Call it a voter rally, a massive stump speech for Democratic Presidential candidate Al Gore or a rock-and-roll sing-a-long, but this morning’s “Get out the Vote Tour” brought more than 2,000 people to the EMU Amphitheater.
University students and community members, many of whom skipped class or work for the event, packed into the amphitheater and lined the balconies outside the EMU that looked over the stage.
The crowd braved the cold weather and gray skies to see Portland rock band Everclear, which ripped through five of its radio hits in a short concert performance.
But before the band’s 25-minute set, a line of local and national members of the Democratic party rallied students to vote — many specifically urging people at the University to cast their ballot for Gore.
Former presidential candidate Bill Bradley and Oregon Secretary of State Bill Bradbury were two of the keynote speakers at the event along with members of the ASUO Executive and College Democrats, which sponsored the event.
Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., was scheduled to appear with Bradley, but Wyden began a filibuster in Washington, D.C., today to block a tax bill with a kicker that would repeal Oregon’s physician-assisted suicide law.
“He’s a hell of a fighter and he picks awfully good rock bands,” Bradbury said of Wyden, who helped organize the event.
But the scene was not the most welcoming place for supporters of Texas Gov. George W. Bush nor backers of Green Party candidate Ralph Nader, a few of whom held up signs in support for their third party leader.
Bradley discussed the reasons why he endorsed Gore after leaving the race and Bradbury promoted local Democratic candidates including Vicki Walker, the current state representative for District 41.
Among the support for Gore’s position on the environment, a woman’s right to choose, affirmative action and hate crimes legislation, the speakers adamantly reminded students that just because they recently registered to vote, they still need to cast the ballot to cause any change.
“In your entire lives, your vote may never mean more than in Oregon in the year 2000,” Bradley said.
College students traditionally have the lowest voter turnout and Oregon has become a battleground state that could fall to either Gore or Bush on Nov. 7.
ASUO State Affairs Coordinator Brian Tanner, who also spoke Friday morning, said afterwards he would have preferred the speeches be more about voting and less about who to vote for, but said he was pleased with the overall turnout.”Nothing ever works out exactly like planned,” he said.
After the band’s performance, Everclear frontman Art Alekakis took the microphone and gave his support for Gore, but also acknowledged the Nader supporters in the group and encouraged them for “pissing in the face of adversity.”
“I want people to get involved and educate themselves,” he said. “Spend an evening not watching Scooby Doo, sit down with your voters’ pamphlet and read it.”
Bradbury then urged students to get out and vote one last time as the crowd pushed onto stage for autographs from the band.
As crews took down the equipment in the amphitheater, Alekakis and Bradbury cast their mail-in ballots in “The World’s Biggest Ballot Box” outside the ASUO Executive office. Everclear and Bradbury then took the tour to Oregon State University and Portland State University later on Friday.