Students Gear Up for 2008 Presidential Primary Elections

With the whole country getting an unusually early start on the 2008 presidential race, Columbia students are working hard to keep up with the action.

As they begin to align themselves with individual candidates and forming groups geared toward the support and promotion of their chosen politicians, the primaries are already underway on campus.

Students for Hillary Clinton was one of the first 2008 presidential race groups to form at Columbia, beginning in January 2005, when Neda Navab, CC ’08 and senior class president, and Anna Durrett, CC ’08, joined in support of Clinton’s 2006 senatorial re-election. Since its earliest beginnings, the group has only gained momentum, continuing to hold well-attended meetings. By selling Hillary-themed bumper stickers, buttons, and T-shirts, as well as event tickets, the group managed to raise $5,000 for the senator in its first semester.

Students for Barack Obama started coming together in April, headed by Seth Berliner, CC ’08. A Chicago native who has been an Obama supporter from the start of the politician’s senatorial career, Berliner said that “I took a liking to him as a person and as a politician.”

“When he [Obama] decided to run for president, it was an easy decision to do something to try to get him elected,” he added.

Last Tuesday, the group held its first meeting, and Berliner was “pleasantly surprised” by a turnout in excess of 40 people. An additional 200 have identified themselves to the group as Obama supporters. Recognizing the large number of Obama enthusiasts at Columbia, Berliner sees it as the group’s job to “identify supporters and convert others.”

Groups in support of Republican candidates are picking up speed as well. Students for Mitt Romney formed a campus group at the start of the fall semester, under the leadership of William Nosal, CC ’08. Although its membership is not as large as those of groups for Clinton or Obama, it already has big goals, hoping to raise money for Romney’s campaign, build his following among college students, and create a network of students across the nation with a common vision for the future of America.

On Oct. 2, the group will be hosting Craig Romney, Mitt Romney’s son, who created Students for Romney. This event, prepared in conjunction with the College Republicans, will serve as a “great opportunity for everyone who’s interested in Mitt
Romney to learn more and meet other students in the group on campus,” Nosal said.
Students for Rudy Giuliani, another active Republican group, could not be reached for comment, and the College Republicans did not respond to requests for comment.

Both Students for Hillary Clinton and Students for Barack Obama come under the umbrella of the College Democrats. While they endorse competing candidates, the group’s leaders are supportive of each other. “We hope to connect the other Democrat umbrella groups that support other candidates and plan forums and events then get people excited about the issues and the Democratic Party at large,” Durrett said.

Jonathan Backer, CC ’10 and the media director for the College Democrats, said that despite the groups’ support of different Democratic candidates, all of them have similar goals. “These groups don’t exist in order to compete with one another,” he said. “They exist to provide separate and distinct avenue for activists to engage in the presidential election on a grassroots level.”
Rebecca Pattiz can be reached at news@columbiaspectator.com.