Over Superbowl Weekend, third-year College student Vesla Weaver, along with 34 other University students, trekked to snowy New Hampshire to help former New Jersey Sen. Bill Bradley (D) campaign during the first round of primaries in the presidential election campaign.
Weaver and other students who are part of the grassroots effort to elect Bradley had a chance to participate in the political process by talking to New Hampshire citizens one-on-one.
Weaver said she recognized one voter who was previously undecided at the polls from a conversation they had earlier in the week.
But when the woman emerged from the voting booth, she waved and said, "I voted for your man."
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Other students who went to New Hampshire with the student organization Students for Bradley agreed that talking to voters in person helped sway them on the issues.
"Going door-to-door, we were able to improve the image of Bradley the leader. We were able to increase awareness, particularly on his stance on health care and education," said Adam Green, organizer of the University's Students for Bradley and a first-year Law student.
Students for Bradley is an organization on Grounds with over 700 names on its e-mail list. The group has been working to educate University students about Bradley's issues.
Weaver said students felt able to influence voters because Bradley is less well known than his opponent.
"People are voting for Gore because they know him, whereas people who are voting for Bradley are people who are actively supporting him. And as the people learn more, they will swing over to Bradley," Weaver said.
New Hampshire residents "weren't aware of all of the specifics of his proposals, and that is where we came in," Green said.
"Grassroots campaigning really comes into play with this segment of the population, very working-class people, who often do not have the means to get exposure about the different campaigns," he said.
The group spent Sunday talking to voters in Nashua, a small factory town in the rural north country of New Hampshire.
"People were very receptive to the issues and to hearing about Bradley," Green said.
"It was a spread-out region, and they were not exposed to a lot of campaign information. The entire town revolved around one paper mill. They were working people, the kind of people that Bradley is trying to help," he added.
New Hampshire might be a quiet, snowy state, but the buzz picks up when primaries roll around.
The state boasts an average voter turnout of 60 to 70 percent, a sharp contrast to Virginia's 15 percent, according to Green.
"There were people who would drive by [where students were campaigning] and either honk and cheer, or give us a thumbs down sign. People were really getting into it," first-year College student Tison Campbell said.
Weaver described the scene in New Hampshire as "very energetic."
Several students said they felt their work was paying off at times.
Weaver, Campbell and Green all said they saw people they had talked to while going door-to-door Tuesday at the voting booths.
"There were several people who were undecided on who to vote for 20 seconds before they went into the booth, but we could talk to them before they voted and give them information about Bradley and his issues," Green said.
Voters weren't the only ones who gained from the experience. Students also learned about the political process.
"It was a new perspective on the way that politics works, to see what the people think and just to bounce ideas back and forth," Campbell said.
Drawing attention to a candidate has its drawbacks, though. Sleep was a rare commodity.
"People were very committed," Weaver said. "They just wanted to get the message out, and they weren't sidetracked by the lack of sleep."
These grassroots efforts have kept Bradley in the public's eye, according to Campbell.
"The grassroots issues are really what is going to win it for him," Campbell said. "He is fighting against an entrenched candidate, and he needs students and people out fighting for him."
And the campaign has paid off. Last Tuesday Bradley surpassed expectations, losing the New Hampshire primary by the closest margin in New Hampshire primary history.
Bradley was expected to lose by 17 points, but he pulled through with a mere four-point loss to Al Gore, according to Green.
"Bill Bradley is no challenger to be taken lightly. He has a lot of credibility that will help down the road," Green said.
In an age of television ads, grassroots campaigning may not seem to be the usual way a candidate wins over the public. But then again, Bill Bradley has staked much of his platform on moving away from politics as usual.
"Gunning for reform is something that we really need. Plus, I just think that people are sick and tired of the Clinton administration, and Bradley brings a fresh perspective to politics," Weaver said.
"The fact that he is going against a current vice president lends him the most credibility," Campbell said.
In addition, Bradley has taken a strong step in his beliefs throughout his campaign, overstepping the line and addressing many issues usually considered too sensitive to advocate on a platform. Weaver said it may be this daring move that gives Bradley the edge.
"Last week, Bradley was talking to some African Americans in South Carolina. He has made racial unity a factor in this race. African Americans can be crucial in swinging the vote, and Bradley's not being afraid to make racism an issue. This will be key to winning those votes," Weaver said.
For the students who went to New Hampshire, character is another issue.
"Universally, whether Democrats, Republicans or Independents, people respect Bradley the man. They think that he has a lot of character," Green said.
Character is an important issue for many voters in the primaries, and Bradley has the edge in this category, he said.
"Bradley is not a new face, but he is new to people outside of New Jersey," Campbell said.
"He can offer the fresh start that people want. He is a very different candidate from Clinton in that he sticks to what he believes," Campbell said.
"And even if you don't agree with him, you have to admire the man who will stand up for what he believes. He isn't a candidate who will change what he believes based on a poll," he added.
More primaries lie ahead, with California, Maryland and New York contests around the corner.
"But if [Bradley] plays his cards right, he definitely has staying powers and a possibility to win this nomination," Green said. "As Bradley says, 'The warm-ups are over, and now it is time for the real games to begin.' It can happen."
After the New Hampshire trip, Campbell said he was still enthused by the effect he had on voters, and he encourages everyone to get involved.
"There is something that you can do to make this a better nation," Campbell said. "It's amazing."
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