Monday, May 04, 2009

Campaign Day 21 (cont'd).....Did Jane Sterk Just Tune In And Turn On A Whole New Cadre Of Kids?

SoundbitesCount
EspeciallyOnKinda/SortaSunnySundayAfternoonsVille



Yesterday, while I simultaneously listened to the Leaders' Debate, scribbled notes (that's how I remember stuff), and tried, but mostly failed, to think of snarky, but witty, things to say on the PublicEye LiveBlog, I came to the conclusion that Green Party Leader Jane Sterk was sounding too much like a stern schoolmarm to capture more of that youth vote that is so important to her.

But.....

When I talked to the kids (ie. the twenty-somethings) I work with today, not one of them had actually watched the debate, which began on Sunday afternoon just as the sky began to clear.

However.....

Every single one of those kids did know that Ms. Sterk had called for the legalization of BC's biggest cash-crop.

Thus, that 'End The Prohibition!' soundbite from Ms. Sterk, which I recognized as such at the time, but kinda/sorta dismissed, just might garner the Green Party some solid support from the one demographic that will actually pay attention to their message right to the very end.

But will that demographic actually get out and vote?


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To be really honest, I got to thinking about this, and asking those kids that second question because, I actually do think that ending the prohibition on pot is the one of the way sto deal with a significant portion of the socio-economic problems it generates, including much of the crime, that is such a huge part of the Bud-Economy at the moment. As such, because of the blinders I was wearing marked 'Whose Electable?' yesterday, I don't think I gave Ms. Sterk enough credit at the time. Furthermore, as Charlie Smith points out, she actually did attempt to go deeper and wider than the single soundbite (but the time-compressed/rushed format of the debate worked against her attempts to do that).

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