CHELSEA VISITS POLY

Chelsea Clinton at Cal Poly: Rallying the youth vote — for mom

The younger Clinton puts her focus on the students, asking them to turn out for the primary election

By Sarah Arnquist

Chelsea Clinton urged Cal Poly students and spectators Friday evening to vote for her mother, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, in California’s presidential primary election Tuesday.

“Please vote,” Chelsea Clinton said. “They are saying young people are going to turn out for this election, and I hope you vote for my mom.”

The last-minute campaign event drew hundreds of Hillary Clinton supporters and undecided voters to the campus.

Republican candidate Rudy Giuliani visited the Central Coast in June during his campaign, but he dropped out of the race earlier this week, throwing his support to Republican front-runner John McCain.

Hillary Clinton, a New York senator and former first lady, is run-

ning for the Democratic nomination against Illinois Sen. Barack Obama.

Standing outside the student union, Chelsea Clinton, 27, answered questions about her mother’s proposals on education, health care, the environment and immigration for about 45 minutes.

The conversation assumed almost an academic atmosphere. People listened intently as Chelsea Clinton described her mother’s record and plans in great detail. She made the crowd laugh but didn’t invigorate them into much cheering.

Chelsea Clinton tailored her talking points to the student crowd, emphasizing her mother’s plans to increase funding for higher education and promote scientific research.

When it comes to health care, she said her mother still believes universal health care should be a basic right for all Americans despite the failed national health care plan she promoted while Bill Clinton was president.

“One of the most amazing things about my mom is the way she confronts failure,” Chelsea Clinton said. “She doesn’t stop. She keeps working.”

When asked about her favorite foods that her mother makes, she said they include applesauce, tomato soup and banana bread.

Sandra Sanchez, 21, didn’t know whether she would vote for Obama or Clinton and thought Chelsea’s comments might help her decide.

“I’m still debating,” Sanchez said after Chelsea Clinton’s talk.

Vandna Sikand, a scientist at Cal Poly, said she plans to follow her son’s advice to vote for Clinton. Her children, 9-year-old Neha and 11-year-old Kush, urged her to attend the event.

“I’m really impressed with her,” Sikand said.

Kirsten Cullen, a nurse in San Luis Obispo, said she hadn’t decided between Clinton and Obama. She attended the event with her mother, Aline Cullen, a Massachusetts resident who said she voted for Hillary by absentee ballot.

“We admire Chelsea,” Aline Cullen said. “It must be very difficult to be a child of a president.”

Tori Brober, 20, a third-year Cal Poly student, said the event reaffirmed her decision to vote for Clinton.

“To be honest, I like the idea of a woman president,” Brober said.