do our part and get to the website to understand how they plan to address the issues that matter to us most.
WWE also has started to receive commitments from members of Congress and state legislators to respond to the VIP. U.S. Representative Kendrick Meek (D-FL) has already responded, and other members of Congress, including Tim Ryan (D-OH) and Bob Ney (R-OH) will soon be responding. The other day I was able to spend the afternoon with Representatives Meek and Ryan, two of the youngest members of the House of Representatives, and it was both refreshing and reassuring to see that they were genuinely enthusiastic about responding to the concerns of young voters. Since everyone knows that campaigns are often funded by special interests, some age-specific like the American Association of Retired Persons, it’s something significant when they spend time on our issues. Young people aren’t exactly filling their pockets with campaign donations, partially because we’re paying for health care out the ear, saddled with debt from college loans, and having trouble getting good paying jobs.
In addition, thirty-four state legislators representing 21 states, including Florida State Senator and Harvard graduate Dave Aronberg (noticing a pattern?), have already said they will respond. Eventually, we envision smackdownyourvote.com to be a clearinghouse of information for all candidates who care enough about the votes of young people to respond to the 18-30 VIP.
From the conventions, I’m going to share with you some of the reactions from our peers who have made a commitment to get involved in their democracy by working for the party and the candidate that they believe best represents their interests. We’ll find out what is inspiring them to be there, and maybe by giving the most motivated a voice, it’ll spark something that will convince other young people to get to the polls in November.
I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of having candidates answer questions from my generation about whether they wear boxers and briefs or what type of computer they use. If I hear those questions, elbows will be dropped. I’m an adult. I pay taxes. My future is not a joke. If the candidates want to reach out to the 24 million 18-30 year olds who didn’t vote in the last election, they will need to address our concerns in the same credible way they address those of our parents and grandparents.
I think the mainstream media is partially responsible for this lack of credible coverage for young people. At the conventions, that’s an issue I’ll be covering. I’ll be talking to some of the candidates for office and the reporters who cover the campaigns to find out why they focus on undergarments and not the information that we really care about.
That doesn’t mean we won’t be having some fun. How can you not be entertained when you are hanging with Mick Foley, Big Show, Stacy Keibler and Ivory? We’ll be smacking down votes left and right. And speaking of Stacy and Ivory, for those of you who think politics doesn’t matter, what will happen if the FCC continues to crack down on our ability to enjoy the talents of our WWE Divas?
At the Democratic Convention, we’ll be participating in receptions, walking the convention floor, doing media interviews and speaking to different candidates and delegate groups. I’ll take part in a panel discussion on “Students Mobilizing Students” at Harvard, of course, on Monday. Linda McMahon, WWE CEO, will speak to the College Democrats Women’s Caucus on Tuesday. Also on Tuesday, Mick Foley, Ivory and I will speak to the Convention’s Youth Caucus and participate in the Young Democrats Youth Leadership Awards.
We’re looking forward to meeting all the WWE fans that will be part of the conventions in Boston and New York City.
WWE and its partners in Smackdown Your Vote! have pledged to get two million more 18-to 30-year-olds to vote in this election than in 2000. That’s an increased in turnout of 10% and would mean that 20 million of us would vote in this election.
That’s a big time statement to the political establishment. The most important message we are trying to get across to every young potential voter is that no matter who we vote for, what will really count is that we voted. No matter who gets elected, if we achieve that 20 million-vote goal, the establishment will know that our generation is now part of the political game, and they will be forced to hear our collective voice. You Vote, You Win. It’s that simple.
Not a lot of political pundits believe more of our generation will vote in 2004, based on the voting patterns in past elections. WWE is out to prove they’re wrong, and we’re counting on the WWE fans to be the difference. We’re going to help get everyone registered, and we’re going to find that inspiration that will get you to the polls. I know a lot more of us will be leaving work a little early or putting off our homework for an hour to get to the polls on Election Day in 2004, if for nothing else than to prove the pundits in the political establishment that politics isn’t just for old people anymore.
I have no idea what I’m walking into at the Democratic and Republican conventions, but I’m looking forward to the adventure, and I’m excited to be sharing my experiences with the WWE fans. Stay tuned for my next column on Tuesday at noon!
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