The insular atmosphere of Hanover can sometimes seem thousands of miles away from a presidential campaign's frenetic scene. But for a handful of student political enthusiasts, politics --- and getting their candidate to win -- is life.
Here are their stories.
Wesley Clark
Leading the Dartmouth College Clark campaign are Sasha Rogers '05, Brian Martin '06, and Amanda Dobbins '06.
According to Rogers and Dobbin, Martin had been following the "Draft Clark" campaign, which garnered support for Clark's entry into the race before the retired four-star general had even announced his candidacy.
"[Clark] is the man who served his country for 34 years. He is so genuine and so honest, and he exudes leadership in a way I've never seen before," Rogers said.
Rogers, a government major is a full-time intern for the Clark for President campaign. She is also active in the campus campaign, College for Clark.
Dobbins, a classics major, has also been heavily involved in College for Clark since the beginning of Fall term.
Both Rogers and Dobbins recalled one particular anecdote they said illustrated Clark's character. When lifelong swimmer Clark came to Dartmouth Fall term, he swam in Karl Michael Pool and met some of the members of the men's swimming team. When he made a subsequent visit to the College, he inquired about the swimming team's meet results.
That night one of Clark's managers asked Rogers about the results, saying, "The General refuses to go to sleep until he hears how the swim team is doing," Rogers told The Dartmouth.
Howard Dean
Jordan Kovnot '04 started researching the upcoming 2004 election and potential candidates in December 2002, before former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean's massively successful internet campaign even took root.
"I was completely disillusioned with all of them until I came across Dean. The strength of his message really inspired me," Kovnot said.
Impressed with Dean's stance on healthcare and equal rights, among other issues, Kovnot called to enlist in Dean's campaign. He was told a few times to call back, and it was not until the spring that Kovnot met with someone from the Dean campaign and began to organize campus-wide support.
Luckily, thousands of other students across the nation were doing just the same. "Dean actually stands up for what they believe in," Kovnot explained of the young Dean supporters.
"He gives young people a vehicle for change and provides them with so many opportunities in order to work to take back America," Kovnot said.
In light of Dean's disappointing Iowa caucus results and the growing question of his electability, Kovnot said Dean's power to enlist so many supporters on a grassroots level indicates just how electable he is.
John Edwards
Lis Smith '05, currently co-chair of Students for Edwards with Phil Peisch '04, also jumped aboard the campaign train early on. A government major, Smith convinced her parents to take her to "Tar Heel Thursday" in Washington, D.C. in September 2002.
"Tar Heel Thursday" is a type of town hall that enables North Carolina Sen. John Edwards' constituents to meet with him and interact in a question-and-answer forum.
"I just loved what he had to say about restarting the American dream. He was so positive and optimistic," Smith said.
"It becomes apparent that he hasn't been in Washington his whole life. He's an ordinary guy from the working class," Peisch added.
John Kerry
Student Body President Janos Marton '04 became involved in Kerry's campaign in the summer of 2002. This past fall, Marton and Ben Taylor '07 started the Students for Kerry campaign. Emily Mintz '04 is also active in Kerry's campaign, working as a full-time intern.
Kerry has "got an amazing domestic record and a ton of foreign policy experience," Marton said. "The average voter is interested in someone with a strong domestic and foreign record, and he offers a lot of hope to people."
Marton said he was particularly happy about Kerry's victory in the Iowa caucuses. Although the margin of victory came to him as a surprise, Kerry's victory was not a surprise to Marton.
"He's been fighting for so long, you know what he believes in," Marton said.
