Rock the Vote updates image in advance of 2004 election

LA TIMES ^ | Aug. 14, 2003 | Susannah Rosenblatt

[new cruelty]

There was a time when voting was cool. A time when a presidential candidate stumped for support by playing his sax; when MTV, Madonna and R.E.M. were adding to the political discourse and candidates were addressing the concerns of young adults.

A time - a decade ago now - when Rock the Vote, a nonpartisan organization that registers young people to vote, was creating a buzz. Now its leaders say it's their time again, and as the 2004 election nears, they are making plans to elbow back onto the political and pop cultural stage.

Founded in 1990 by record company executive Jeff Ayeroff and headquartered in Los Angeles, the group's message clicked with younger voters, whose participation in the 1992 election spiked to 43 percent from 36 percent in the previous election. That was the highest turnout in that age group, whose participation had been steadily declining, since 18-year-olds were granted the right to vote in 1971.

[dead]

a nonpartisan organization

If MTV (which hasn't played a video since sometime around the Flock of Seagulls years) didn't call themselves "Music Television", the "non-partisan" claim for Rock the Vote would be the biggest joke out there.

[sam_paine]

Whussa 'video,' (mister) mister?

Once everyone realizes all video gimmicks have been done, Limp Bizkit will do a remake of the Buggles "Video killed..." and the video wil consist of 3 minutes of black screen with music.

Or am I old and haven't realized someone already did this?

[bc2]

limp bizkit sucks.

[CurlyBill]

If MTV (which hasn't played a video since sometime around the Flock of Seagulls years) didn't call themselves "Music Television", the "non-partisan" claim for Rock the Vote would be the biggest joke out there.

Great point.... MTV is horrible. No more videos and all they do is play that Real World crap and other garbage. I haven't watched it in years other than passing by on my way to another channel.

[Timesink]

A time - a decade ago now - when Rock the Vote, a nonpartisan organization

Lie. It's RAT central.

...that registers young people to vote, was creating a buzz. Now its leaders say it's their time again, and as the 2004 election nears, they are making plans to elbow back onto the political and pop cultural stage.

Uh huh. Good luck. You can't get college students to register RAT when half of them are conservatives and the other half are as disillusioned about the RAT platform ("the only the thing we have to offer is fear itself! Oh, and hate too, mustn't forget hate") as every other age group.

Also, in 1992 MTV still was - to some extent - a music channel, and the age of its average viewer was over 18. Today it is little more than the pop culture channel you graduate to once you're too old for Nickelodeon. Its average viewer is more like 15 today. Rock the Vote isn't going to be registering too many of them (even though they'll try).

RtV's day is long past. Fold the tent up, RATS; game over.

[Timesink]

HAHAHAHAHA! Click on the link and look at the actual article's web page! Look at the Arizona Republic's example of the "nonpartisan" group that's going to "help" Rock the Vote register more college kids: The Dixie Chicks!

BWA-HA-HAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!

[Timesink]

Although Rock the Vote does not endorse candidates or lobby for legislation, it does skew left on particular issues, like gay marriage. "It's not partisan to say everyone deserves the protection of the law in terms of civil unions and marriage," Riemer said.

[Timesink]

I'm counting this as a Shenanigan due to Rock the Vote's many fellow travelers in the "mainstream" media and on MTV. Watch them, and fight them wherever you come across them.

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[Choose Ye This Day]

"in the 1992 election spiked to 43 percent from 36 percent in the previous election"


Oooo, they got a 7-point bump among teeny boppers who liked that Clinton inhaled (and lied), and shagged in his astro-turf El Camino. Big deal.

[new cruelty]

bttt

[BlessedByLiberty]

This so typifies mainstream media thinking - it's not partisan when they put forth their agenda, it's only partisan when anyone disagrees with it! In essence that is what hit Hollywood "actors" as they paraded around LA with their media elite and bodyguards protesting the war - opposition to them means McCarthyism, not that they are not "chic" or "in" or even, heaven forbid, "Cool"

Funny thing is MTV is now part of the mainstream media pack mentality thinking - it's only the half naked women that make them any different from Dan Blather...perhaps that would spike blather's ratings.

[Charlie OK]

jeepers, I wonder why this non-partisan group is so interested in getting the burnouts and potheads to stumble their way to the voting booths. It couldnt be because there is a Republican in the Whitehouse could it?

[weegee]

Non partisan my ass. Every link and every aspect of the discussion of the issues is the DNC talking point.

They claim "non-partisan" so that they can remain a tax exempt non-profit "charity". The IRS needs to pay them a visit.