Young Obama Backers AWOL from Health Care Fight
Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 12:23 pm
NEW YORK – Add this to President Barack Obama's problems in selling his health care overhaul: A lot of the tech-savvy activists who helped put him in office are young, feeling indestructible and not all that into what they see as an old folks issue.
It's a crucial gap in support and one the White House may have to correct if Obama is to regain the momentum and get Congress to act on his top domestic priority.
Matt Singer, a 26-year-old founder of the liberal groupForward Montanaand an activist in the health care trenches, has tried to engage young people.
"Right now we're seeing a big conversation with seniors, but you're not seeing the same mobilization among young people who are President Obama's core constituency," Singer said. "The age demographic most supportive of reform has not been engaged, and it makes me very nervous."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_health_care_age_gap
It's a crucial gap in support and one the White House may have to correct if Obama is to regain the momentum and get Congress to act on his top domestic priority.
Matt Singer, a 26-year-old founder of the liberal groupForward Montanaand an activist in the health care trenches, has tried to engage young people.
"Right now we're seeing a big conversation with seniors, but you're not seeing the same mobilization among young people who are President Obama's core constituency," Singer said. "The age demographic most supportive of reform has not been engaged, and it makes me very nervous."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_health_care_age_gap