Changes

==Background==

==Background==

This forum was prompted by a July 2008 [http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/07/24/young.gop/ story] on CNN.com about Senator John McCain's apparent problems in connecting with young Republican voters.  Some of the most interesting comments came from Eric Pearlmutter, a member of the Young Republicans at the University of Southern California, who said the roaring enthusiasm that follows Obama is missing among conservatives his age.  Pearlmutter also said he cringed when McCain admitted he doesn't use e-mail, and pointed out that the images used in McCain's campaign -- such as a message about small businesses showing a barber shop with a traditional red and blue pole -- hardly connect to the younger generation.  "Well when you see the Main Street barber shop image, you think of 1950s America -- an entrepreneur, a Silicon Valley guy would definitely make him more attractive," he said.

This forum was prompted by a July 2008 [https://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/07/24/young.gop/ story] on CNN.com about Senator John McCain's apparent problems in connecting with young Republican voters.  Some of the most interesting comments came from Eric Pearlmutter, a member of the Young Republicans at the University of Southern California, who said the roaring enthusiasm that follows Obama is missing among conservatives his age.  Pearlmutter also said he cringed when McCain admitted he doesn't use e-mail, and pointed out that the images used in McCain's campaign -- such as a message about small businesses showing a barber shop with a traditional red and blue pole -- hardly connect to the younger generation.  "Well when you see the Main Street barber shop image, you think of 1950s America -- an entrepreneur, a Silicon Valley guy would definitely make him more attractive," he said.

McCain also acknowledged the importance of using the Internet to reach out to a generation that stays in touch via social networking sites.  On MySpace, Obama has more than 427,000 friends, compared with less than 60,000 for McCain.  Obama also has increased his college-age appeal by holding rallies and giving speeches at hundreds of campuses.  McCain has said he recognizes he needs to get out to those venues "where young people are engaged and receiving their information and forming their opinions."

McCain also acknowledged the importance of using the Internet to reach out to a generation that stays in touch via social networking sites.  On MySpace, Obama has more than 427,000 friends, compared with less than 60,000 for McCain.  Obama also has increased his college-age appeal by holding rallies and giving speeches at hundreds of campuses.  McCain has said he recognizes he needs to get out to those venues "where young people are engaged and receiving their information and forming their opinions."