Candidates for the two major parties' presidential nominations are beginning to prepare for the October 27 and 28 town meetings at Dartmouth, emphasizing their commitment to campaigning in New Hampshire, the first primary state, and to the youth vote.
Mo Elleithee, a spokesman for the former New Jersey Senator Bill Bradley's campaign, said Bradley is excited to do a joint appearance with Vice President Al Gore, the other candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination.
The two are currently running neck-and-neck in New Hampshire, with the most recent CNN/Time poll putting Bradley ahead by three percentage points.
"Senator Bradley will get up there and tell people what he thinks, which is what he's been doing throughout his entire career, especially since January when he declared," Elleithee said.
Elleithee said he thinks Bradley will be well prepared for October 27's town forum with Gore.
Elleithee stressed that Bradley has been to the Granite State 10 times, with an 11th visit scheduled for next week, because Bradley "believes the people are interested in the choice they're facing."
Visiting the state and speaking to its citizens "shows respect to voters," Elleithee said.
Elleithee did not want to predict what topics could be discussed, but he said he thought Bradley would be talking about the issues he feels strongly about, including improving health care, getting more people on the "prosperity train," campaign finance reform, and achieving racial unity.
In a letter released by Gore Campaign Chairman Tony Coelho Friday to the Bradley camp, the Gore campaign called for a series of debates.
Dartmouth Government Professor Linda Fowler called this an attempt by the Gore campaign to "stem the tide" of Bradley momentum.
The October town meeting will be the first time Bradley and Gore share a podium, so there will be a great deal of scrutiny of the challenger, Fowler said.
Fowler said Gore has been successful in televised debates in the past.
However, she said the challenging candidate is always advantaged by any pairing with a front-runner. She said Bradley is not as well known as the sitting Vice President, and that any free media time -- like a town forum -- will help him develop further name recognition.
Elleithee said the differences between Bradley and the Vice President will be evident as the campaign continues.
While Bradley thinks that college students' spirit of volunteerism is at an all-time high, he worries that the level of political participation among that group is very low, Elleithee said.
He said a major theme of the Bradley campaign has been exciting college students and involving them in the political process.
A representative of Arizona Senator John McCain's presidential campaign, too, cited involving young voters in the political process as a theme of his campaign.
Senator McCain "believes in getting people into more public service, getting them involved in the political process and their government," said Joanne Monaco, a McCain spokeswoman.
McCain has been to New Hampshire 15 times as the primary approaches, including a September trip to the Dartmouth Bookstore where he sold out of the books he was signing as part of his national book tour, Monaco said.
McCain will be looking forward to the October 28 town meeting for Republican candidates at the College, Monaco said, because "he loves debating issues" and meeting voters.
Issues likely to be touched upon include campaign finance reform -- a strong part of McCain's platform, Monaco said -- education, and tax reform.
Monaco said a big part of McCain's campaign has been addressing the cynicism he sees in young voters, and their opinion that the government doesn't address their needs.
"McCain believes in getting everyone of every age involved," Monaco said.
Fowler said McCain will be helped by Texas Governor George W. Bush's decision not to attend the town meeting, since he will be considered the front-runner among the forum participants.
Although Bush is not attending the forum, the campaign's Youth Director Jason Rechr stressed Bush's commitment to both New Hampshire and the youth vote.
"Governor Bush has a clear vision for where he wants to take the country," Rechr said.
Rechr said he feels that Bush's cry of "compassionate conservatism" and his commitment to education appeals to college students.
He said he thinks young people want a change in government and that college students are starting to take notice of the political process.
Rechr said that in the past week, 200 students have joined the Youth for Bush movement, and that the campaign will be visiting Dartmouth in the upcoming week to organize his campus support.
Magazine publisher Steve Forbes' campaign said that Forbes had not confirmed his appearance at the Republican town meeting, but that he actively seeks to involve college-age voters like the ones at Dartmouth in his campaign.
The campaign press directors for both Bush and Gore could not be reached for comment.
