<p>"As a small chorus of superdelegates has announced a preference for Senator Barack Obama in recent weeks, a theme is emerging: their children made them do it.</p>
<p>The list of Democrats who have cited the persuasive power of their own children as a factor in their Obama endorsements either in earnest or as political cover includes Senator Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, Gov. James E. Doyle of Wisconsin, Senator Claire McCaskill of Missouri, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas and Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota.</p>
<p>Across the country, other parents are being lobbied hard, too. Youthful volunteers for each candidate have been campaigning with bright-eyed brio, not only door-to-door but at home as well. …</p>
<p>While politicians inevitably invoke children and the future, rarely have the political preferences of children themselves carried much weight with their elders. On the contrary: when baby boomer parents were the age their children are now, the ideological and social gap between generations was more pronounced. Parents were, by definition, authoritarian. Their children were, by definition, anti-.</p>
<p>But the sharp distinctions between generations have eroded. Parents now are exponentially more entwined with their offspring…</p>
<p>For many parents, this campaign season also feels like a fond flashback: in their childrens unvarnished idealism, many see a resurrection of their own youthful political passions…"</p>
<p>I confess my kids have convinced me as well. We made this mess – they’re the ones that are going to inherit it.</p>
<p>As Jon Stewart said in his commencement address at William & Mary several years ago: “But heres the good news. You fix this thing, youre the next greatest generation, people. You do thisand I believe you canyou win this war on terror, and Tom Brokaws kissing your ass from here to Tikrit, let me tell ya. And even if you dont, youre not gonna have much trouble surpassing my generation. If you end up getting your picture taken next to a naked guy pile of enemy prisoners and dont give the thumbs up youve outdid us.”</p>
<p>I skimmed the article from the Times but see no mention of Jimmy Carter, who has said the same thing,and Caroline Kennedy who has said it as well…their kids made them take a second or third look at Obama.
Saturday,my 83 yr old mother,in the middle of Altzheimers downward progression said to me “I never thought I’d live to see a black president”.She knows her D (me) is a supporter and her grandchildren are pretty ardent supporters.I wonder if we are influencing her opinion?</p>
<p>All three of my children, who ordinarly don’t care much about politics are enthused about this election. Youngest actually registered to vote for the first time. All three support Obama and had I not already made that decision for myself, I could see myself being influenced by them. I’m pretty sure they talked their father into it too. And he’s always voted republican until now. Now if they can talk grandpa into it, Obama should win!!!</p>
<p>^^Yes, Hunt. My friend’s D and I were talking about the election and she said her mom was “one of those people” who send the crazy emails to everyone.</p>
<p>D is an Obama supporter, and lobbying us hard. I’m hoping she goes head-to-head with my Dad, who’s never met a right-wing diatribe email he hasn’t forwarded.</p>
<p>My son took me to see Obama speak. That’s all it took. My Republican husband is seriously considering voting for him as well. You can add Maria Shriver to the list of people who were influenced by their children.</p>
<p>Well, I’m happy to say that I influenced MY children (and my H and my mom and now my pastor and his wife) to vote for Obama. Sometimes it works the other way around (I’m feeling especially youthful now, too.) :)</p>
<p>My daughter who is registered in GA and goes to college there, told me that she delivered the state to Obama and that I needed to do the same in Texas. After the primary here, I didn’t feel very good but redemption came with the two-step caucus delivering more delegates for Obama.</p>
<p>If young people vote with the same enthusiasm in November, Obama should win easily.</p>
<p>momof2–I wouldn’t say I influenced my kids, but we all basically came to the same conclusion at the same time. (Basically when Edwards dropped out.)</p>
<p>My kids are as apathetic as I was back in the early 1970s (and I can tell you I was one happy person then, no worries about Vietnam or anything). I have told them they must vote and they should choose Obama. My sometimes-Republican husband is also an Obamite.</p>
<p>On another but related topic, I have discovered a way to not get so angry whenever I think about or hear about the Iraq war. (Background: I learned in grad school in my early twenties that a person should never, ever go into a foreign culture with the goal of change unless he/she knows that culture and language well, otherwise all efforts will come to naught. And it amazes me that a quarter century later our top officials didn’t also know that.) </p>
<p>Okay, so my new way of thinking involves the following: 1. I cannot think about the past, anything before today. 2. If I think of today in Iraq, with U.S. troops or without them, I determine that probably less people would die WITH our troops in place, and 3. We are probably headed toward some serious unemployment in this country, so our deployment can be viewed as an employment program. The soldiers are all getting paychecks.</p>
<p>Okay, that’s my happy pill. And I don’t care to consider any flaws it may have!</p>
<p>garland, I started working on my kids before they could even vote… after Obama gave his 2004 DNC speech. Before he announced his candidacy, I searched the internet and found a place to buy a bumper sticker and pin to support him; I think this was in late fall of 2006. S and H were Edwards supporters and switched to Obama when he dropped out. D gets to vote for the first time in November, and I hope she gets the chance to vote for him.</p>
Before he announced his candidacy, I searched the internet and found a place to buy a bumper sticker and pin to support him; I think this was in late fall of 2006. S and H were Edwards supporters and switched to Obama when he dropped out. D gets to vote for the first time in November, and I hope she gets the chance to vote for him.</p>