Hi, I’m Lisa!
Mitt Romney and Barack Obama
Greetings, I would like to introduce myself – my name is Lisa Griswold and I am an
eIntern* for the U.S. Embassy in Dublin for 2012-2013. A self-declared Europhile,
aspiring diplomat, and all-around inquisitor (in the curious sense of the word)
– I am delighted to contribute to this blog and hope to lend fresh perspectives
on graduate student life in the U.S. Residing more than 3,000 miles away from
Ireland, I write as a graduate student at Boston University studying for a Masters in
International Relations and Communication.
Beyond spending hours troving research databases and writing in academic prose,
graduate student life has much to offer. I will aim to capture events, issues, and the
intriguing ups and downs happening in the microcosm of Boston, Massachusetts
and the greater American territory. Of course, my discussion would not be complete
without talking on relations with Ireland as well.
And so with that, away we go, with
a topic that has been following me around all day, literally….let me explain:
Campaigns. Elections. Red, white, and blue. He said, she said. Millions of bumper
stickers that read _________——___ for 2012. Being accosted by people on the streets
asking one simple question: “Are you registered to vote?” Every 4 years in the U.S.,
this rhetoric comes around again.
The race for the Presidency is perhaps one of the
most widely publicized events. Mitt Romney/Paul Ryan v. Barack Obama/Joe Biden,
and on a state level, the race for Massachusetts Congressional seats. Both happen to
be highly tied to each other.
With Mitt Romney as former Massachusetts Governor and the Senatorial race
acting as a reflection of the larger national face-off, students’ excitement and
involvement in the campaigns is almost palpable in Boston.
While the typical neighborhood canvassing and fundraiser events are already afoot, I am surprised by
the particularly inventive tools employed by students this year.
For example, a flash mob is planned to take place in a downtown square in Boston,
and simultaneously, in other major cities nationwide. A bunch of frolicking young-
ins to impress upon the message to vote. Another instance is a student selling
homemade campaign buttons on the street corner. Each button dons the candidates’
faces clearly shellacked in large form on the front for easy-viewing. With all of
these political avenues, it’s becoming clearer to me that any and all approaches are
important to reach audiences, now more than ever before.
With Harvard, MIT, Boston College, Boston University and other institutions close
by, the city is abuzz with students becoming involved in the elections. Because many
students attending school in Boston are out-of-state, they remain registered to
vote for their home state, not Massachusetts. With the closeness of the Presidential
race, certain states are looking to attract the out-of-state student populations to
help them push the sway in ‘swing states,’ locations without a clear Democratic or
Republican majority. As such, not only do campaigns to vote exist, but campaigns
especially targeted for young voters of Ohio, Florida, and Virginia origin.
Heading into the next few weeks, I can only imagine an increase in all this campaign
ooftah. It’s really not bad at all, dare I say it, it’s enjoyable to most. While unless you
encounter the less-than-likely situation of someone running you down to fill out
voter registration, the increase in patriotic feelings and nationalism are great run-
offs. Here’s to looking to the fateful day of November 6. Within a week post-election
day, Boston will be a whole lot less red and blue infused. People will be taking
down the decorations if only to be pulled out for the next go around (or perhaps
Independence Day, if we’re lucky).
Please check back for my next post, I hope to surprise and delight with different
topic entirely!
*eInterns or Virtual Interns are students that work with Embassy’s around the world but are based full time in the United States. Embassy’s communicate with eInterns via Skype and email and have been working with the Public Affairs Section in U.S. Embassy Dublin since 2010.
usembassydublin 