Campus RSO coordinator supports Obama in anticipation of national change
Students stand on both sides of aisle
Larry Burge
Issue date: 9/15/08 Section: News
Avoiding this year's political battle might not be a good idea for UA students, faculty or staff to do. Current polls for the Nov. 4 presidential election show it to be such a close race that those who say their vote never counts will most likely miss an opportunity to be part of an experience greater than themselves, a UA student said.
The student wanting to be part of that change is Bauxite native Will Watson. As a senior double major in international relations and political science, Watson said he got involved in the 2008 campaign not only because of his majors, but because he cares and senses the 2008 election's outcome has the potential to change the direction of both U.S. and world affairs.
Once a Republican supporter, Watson said he became seriously involved in the Sen. Barack Obama campaign during the primaries, and along with fellow supporters, helped to form a grass roots movement in Fayetteville and on campus. It all began when people from the city's community, a number of faculty and some staff members from the UA seized the opportunity to initiate a movement to give the Obama campaign a presence in Northwest Arkansas, he said.
Change isn't something taken lightly by Watson or his group, Students for Barack Obama. After the group elected him their coordinator, he said he found himself leader of a trend started during the past eight years of the Bush administration. He saw the change happen when college-aged students such as himself looked at their futures and became concerned about the political leaders' decisions having a direct impact on their lives.
The SFBO chapter started without help from the state or federal campaign organizers and without a funding source, Watson said. To pay for materials for their homemade signs and posters, he said SFBO members pitched in their own money, sold about 100 T-shirts on campus, held several watch parties during the primaries and conducted voter registration drives as well.
Watson recounted watching the majority of democratic voters in the state cast their ballots Feb. 5, 2008, for Sen. Hillary Clinton and not for Sen. Obama. After that 70 percent to 30 percent loss, he said his SFBO members became somewhat discouraged.
The student wanting to be part of that change is Bauxite native Will Watson. As a senior double major in international relations and political science, Watson said he got involved in the 2008 campaign not only because of his majors, but because he cares and senses the 2008 election's outcome has the potential to change the direction of both U.S. and world affairs.
Once a Republican supporter, Watson said he became seriously involved in the Sen. Barack Obama campaign during the primaries, and along with fellow supporters, helped to form a grass roots movement in Fayetteville and on campus. It all began when people from the city's community, a number of faculty and some staff members from the UA seized the opportunity to initiate a movement to give the Obama campaign a presence in Northwest Arkansas, he said.
Change isn't something taken lightly by Watson or his group, Students for Barack Obama. After the group elected him their coordinator, he said he found himself leader of a trend started during the past eight years of the Bush administration. He saw the change happen when college-aged students such as himself looked at their futures and became concerned about the political leaders' decisions having a direct impact on their lives.
The SFBO chapter started without help from the state or federal campaign organizers and without a funding source, Watson said. To pay for materials for their homemade signs and posters, he said SFBO members pitched in their own money, sold about 100 T-shirts on campus, held several watch parties during the primaries and conducted voter registration drives as well.
Watson recounted watching the majority of democratic voters in the state cast their ballots Feb. 5, 2008, for Sen. Hillary Clinton and not for Sen. Obama. After that 70 percent to 30 percent loss, he said his SFBO members became somewhat discouraged.
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