Senior history major Colin Elliott didn’t speak on national television seven times because he performed an incredible feat, was a widely popular celebrity or had an amazing story to tell the nation.
Instead, Elliott made two appearances on a CNBC show and five on MSNBC because he didn’t do what most college students in this swing state have: make up his mind about which presidential candidate to vote for.
Throughout October, Elliott and three other undecided voters across the country made weekly appearances on MSNBC’s “The Undecided Voter” to talk about how they feel about the presidential campaigns. CNBC also asked Elliott to make two appearances on “Capital Report” telling the nation how he feels about issues and candidates. For the past nine months, the libertarian-leaning student wrote a blog for The Oregonian newspaper’s Web site, pouring his thoughts onto an electronic page as the campaigns cascaded toward today’s election.
Voters in swing states may hold the key to victory in this highly contentious election, which is a main reason the network asked Elliott to participate. But, Elliott said swing voters — especially college students — were rare to begin with and are quickly dwindling.
“I’ve found that being undecided, it’s a pretty hot commodity, I guess,” Elliott said.
Colin Elliott, a senior history major, has spent every Monday morning for the last four weeks participating as an undecided voter on a segment of MSNBC LIVE.
And the numbers seem to back him up. According to results of a CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll released Monday, out of likely voters only 3 percent reported they were completely undecided about who to vote for.
Elliott also said he was chosen for the shows because he brought a new viewpoint to the table. “That’s not any kind of skill set I have, but it’s more the viewpoint that I brought because I brought a third-party viewpoint, and in this election it’s all been Bush, Kerry, Bush, Kerry, Bush, Kerry, Bush, Kerry, Bush, Kerry,” he said. On Monday, Elliott announced on his blog that he’ll soon be leaving the ranks of undecided voters, however, by voting for Libertarian presidential candidate Michael Badnarik.
“I haven’t drawn the line in yet, but I will. I’ve made my decision.” Elliott said. “One of the reasons I stayed undecided was because I’d have to sift through the garbage that’s been flung back and forth on both sides, and that’s like trying to find an uneaten sandwich in
a Dumpster.”
Elliott said he had trouble deciding who to vote for because this year’s election involved more glorifying and criticizing of candidates than the 2000 election. What he and other college students look for is debate about the issues, he said, adding that what they got this year was a race based on the candidates’ popularity, something seen in a monarchy or dictatorship, but not in a democracy.
“Issues are the blood that runs through democracy,” Elliott said.
Today’s election means Monday’s airing of “The Undecided Voter” was the last foreseeable time Elliott will stand in the spotlight in the Knight Library’s basement, broadcasting live around the nation. It also means his blog on The Oregonian Web site will be coming to
an end.
“I have spent the last nine months of this blog asking questions. Some were answered by readers, others by the ebb and flow of current events, but others were answered by myself,” Elliott wrote in Monday’s entry. “Ultimately, deciding how to use one’s vote is a soul-searching quest, especially if one believes in voting out of pure selfish interest — as the democratic process is intended.
“Thanks to my readers and the many people that sent in e-mails, from typos to essays, from anger to support. Thanks to the other bloggers for emphasizing a sense of community and friendship between us all. It’s been a wild ride this election, and I’m happy to see it come to an end — I probably won’t be happy with the outcome but at least both you, and I, now know where
I stand.”
