Sucking Up to Voters: A Guide for Presidential Candidates

Obama

Do
• talk about how you’ve pushed to stop the student loan rates from doubling in July and pumped up scholarships and financial aid
• remind that thanks to Obamacare millions of young people got covered by their parents’ insurance plans
• show off your new position on same-sex marriage
• point out that you ended the war in Iraq and have pledged to wind things down in Afghanistan

Don’t
• dwell on how bad the economy is for recent college grads
• expect "hope" and "change" to fly this time
• wave around your "kill list"

Romney

Do
• pound on how bad the economy is, especially for young people, and how it's all Obama's fault
• remind young people what high hopes they had for Obama and how disappointed they are now
• keep on talking about student loan relief
• campaign with your youthful, athletic, good-looking sons

Don’t
• try too hard to "relate" – as in: "Who let the dogs out?"
• focus on social issues, where young people lean liberal
• expect to win young voters; just try to chip away at Obama's lead