News & Observer | newsobserver.com | Chelsea makes a case for mom

Published: Apr 01, 2008 12:30 AM
Modified: Apr 01, 2008 07:49 AM

Chelsea makes a case for mom

Story Tools

Advertisements
RALEIGH - Chelsea Clinton put a full-court press on the Triangle's young voters Monday. In campaign stops at N.C. State University, Peace College and UNC-Chapel Hill, the daughter of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton made the case for her mother's presidential campaign.

During hourlong sessions, Clinton fielded wide-ranging questions from the audience at each event on such topics as the war in Iraq, the federal deficit and college aid.

On a question from an N.C. State student about the effect of the impeachment scandal on her mother, Chelsea's answer was similar to one she gave to a question at an Indiana college last week.

"It's none of your business," she said, sparking a wave of applause. "I'm sure there are things in your family that you don't think are anyone's business either."

Chelsea Clinton's techniques

Clinton brought a low-key style to her campaign stops Monday. Below, a few of the techniques she employed at events on three Triangle-area campuses and at a Young Democrats event Saturday in Research Triangle Park:

1. Be casual

Clinton skipped the lectern and gave a brief introductory speech before taking questions from the audience. Her language, too, was more personal than political.

At N.C. State, she referred to herself as "sort of a numbers dork." She frequently said "Oh, gosh," at the number of questions.

2. Note your age

Clinton made references to being young, although she didn't oversell it. More than once, she noted that at age 28, she feels old.

At the Young Democrats convention, she pointed out that her boyfriend, Marc Mezvinsky, was in the back of the room. At Peace, she noted that she now has "a boyfriend and a dog" and said that her mother hopes to be a grandmother soon.

"I still haven't figured out what I want to be when I grow up," she said jokingly.

3. Note the youth issues ...

Clinton mentioned issues important to young voters.

Several times, she mentioned Hillary Clinton's proposals related to college aid: getting rid of the much-maligned Free Application for Federal Student Aid in favor of a checkbox on IRS tax returns, expanding student loans to cover graduate school and forgiving debt for students who take certain public service jobs.

On health care, she noted that many college students are uninsured during summer breaks.

And when talking about border security, she pointed out that a proposed border fence with Mexico would cut through the University of Texas at Brownsville campus.

"Can you imagine if at Peace you had to walk through a border checkpoint to go to class?" she asked.

4. ... but don't talk down

Clinton was not afraid to get into the thicket on policy.

Occasionally, she used words such as data points and got into detailed explanations of criticisms of how No Child Left Behind rates student success or international treaties that the Bush administration has not participated in.

At all stops, she avoided high-flown rhetoric and fist-pumping sloganeering. Her tone was very matter of fact even when she got applause, such as when she said the world would "breathe a sigh of relief" when George W. Bush is no longer president.

All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be published, broadcast or redistributed in any manner.
No comments have been posted for this story. Log in to be the first to comment.


The News & Observer is pleased to be able to offer its users the opportunity to make comments and hold conversations online. However, the interactive nature of the internet makes it impracticable for our staff to monitor each and every posting.

Since The News & Observer does not control user submitted statements, we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted on our website. In addition, we remind anyone interested in making an online comment that responsibility for statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not The News and Observer.

If you find a comment offensive, clicking on the exclamation icon will flag the comment for review by the administrators, we are counting on the good judgment of all our readers to help us.

Hosting Partners of
newsobserver.com

Member of the
Real Cities Network

A subsidiary of The McClatchy Company