Youth Vote

Following in the footsteps of the mainstream party presidential candidates in at least one aspect of the campaign, Green party candidate Ralph Nader on Thursday appeared on a talk show in an effort to broaden his reach to voters. Nader taped an episode of Queen Latifah's talk show focused on the youth vote. Both Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore and Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush have appeared on Oprah Winfrey's talk show -- to overwhelmingly positive reviews.

In a time when politics can be every bit as rough -- and authentic -- as professional wrestling, World Wrestling Federation stars are banking that their popularity can lead more people to the ballot box in November. The WWF, whose "Smackdown" specials are among television's top-rated shows, has joined the Youth Vote 2000 coalition in a bid to get some of the millions of eligible voters in their 20s and 30s to the polls. The effort, dubbed "SmackDown Your Vote," has brought about 40,000 new voters onto the rolls since early August, organizers say. The WWF claims its audience includes about 14 million eligible voters -- about a third of whom are not registered.

If Barack Obama's juggernaut of a presidential campaign could only boost youth turnout by 2 percent, it is silly to think Jon Stewart's and Stephen Colbert's rallies Saturday in Washington will have any sort of tectonic political force. Even so, conservatives such as Glenn Beck are warning listeners that the Colbert-Stewart rally is an attempt to "activate the youth. " Beck may have bought into the widespread myth that 2008 was the "year of the youth vote" -- an appealing media sound bite that ultimately wasn't reflected much by the data.

Luke Russert, son of journalist Tim Russert, was part of a panel Wednesday that discussed youth voting on CNN's "Larry King Live. " Besides the youth vote, Russert discussed his father's death, his upbringing and his own future in journalism and political commentary. Tim Russert, 58, was the host of NBC's "Meet the Press" and one of America's leading political journalists. He died of a heart attack after collapsing at the network's Washington bureau on June 13. The following is an edited version of the show's transcript.

This year, 44 million Americans ages 18 to 29 will be eligible to vote. The youth vote will account for about a quarter of the entire electorate, which means the candidates are focused on getting young people to the polls. So is the founder of Scoop08, Alexander Heffner, but in a different way. Heffner, an 18-year-old high school senior, organized 300 student volunteers from high schools and colleges from diverse regions and ideological backgrounds to work on what he calls "a new kind of newspaper.

The eight '04 Dems gathering here tonight want to connect with something called the "youth vote," those late-teen and twentysomethings who worry about terrorism, health care and crime, but not so much about race relations or illegal immigration. They glean most of their news from the Internet, believe they'll only fall in love once and, according to one survey, think "General Hospital" will outlast Medicare. One word of advice for these Democrats from CNN's polling department: Steer clear of Toby Keith or Faith Hill lyrics with this crowd; save it for the general election.

If you graze the Web, it certainly seems like America's 20-somethings have a loud and powerful voice when it comes to pushing presidential candidates. Perhaps none are as loud as Republican Ron Paul's young fans. They have been creatively effective online, parlaying their passion into cold hard cash for Paul's campaign and raising his profile. But, Ron Paul aside, the Democrats boast that they have youth on their side in droves. Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean told CNN's Wolf Blitzer, "We're getting 61 percent of the vote under 30. [Republican]

;Top Thai Meets Her Match ;Thai tennis ace Tamarine Tanasugarn had a simple attack plan in her Australian Open match against Iva Majoli of Croatia I was thinking Ill just try to play my best today, said underdog Tamarine, 20. If I win, it will be my first time to beat a Top 10 player. If I lose, it is good for my experience. Tamarine, ranked No. 44 in the world, scrambled to a 60, 62 victory over the embarrassed Majoli, a French Open champion and world No. 4. The press approved of Tamarines gutsy Jan. 23 performance.

First twins Barbara and Jenna Bush, the president's 22-year-old daughters, made a Hollywood-style arrival Sunday at "R: The Party," the Republican convention's first big celebrity bash. The twins rolled up in front of the Roseland Ballroom in Manhattan in a black luxury SUV and alighted for a "photo op" down a media-lined red carpet. Stylishly dressed in jeans and high-heels, the twins posed for photos, smiled and waved as they made their way into the party. They did not speak to the media, despite shouts from hundreds of reporters and onlookers to "speak!

Politics is serious business -- but not all the time. Talking to the young'uns Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, widely believed to be a 2012 Republican presidential contender, is making the rounds in key early voting states like Iowa -- and trying his hand at pop culture 101 to win over a growing voting bloc, the Des Moines Register reports. "I think what the younger voters have figured out is that this is a broken relationship (with Obama)," Pawlenty said at the Iowa Federation of College Republicans dinner in Des Moines, Iowa.

Has it really come to this? The nation that gave us the Beatles and the Rolling Stones has decided its best hope of winning the Eurovision Song Contest is a 75-year-old crooner, who last had a hit four decades ago. Or, is the UK's decision to pick as its entry Engelbert Humperdinck, who still has a wide following around the world, a strategic masterstroke to ride the fashion of reviving superstars from a bygone era? Humperdinck's main claim to fame is that his 1967 hit "Release Me" denied The Beatles the No 1. spot for three weeks, holding them at number two with their double A-side single "Penny Lane"/"Strawberry Fields Forever.

Politics is serious business -- but not all the time. Talking to the young'uns Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, widely believed to be a 2012 Republican presidential contender, is making the rounds in key early voting states like Iowa -- and trying his hand at pop culture 101 to win over a growing voting bloc, the Des Moines Register reports. "I think what the younger voters have figured out is that this is a broken relationship (with Obama)," Pawlenty said at the Iowa Federation of College Republicans dinner in Des Moines, Iowa.

If Barack Obama's juggernaut of a presidential campaign could only boost youth turnout by 2 percent, it is silly to think Jon Stewart's and Stephen Colbert's rallies Saturday in Washington will have any sort of tectonic political force. Even so, conservatives such as Glenn Beck are warning listeners that the Colbert-Stewart rally is an attempt to "activate the youth. " Beck may have bought into the widespread myth that 2008 was the "year of the youth vote" -- an appealing media sound bite that ultimately wasn't reflected much by the data.

Luke Russert, son of journalist Tim Russert, was part of a panel Wednesday that discussed youth voting on CNN's "Larry King Live. " Besides the youth vote, Russert discussed his father's death, his upbringing and his own future in journalism and political commentary. Tim Russert, 58, was the host of NBC's "Meet the Press" and one of America's leading political journalists. He died of a heart attack after collapsing at the network's Washington bureau on June 13. The following is an edited version of the show's transcript.

This year, 44 million Americans ages 18 to 29 will be eligible to vote. The youth vote will account for about a quarter of the entire electorate, which means the candidates are focused on getting young people to the polls. So is the founder of Scoop08, Alexander Heffner, but in a different way. Heffner, an 18-year-old high school senior, organized 300 student volunteers from high schools and colleges from diverse regions and ideological backgrounds to work on what he calls "a new kind of newspaper.

January 15, 2008 Quick Guide The Youth Vote - Hear about the role of young voters in U.S. presidential elections. Staying Safe Online - Learn how MySpace is increasing protection for young users of the site. Edible Art - Check out the work of an artist who is famous for playing with his food. Transcript THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. MONICA LLOYD, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: It's a new day and a new edition of CNN Student News, your commercial-free source for news for the classroom.

If you graze the Web, it certainly seems like America's 20-somethings have a loud and powerful voice when it comes to pushing presidential candidates. Perhaps none are as loud as Republican Ron Paul's young fans. They have been creatively effective online, parlaying their passion into cold hard cash for Paul's campaign and raising his profile. But, Ron Paul aside, the Democrats boast that they have youth on their side in droves. Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean told CNN's Wolf Blitzer, "We're getting 61 percent of the vote under 30. [Republican]

"Brace yourselves," we were told. "It's coming ... " "It" could've applied to any of those dire predictions heard leading up to the presidential election. A terrorist attack, always a threat in the post-9/11 climate, seemed to many a more ominous possibility during election week. A U.S. senator even closed his Capitol Hill office, citing what he called "top secret intelligence. " "I would not bring my two sons to Capitol Hill between now and the election. So I'm not going to put other peoples' sons and daughters at a risk that I'm not there to share myself," said Sen. Mark Dayton (D-Minnesota)

College students are expected to turn out in record numbers to vote in November's election. What you may not know is that it's against the law for colleges and universities to fail to encourage student voting. Tucked inside the Higher Education Act of 1998 is a requirement that colleges must provide voter-registration forms to every enrolled student or risk losing their federal funding. The law's standard is simply a "good-faith effort," but until a recent study reminded colleges of their obligations, many were not complying with the rule.

Republicans and Democrats are paying increased attention to young voters this election season, as President Bush and Sen. Kerry continue to be virtually tied in many polls. Figures from both sides have already appeared on MTV and Comedy Central's "The Daily Show," and The Associated Press reports that Republicans and Democrats plan to expand campus activities during the fall campaign. The Bush and Kerry children took center stage at the party conventions to show the candidates' "hipper" side, while musicians have used their popularity to encourage registration among young voters.