[Vision2020] Obama Draws Cheers

[Tom Hansen]

>From the Sports (that's right, Sports) section of today's (November 7, 
2008) Spokesman Review.

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Obama Draws Cheers
Cougars leaned toward Democrat

PULLMAN – College football teams are not known for their deep 
philosophical discussions – even during an historic presidential year.

The Washington State Cougars are no different.

“Being around the football team so much, it seems like it’s a little off-
limits,” said junior Kenny Alfred, quite possibly the most eclectic 
thinker on the team, of political discussions.  “There are times in the 
meal room where we talk a little bit, but it never goes past small talk.”

But even a team that would rather argue the relative merits of Call of 
Duty 4 vs. Halo 3 had some social conscience this election season.

Tuesday night, after the team meeting, Coach Paul Wulff led his team in 
its usual “1-2-3, go Cougs” sheer.

“I said 1-2-3, everybody said, ‘Go,’ and half the group said ‘Obama’ and 
the other half said ‘Cougs,’” Wulff said.

Like most college students – some election-day exit polls had students 
preferring Obama over republican rival John McCain 2-to-1 – the president-
elect seems to have the support of a majority of Cougars players.

“It’s an exciting transition for our country,” Alfred, 22, said.  “It’s 
just a much-needed change.  It’s interesting and it’s very exciting.”

As excited as Alfred is over the change in direction, his fervor paled in 
comparison to that of defensive back Chima Nwachukwu, 19, who voted for 
the first time.

“It really gave us something to believe in – us as a youth, (and) us as an 
African-American people,” Nwachukwu said.  “It felt like it was a people-
powered revolution that Obama was running.  And it felt like there was an 
ideal that was realized.”

Nwachukwu smiled broadly as he described his Tuesday night phone call with 
his mother, Ngozi, and her response to the election results.

“My mom was screaming when CNN declared he was the winner,” Nwachukwu 
said.  “She was like ‘Can’t believe I lived to see this day.’ It was a 
real sense of pride that we can take full ownership now that he’s at the 
highest (point), chief executive.”

“It’s something amazing.”

If you think apathy is still rampant among college students, Nwachukwu 
dispels that myth.

“I put in a lot of hours volunteering with his campaign,” he said.  “And 
it felt like it was all of our victory, not just the candidate.  That’s 
what made it sweet.”

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Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho
 
"We're a town of about 23,000 with 10,000 college students. The college 
students are not very active in local elections (thank goodness!)."

- Dale Courtney (March 28, 2007)


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