Call it a voter rally, a massive stump speech for Vice President Al Gore or a rock-and-roll sing-a-long, but Friday’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 surrounding balconies outside the EMU.
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 ballots 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 the College Democrats, the group that sponsored the event.
Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., was scheduled to appear with Bradley, but Wyden spent Friday in Washington, D.C., using a filibuster to delay legislation 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 or backers of Green Party candidate Ralph Nader. A few Nader supporters held up signs in support for their third party leader.
Bradley discussed his reasons for endorsing Gore after dropping out of the presidential race. Bradbury promoted local Democratic candidates, including Vicki Walker, the current state representative for District 41.
Along with supporting Gore’s positions on the environment, a woman’s right to choose an abortion, affirmative action and hate crimes legislation, the speakers reminded students that they still need to cast ballots to effect any changes.
“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 Nov. 7.
ASUO State Affairs Coordinator Brian Tanner, who also spoke Friday, said afterward he would have preferred the speeches focus more on voting and less on 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 Alexakis took the microphone and gave his support for Gore, but also acknowledged the Nader supporters in the group and encouraged them to continue “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 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, Alexakis and Bradbury cast their mail-in ballots in “The World’s Biggest Ballot Box” outside the ASUO Executive office.
Everclear and Bradbury took the tour to Oregon State University and Portland State University later in the day Friday.