Two of my sons are caucusing in Wasington State today for the first time.
Like many young people, they have a real interest in this election.
Every so often, our democracy must renew itself by appealing to the younger generation, rallying them to care passionately about their country.
We haven't had such a renewal in a long time. For decades, it seems, the country has grown more cynical, and less interested in voting. For decades, the American people, young and old, have been less than enthusiastic about their parties' nominees for president and less confident that their vote matters.
The last generation of youth that really got fired up about politics was my generation: the baby boomers. They responded to the call of JFK to volunteer for their country, to Martin Luther King, Jr., to fight for racial justice, and to RFK to end the war and fight poverty. Leaders since then have either not inspired (Nixon, Carter, Bush I), disappointed (Clinton, Bush II) or appealed to older voters (Reagan).
This year, young people want to replace their parents and grandparents and become that new generation of activists, organizers, and voters who influence the direction of the country. And it is largely the result of one man: Barack Obama.
Obama is the new face of America: neither white nor black.
He is the new voice of America: for unity and cooperation, and against polarization.
He is the new message of America: of hope and possibility.
The youth of America hear him and see him and believe him and they are willing to work tirelessly to install him as their leader. They do not relate to Hillary Clinton. She is of their parents' generation, divisive and hyper-partisan. She represents the last century, not the new century. She does not inspire.
When Barack Obama said that while he believed Hillary Clinton's supporters would vote for him, he couldn't guarantee that his supporters would vote for her, he sounded arrogant and petty. The reality is that he was only reporting what he observed, that his youthful followers are supporting him not because they are loyal Democrats, but because they see in him something new and different, something refreshing, positive and hopeful. Most of all, they see in him someone who can transcend all that is wrong with the politics of today and they believe if they work hard enough, they can transcend it with him. They can take their miniscule amount of individual efforts, combine it with the efforts of millions of others, and beat a political machine like that of the Clintons. This is what inspires them and renews their hope in democracy.
If Hillary Clinton wins the nomination, and especially if she wins because she succeeds in seating the Michigan and Florida delegates, when all candidates agreed not to seat them, or because the establishment super delegates give her the edge even though Barack wins the most state delegates, many of these young Barack supporters will be disillusioned. Many will no longer participate, not because of "sour grapes," but because they will no longer believe their voice matters. They will join the last several generations who are already cynical about the value of their vote.
This is a transformative election in more than one way. Should Barack Obama win the presidency it would transform this nation, by empowering and inspiring an entire generation of voters. But should he lose the nomination, especially in one of the scenarios mentioned above, an entire generation of Americans could become as cynical as their parents, and American democracy would fail to achieve the renewal that it so desperately needs.
