Maroon 5 Votes Early

And now a message from Maroon 5!

Voting Early in Gambier, Ohio

This year I got the chance to vote in a super swing state: OHIO! I voted early a few weeks ago, which was awesome! Declare Yourself helped, along with Kenyon College's Student Affairs Office, to plan two WHY WAIT? Early Voting Shuttle Days. Over 100 students took the shuttles to Mt. Vernon (a nearby town) to cast their vote early. We even provided students with the forms that they needed to fill out prior to voting, so the process was super quick. 

Students voted in-person absentee, which means that once election day comes around, their sealed enveloped will be opened up and their ballot will be counted. Also, there were election officials at the early voting locations who made sure that every person's information was correct and that their ballot would be counted! DY also passed out buttons and stickers to Kenyon students throughout the day. Voting early is quick and easy. Why wait in long lines on election day? Vote early and wear your "I Already Voted" sticker with pride!

Emily Wolfe, Why Wait Ambassador

Kenyon College, Gambier, OH

Tour Update!

Our tour with Zune and The Youngest Candidate documentary is almost over...but there are still 5 schools left! If you want to vote early, we can help you! Come to any of these campuses on these dates and check out the movie The Youngest Candidate and talk to representatives on how you can vote early!

Oct. 30th- UVA
Oct. 31st- Virginia Tech
Nov. 1st- Penn State
Nov. 2nd- Michigan State
Nov. 3rd- Univesity of Cincinnati

"On Oct. 27th and 28th our 'Why Wait?' Tour kicked into full gear as we stormed the early voting locations of FL. Pictured here are our fearless Tour Manager and Rock Star Dan Edinberg and one of the stars of 'The Youngest Candidate', Raul De Jesus. We handed out free Declare Yourself and Zune gear to all the early voters to encourage this incredibly important part of our electoral process. Why Wait? Vote Early. Vote Now!:)" Jason Pollock

You can now watch the trailer for The Youngest Candidate! Go to http://theyoungestcandidate.com/ and click "watch the trailer"

Find Your Polling Place!

Google has developed this fabulous voter information gagdet. Just enter your address and you can learn where your polling place is, the hours, your voter registration dedline, etc. Try it!

Hollywood Declares Themselves - Part 2....FIVE MORE FRIENDS!

Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Snoop Dogg, Harrison Ford, Julia Roberts, Ben Stiller, Will Smith, Steven Spielberg, Justin Timberlake, along with Sacha Baron Cohen as “Borat,” Zach Braff, Colin Farrell, Neil Patrick Harris, Scarlett Johansson, Shia LeBeouf, Tobey Maguire, Ryan Reynolds, and Jason Segal, are featured in a second of a series of public service announcements to encourage American youth to vote in partnership with Google, YouTube, Declare Yourself, and MySpace. Also featured in the PSA are everyday Americans speaking about important issues and reasons to vote. The non-partisan PSA’s, produced by DiCaprio’s Appian Way, were created to engage and inspire young people to vote and participate in the upcoming election.

Brittany Snow makes a Declaration

Declare Yourself has always been about using humor to motivate young people to the polls. Laughter is the best medicine...right? And it cures voter apathy right?

Well either way, we have decided to post this video which is has more of an Indie film feel than our other videos and uses only language from the Declaration of Independence (except the line "I am going to text this to 5 friends...because I'm pretty sure Jefferson didn't have a Sidekicks). If you've been reading this blog then you would know that DY founder Norman Lear owns one of the original 200 copies of the Declaration printed on July 4, 1776 and it has been touring the country regularly since 2000. So this video definitely spoke to us.

Watch it now and post your thoughts! Which person will you be on Nov 4th? With the party crowd...or the loner with the TV? No peer pressure or anything :)

Watch New Videos Now...Why Wait?

Thanks to the millions of you who have voted early and help make this campaign a success! It's now one week until the election so get to your polling place soon!

If you already voted, help us spread these videos around! From Christina Applegate to T.I., Maroon 5 to Har Mar Superstar, these celebs and activists have come out to speak on behalf of Declare Yourself and early voting. Post them on your blog or MySpace, and email them to your friends!

Got your own early voting video? Send it to us! Post it on MySpace TV and send us the link. We want to hear YOUR reasons for voting early! If we post your video we will send you a VOTE shirt and "I Already Voted" stickers!

Christina Applegate on Voting Early!



Peanut Butter Wolf on Voting Early






Watch all the videos here!

Photo Credit

"Why Wait?" in Florida, Ohio, North Carolina and Iowa!

This week, Declare Yourself launched a forty-school handpass campaign, concentrated in four battleground states across America. Our handpasses, designed by the legendary political artist Shepard Fairey, feature state-specific informaiton on how to VOTE EARLY in Florida, Ohio, North Carolina and Iowa!

We chose these fours states for their close polling numbers, their notorious history of Election Day problems, and their large college student populations. Florida and Ohio are genuine tossups this year, and North Carolina (historically Republican) and Iowa (historically Democratic) are both in play! This election is up for grabs and as they say -- the early bird catches the worm. So regardless of your political party, make like the birds and VOTE EARLY!

Check out these great photos from our Declare Yourself Street Team at Barry University and the University of Miami. Stay tuned for more pics and keep your eye out for us on YOUR campus!

On the Road with Why Wait, Zune, and the Youngest Candidate

Guest Blogger Jason Pollock

On Saturday Oct. 25th we pulled into The University of Central Florida to lay the smack down on students at this awesome university. Thanks to amazing Zune reps, Tristan Gibeau and Jeff Gillin, we were able to have a sneak peak of the film for some lucky video gamers who had assembled to drink energy drinks and destroy each other in cyber space. The video game competition at UCF was a huge draw and we are so grateful to these gamers for giving us their ear.

The film rocked the students and I spoke to all of them about Early Voting and getting involved in the political system in America. Everyone loved the free Declare Yourself and Zune giveaways on one lucky gamer walked away with a FREE ZUNE. The star of my film, Raul De Jesus, was also there and he spoke to the students about his historic run for mayor of Hartford, CT. I took some great pix of everyone so check them out! Thanks again to UCF for the awesome day!:)

Read more about the tou and Jason here! http://www.theyoungestcandidate.com/main/

T.I. : You Can Vote However You Like

American rapper, songwriter, producer, and actor, T.I., is speaking our on behalf of voting early! Check out his video below for Why Wait.

Why Wait? To find out how to vote early, go to www.declareyourself.com/whywait



Probably one of the best political songs I've heard yet! Written and performed by the 7th Grade class of Ron Clark Academy, these students modified T.I.'s hit song "Whatever You Like" to "Vote However You Like."

NEW VIDEO TIME!

We have celebs talking about voting in viral videos all the time. They have a megaphone most of us dont, and when they speak, people listen. But us non-celebs can be just as influential! Like Brad Nizekowski! Check him out in this new video! In the spirit of all those Publishers Clearing House winner videos, we have the Publishers VOTING House winners! You TOO have won ONE VOTE! WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO NEXT?!?!


Publishers Voting House Winner - Frat Boy

Why Are You Voting?

Declare your reasons for voting on I Beat You! Jessica Alba and Hayden Panettiere will be judging the contest. If you've alread registered, then you better be brushing up on the issues!

Tell Your Friends to Vote!

Inspired by the Hollywood Declares Themselves video, the Youth Vote Project created this video. Their goal: to get every high school in America to register every eligible senior before graduation every year.

The Youngest Candidate, Zune, and Declare Yourself in Chapel HIll

Guest Blogger Jason Pollock!

Wednesday Oct 23 - Today in Chapel Hill was awesome! The "Why Wait" campaign of Declare Yourself must be working because the campus was buzzing from EARLY VOTING! The Sneak Peak of "The Youngest Candidate" was great and one lucky audience member walked away with a FREE ZUNE! Many thanks to Niraj Shah who was the Zune rep at the school and helped to put the event together. I took some great pix of the early voting polling place too...

Zune, Declare Yourslf, and "The Youngest Candidate"!

PRESS RELEASE

Zune speaks to young adults about voting. Joint partnership with Declare Yourself and The Youngest Candidate director, Jason Pollock, to visit college campuses and get the word out

REDMOND, WA — October 20, 2008 — Just in time for the presidential election, Zune is encouraging young adults to get out and vote on November 4, 2008 and is partnering with Declare Yourself, the national non-profit campaign to encourage youth to register to vote and get to the polls, and Jason Pollock, director of the new documentary “The Youngest Candidate.”

Declare Yourself has been working diligently the past few months to inspire youth to register to vote and now with only 16 days to go until the election, Zune is teaming up to get those who registered to cast their vote.

Now through the election, Zune is speaking to more than 2 million music fans by featuring an election page, “Declare Yourself! Election ’08,” in the Zune Marketplace online store, and by creating a “Declare Yourself” page in the online music community, Zune Social. Users can visit the “Declare Yourself” page on the Social to get the latest Declare Yourself public service announcements, political podcasts, custom playlists and to preview and download the trailer of “The Youngest Candidate” documentary, Jason Pollock’s film about four teenagers who ran for public office.

In addition, starting today, Zune will be a part of the “Why Wait? Early Voting” tour with both Declare Yourself and Jason Pollock. The tour will travel on the Zune van to 15 college campuses around the United States in an effort to get the youth vote out before and on Election Day. Director Jason Pollock will host a sneak peak screening of his new film, “The Youngest Candidate” at each tour stop and Zune will hand out free 14-day Zune Pass subscriptions, which give fans unlimited access to millions of tracks available on Zune Marketplace, and will conduct a raffle to give a Zune to one of the students who attends the screening. Declare Yourself will be passing out information on early voting on flyers designed by Shepard Fairey. Pollock will also be writing blogs every day about each stop of the tour on his website, http://www.TheYoungestCandidate.com.

Tour stops include:

10/20 - Duke University

10/21 - North Carolina State University

10/22 - University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

10/23 - North Carolina A&T State University

10/24 - University of Florida

10/25 - Univ. of Central FL

10/26 - Ft. Lauderdale Film Festival

10/27 - University of South Florida

10/28 - Florida Atlantic University

10/30 - University of Virginia

10/31 - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

11/1 - Pennsylvania State University

11/2 - Michigan State University

11/3 - Ohio University

11/4 - Ohio State University

Zune Marketplace also features political podcasts, downloadable Saturday Night Live political skits and more. To access Zune Marketplace, visit: http://www.zune.net/en-US/entertainment/podcasts. To access the Declare Yourself Social, page visit: http://social.zune.net/member/DeclareYourself and to access the election page on Zune Marketplace visit, http://www.zune.net/DeclareYourself.com.

On the Red Carpet with MySpace

MySpace just released their coverage of the Declare Yourself Hollywood party! Young, hot, and politically active, these stars came out not just for a good time, but to also to encourage their fans to vote on November 4th (or sooner!).

MySpace Impact at the Declare Yourself Gala!


Check out Amber and Dilshad getting ready for the party!

Amber Stevens says get out and vote!

More Early Voters!

Perez Hilton voted early! Check out his vlog on it!

Natalie Portman and Kirsten Dunst also voted early!

Will you be voting early? Visit www.declareyourself.com/whywait for more information on how to vote early!

Why Wait is a nonpartisan effort to get out the vote before the official election day. Declare Yourself is encouraging people to vote early to avoid long lines, malfunctioning machines, and conflicting school/work schedules. Declare Yourself is in not endorsing or promoting any candidate or party.

Find Your Polling Place!

So you're registered....now what? Two things, get informed and then find your polling place! Google has just released their polling place locater on Google Maps. Click here, then enter your address and the map will show you exactly where your polling place is!

Early Voting....Bring it On!

Oh yea, we went there with that post title.

We've been blogging about Early Voting and its catching on! Okay we cant take all the credit, but we can post this picture of Kirsten Dunst walking out of the early voting polling place in Norwalk, CA.

Why Wait? Vote early! www.DeclareYourself.com/whywait

High School Musical 3 on Voting

An earlier blog post on a high school class president election reminded me of something...HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 3 COMES OUT THIS WEEKEND!!!! Okay maybe this blogger is a little overexcited for the third installment of a Disney TV movie (on the big screen!) but it's because it's the first time some of the cast will be voting!

During the filming of HSM3, Declare Yourself was invited to visit the set in Utah and talk to the cast about voting and the election. The entire cast couldn't have been nicer! Olesya has been a passionate supporter of Declare Yourself since Sept 2007 and Zac said was excited to vote for the first time. He was originally hesitant to talk about it, since he had never voted before, but that is exactly why we wanted him to talk to our cameras. We are trying to reach out to young people who have NEVER voted before, and to encourage them to vote for the first time in this monumental election. So thank you HSM3 for helping us out!

Check out Zac, Monique, Olesya, and newcomer Matt Prokop in these short and sweet PSAs!

Zac Efron Declares Himself!


Monique Coleman on Voting


Matt Prokop on Voting


Oleysa Rulin on Voting

VOTE EARLY in California!

Angelinos eager to vote early in the General Election have to make the (not so long!) trek out to the County Registrar's office in Norwalk, CA. This morning, my mother and I followed in the footsteps of almost a thousand LA voters and cast our ballots early!

On the ride down the I-5, we talked about the different initiatives at stake, the candidates, and we shared a few laughs over Sarah Palin's guest-appearance on Saturday Night Live!

We pulled up to the Registrar's Office around 8AM and though it had just opened, there was already a crowd -- not to mention the TV cameras from several major news networks -- piling in through the door. In the elevator, we squeezed in alongside a fellow family couple: a father and daughter. They were registered in different precincts and had they waited until November 4th, they would have had to vote at different polling places. At the County Registrar, they could do it together. He, a seasoned voter...she, casting her ballot for the first time.

In California, we vote early by absentee ballot. This means that when you walk into the polling place, you apply for an absentee ballot, your application is processed while you wait, and within minutes, you've got a blank ballot! You don't use an InkaVote machine when voting early at the County Registrar. Instead, you fill in the bubbles that correspond to your votes, SAT-style. You choose your candidate, your judges, and your opinions on the many propositions at stake. When you're done, you seal the ballot in your absentee envelope, drop it in a slot, and PRESTO! You've voted early!

EXCEPT... if you make a mistake. Which I did. I accidentally filled in the wrong bubble on an incredibly important issue. Luckily for me, in-person voters are allowed three "do-overs" if they mess up.

On the way out, I grabbed an "I Voted" sticker -- yes, you do get one! -- and glanced over at the father and daughter we met earlier. They took their time... laughing and joking over the cardboard partitions that separate the voting booths. He could hardly conceal his pride as she sealed her envelope.

Critics often say that early voting diminishes the importance of Election Day. They say that by voting early, we miss out on the collective consciousness of that first Tuesday in November. I have to respectfully disagree. Election day is a random day when custom dictates that American citizens descend upon the polls to vote for the next president. 

In the end, it doesn't matter when you vote, but how you vote. And by that I don't mean your choice of party or your opinion on the propositions...I mean the quality of your voting experience. Go with your friends! Go with your family! Arrange a voting party and carpool to the polls! Make this election meaningful to you. 

On the way out of the Registrar's Office, I squeezed my mother's hand as we walked to the car.

"Thanks for coming," I said.

"Are you kidding?" she said, "I wouldn't have missed it for the world!"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Early Voting in Los Angeles County takes place at 12400 Imperial Highway, Norwalk, CA.

Weekday Hours: M-F 8AM-5PM, now through November 3rd

Weekend Hours: Sat/Sun October 24th & 26th and November 1st and 2nd, 8AM-4PM

For information on Early Voting in other states, visit DeclareYourself.com/WhyWait

Why Wait? VOTE EARLY!

Hey Guys,

So I'm out in Colorado and just helped organize a march to go vote early! Around 400 students at Colorado College and a bunch of community members from Colorado Springs marched down t0 the county clerk's office and voted today...yay! Lucky for me, Colorado is one of 31 states that allows for no-excuse voting early. This means that even if I was fully able to vote on November 4th, I could still vote early instead! Declare Yourself's newest campaign, Why Wait?, is promoting something so key in this election...voting early! Why would anyone want to wait in line at the polls on November 4th, risk having their vote miscounted, and realize last minute they don't have time to go vote and miss their one chance! Don't procrastinate on this guys, if your state allows you to vote early, do it! Why wait?

Sincerely,

Hope

DY Intern

P.S Check out these pictures from the event...Everyone loves DY!

Colin Powell endorses Barack Obama

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell said Sunday he'd be casting his vote for Barack Obama come election day.

The endorsement from the secretary of state who served under George W. Bush for five years, crosses party lines and has been highly anticipated.

The Republican general, who is more moderate than many in his party, said he would wait until after the presidential debates and go into the final weeks of the campaign to make his endorsement.

"Both of [the candidates] are distinguished Americans, who are patriotic and dedicated to the welfare of this country." Powell said on Meet the Press. "Either one of them would be a good president."

Powell has spent time with both candidates, but has been particularly engaging in conversations with Obama on foreign policy and domestic issues in recent months.

Leading up to his endorsement of the Democratic senator, Powell cited concern for his own party.

"I have some concerns about the direction that the party has taken in recent years," he said. " It has moved more to the right than I would like to see it."

Beyond the dismay he feels about the Republican Party, Powell said he believes Obama is ready for the job and displays a fervor requisite of the next president who will need "to fix the reputation that we've left with the rest of the world."

"I watched Mr. Obama, during this seven week period," Powell said. "He displayed a steadiness, an intellectual curiosity, a depth of knowledge, and an approach to looking at problems like [the economic crisis] and picking a vice president that is ready to be president on day one.

Powell praised Obama for exhibiting "intellectual vigor," and giving "us a more inclusive, broader reach into the needs and aspirations of our people."

"He is crossing lines: ethnic lines, racial lines, generational lines," Powell said of the candidate, while denouncing the Republican Party's "narrow" campaign tactics.

The endorsement from Powell is a a major success for the Democratic Party as the general is the most prominent Republican to throw his support behind Obama.

McCain said the Powell's endorsement "doesn't come as a surprise," and also noting he has the support of four other former Republican secretaries of state: Kissinger, Baker, Eagleburger and Haig.

"I think he is a transformational figure, he is a new generation coming onto the world stage, onto the American stage," Powell said in closing. "And for that reason, I'll be voting for Senator Barack Obama."

MOVIE TO SEE: Frontrunners

Do you remember the your high school class presidental election? I do, and for my school it was pretty much a popularity contest...in fact our class president was also our homecoming king.

But at some high schools there is some serious campaigning going on. In Frontrunners, directed by Caroline Suh, four high school students at Stuyvesant High are campaigning to be their school's class president....and all four have very different methods. An entertaining and symbolic campaign documentary, we follow these four charming candidates as they navigate the electoral process that is said to be one of the most competitice at the high school level.

These teenaged candidates face the same issues as candidates of any age, such as picking the right running mate, shaking as many hands as possible, preparing for televised debates, impressing the pundits and journalistic community, addressing sensitive, reace related issues, and mobilizing an apathetic voter base (we can relate!).

I think my favortite campaign tactic was the lounge that one of the candidates build. The lounge was basically two curtains and lawn chairs set up between lockers in the main hall where the candidate would pour the voter a Perrier and discuss the issues. If you were in high school, what would your candidate have to do to get your vote?

Watch the trailer now!

http://www.frontrunnersthefilm.com/

IN THEATERS OCT 24th

Rebel Wannabes?

Thanks to Ypulse, I read this great article by Rainee Lyson about how young people today don't have their own protest songs, so they get their political inspiration from rockers of the 60's and 70's.

"Rock music of the 1960s, '70s and '80s reflected the social and political rebellion of the time. Fuelled by the Vietnam War and women's and civil rights movements, the teenagers of the '60s were a generation willing to fight for a better world. Generation Y sees no need to rebel. We have been handed over a world reformed. We lead comfortable lives, and not even the threat to our environment can upset our stability"

Read the whole article here and post your thoughts on our blog! What are some of your favorite protest songs?

Listen to some of Declare Yourself's favorite political songs on Zune! http://social.zune.net/member/DeclareYourself

NEW VIDEO TIME!

How can any of us forget that sad little bill sitting on Capital Hill? I think most of us grew up watching the School House Rock cartoons (Conjunction Junction was my fav) but finally School House Rock has grown up with us! In a parody of the original education cartoons, Declare Yourself now has a two Skool House Rocks videos! These cartoons are a little edgier (and maybe dirtier) than the originals...but hey, you're 18 and over right?

Vote For ____________

The Gap has a new series of viral videos out, one of which features Declare Yourself founder, Norman Lear! In this campaign, Gap is asking American's what they are voting for. Are you voting for better health care? A college education? lower taxes?


Find more videos like this on AdGabber

We want to know what you are voting for. You can submit a video response to our page on IbeatYou.com or you can post your dream for America on our new Facebook Application. Make your voice heard!

UPCOMING EVENTS

Saturday, Oct 11

Cast members from ABC Family's GREEK will be at Borders Bookstore in San Francisco to do a meet and greet and register voters! If you have any questions about registering, voting, your polling place, etc, DY representatives will be there!

BORDERS
Stonestown Galleria
233 Winston Drive
San Francisco, CA 94132
Phone: 415.731.0665
12-2pm

Saturday, Oct 11
Walk Across America with Bow Wow! Rap artist Bow Wow will be walking around Washington DC registering voters and talking to young people. Meet at the Bowie State University at 12:30pm!

Monday Oct 13

Walk Across America with Bow Wow! Rap artist Bow Wow will be walking around Baltimore, MD registering voters and talking to young people.

Check http://www.bowwow87.com/ for more details.

Tuesday, Oct 14
Walk Across America with Bow Wow! Rap artist Bow Wow will be walking around Boston registering voters and talking to young people. Meet at the Apple Store on Boylston at 10am!

Apple Store

815 Boylston St

Boston, MA 02116

(617) 385-9400

10:00am

Wednesday, Oct 15

The Only You Can Silence Yourself print campaign will be blown up and displayed at W hotels across the USA! Celebrate with us at The W in Los Angeles this Wednesday.

The W Hotel

930 Hilgard Avenue

Los Angeles, California 90024

Phone: (310) 208-8765

7-9pm

Saturday, Oct 18

Cast members from ABC Family's GREEK will be at Borders Bookstore in Los Angeles to do a meet and greet and register voters! If you have any questions about registering, voting, your polling place, etc, DY representatives will be there! An original print of the Declaration of Independence will also be on display. Bring friends and family and participate in the Big Stakes 5 dominos tournament for prizes!

BORDERS Westwood

1360 Westwood Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90024

310-475-3444

12-2pm

EMAIL DECLAREYOURSELF@GMAIL.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION

One Vote DOES Make a Difference!

If you’ve ever wondered if your vote really does matter, check out these facts from some extremely close elections.

1800 – ONE VOTE in the electoral college made Thomas Jefferson President over Aaron Burr.

1845 – ONE VOTE brought Texas into the Union.

1847 – ONE VOTE elected Whig candidate George G. Dunn over Democratic candidate David M. Dobson for the U.S. House of Representatives in Indiana.

1948 – 87 VOTES elected Lyndon B. Johnson to the Senate.

1867 – ONE VOTE decided on the purchase of Alaskan territory.

1868 – ONE VOTE prevented President Andrew Johnson from being impeached.

1955 – ONE VOTE elected the mayor of Huron, Ohio.

1916 – ONE VOTE in each California precinct re-elected Woodrow Wilson to the Presidency over Charles E. Hughes.

1960 – ONE VOTE per precinct made John F. Kennedy the President over contender Richard Nixon.

1962 – ONE VOTE per precinct determined the winners for Governor in the states of Maine, Rhode Island, and North Dakota.

1977 – ONE VOTE determined in a recount, decided that Robert Emond won the seat for Vermont State Representative over Sydney Nixon.

1984 – ONE VOTE elected a Monroe County, Florida commissioner.

1999 – ONE VOTE per precinct elected Leslie Byrne to the Virginia Senate.

2000 – 237 VOTES in Florida resulted in the election of George W. Bush to the Presidency.

2002 – 5 VOTES elected Dan Sparks to the Minnesota State Senate.

2004 – 129 VOTES declared Christine Gregoire the Governor of Washington in a third and final hand recount.

Now you REALLY have no excuses! Make your vote count!

Rating the Debate..

We're not rating how the candidates did, becuase we all have our opinions...but how many people watched it?

McCain and Obama's second debate was watched in 42% of American households. This shows that viewership jumped significantly from their first debate, which received a household rating of 35%. The vice presidential debate received a 45% household rating.

These ratings are taken in the 55 top television markets. Several markets in swing states also saw household ratings boosts over the first presidential debate. Milwaukee had the largest jump, moving up 26 spots in Nielsen's ranking of debate viewing in the top 55 markets. Household viewing in Indianapolis and Dayton, Ohio (+21 spots in Nielsen's ranking), Minneapolis (+17 spots), and Cincinnati (+15 spots) also increased significantly from the first to the second McCain/Obama debate.

For more info, http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/category/politics/.

Guest blogger Kathleen Nacozy

photo: Mark Humphrey, AP

I Beat You!

Thanks to everyone who has been posting their reasons for voting on IBeatYou.com...they're great! Some are hilarious and others are sincere and moving. If you haven't uploaded your video, do it now! Or vote for the one you like!

Here are some of the videos...click here for more!

'Who is the real Sen. Obama?'

The McCain-Palin team launched its latest ad, "Folks", which continues the Republican's campaign theme of questioning Sen. Barack Obama's record.

"The ad highlights Barack Obama's defense of his extreme liberal voting record by accusing others of lying," according to JohnMcCain.com.

"Last Call to Register" Events in CA

The deadline to register to vote in California is fast approaching! Borders customers will have the opportunity to register to vote in the 2008 presidential election in two stores this month at a "Last Call to Register!" event.

SAN FRANCISCO EVENT

Amber Stevens, Jake McDorman and Tiffany Dupont, cast members from the popular ABC Family series “GREEK,” will sign autographs and talk to future voters at Borders in San Francisco on Oct 11th.

Attendees can meet the cast, register to vote, collect information on their polling place, early voting, and the candidates. There will also be tee shirt givaways and free swag!

WHEN:

Saturday, Oct. 11th at noon

WHERE:

Borders
Stonestown Galleria

San Francisco, CA 94132
(415) 731-0665

LOS ANGELES EVENT

Spencer Grammer, Scott Michael Foster, Dilshad Vadsaria, Amber Stevens and Paul James from the popular ABC Family series GREEK will sign autographs and talk to future voters at the event on OCt 18th. After registering to vote, attendees can participate in the “Declare Yourself Dominos Tournament” where the winner will receive a prize package that includes a copy of the book “DECLARE YOURSELF: Speak, Connect, Act, Vote” signed by Lear.

Attendees can also view an original copy of the Declaration of Independence that will be on display at the store. This is the last time this year that the Declaration will be available for public viewing.

WHEN:

Saturday, Oct. 18 at Noon
WHERE:

Borders - Westwood
1360 Westwood Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90024
(310) 475-3444

Interested in hanging with the cast and volunteering? Email declareyourself@gmail.com now!

'That one' just might have taken the cake

Amid a worsening economic saga, Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama took the stage at their second presidential debate, a town-hall-style affair expected to favor the Republican nominee. But in the end, it was all about "that one." 

"The world has changed a great deal, and not for the better," moderator Tom Brokaw said at the opening of the debate, at Belmont University in Tennessee. "We still don't know where bottom is at this time." 

The candidates, responding to pre-selected questions from a politically-mixed, Gallup Poll-selected audience, hit on the economic crisis and the $700 billion bailout, healthcare reform and the war in Iraq. 

Neither came out as a star; perhaps it is as Politico's Roger Simon put it, "McCain loses by not winning." 

McCain, with such remarks as, "Not you, Tom," when asked about a replacement for U.S. Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson, or that now infamous, "You know who voted for it? That one," referring to an energy bill "loaded with goodies for oil companies," came off as more grumpy than anything else. 

An Obama supporter seized onto the one-liner, and immediately launched a website selling t-shirts with the phrase and a Facebook page. 

T-Shirt from thatone08.com

Independents responded well to Obama's performance at the debate, according to MSNBC, and the Democratic nominee continues to enjoy the lead he had prior to the debate in most polls.

The third and final debate will take place Wednesday, Oct. 15 at Hofstra University in New York. 

 

Watch the debate on YouTube. 

Lose Your Voting Virginity with Skool House Rock!

Everybody remembers the classic 1970's Schoolhouse Rock videos... Check out this updated, mildly inappropriate version brought to you by alums from TV Funhouse and The Daily Show! 

Watch as Mr. Voting Machine Lever guides a new voter through the registration process:

So take a lesson from Mr. Voting Machine Lever -- REGISTER TO VOTE! And come Election Day, "grab the shaft and pull!"

Bow Wow Begins His Walk Across America

More to come on Bow Wow's Walk Across America. In the meantime, enjoy some photos from Atlanta, GA and Orangeburg, SC from last week.

No major blows for either ticket following debate

No harm, no foul for the candidates at the vice presidential debate in St. Louis on Thursday. In what was one of the 2008 campaign's most heavily anticipated moments, there was relatively little buzz to follow.

Vice-presidential nominees Sen. Joe Biden and Gov. Sarah Palin took the stage at Washington University, ready to debate in an event hosted by Gwen Ifill of PBS. Following an erratic interview with Katie Couric, some political pundits expected Palin's performance at the debate to make or break the Republican ticket. Her performance did neither, nor did Biden's of the Democratic ticket.

The two squared off in a 90-minute contest centering around the economy, foreign policy, and U.S. energy policy. They touched on such hot-button issues as the war in Iraq and same-sex marriage, while confirming their allegiance to their selective presidential nominees.

Palin tried to keep the air casual, asking Biden, "Hey, can I call you Joe?", and catering to "Joe Six-Pack American". Though Palin often questioned Biden's record, Biden listed his work in the Senate while comparing that of McCain's to President George W. Bush.

"The issue is, how different is John McCain's policy going to be than George Bush's? I haven't heard anything yet," Biden said in perhaps of his most noteworthy soundbite of the night.

Early rating numbers show that the one and only vice-presidential debate of the 2008 election season drew in far more viewers than that of the first presidential debate, according to the Washington Post.

This was the second time in U.S. history that there has been a female candidate for vice president. The numbers for this year's debate are expexted to rival that of the 57 million viewers of the 1984 vice-presidential debate between George H.W. Bush, the Republican nominee, and Geraldine Ferraro, the Democratic nominee. (Click here for YouTube segments of the 1984 V.P. Debate.)

The next presidential debate will be held Tuesday, Oct. 7 at Belmont University in Nashville.

Jessica Alba wants to know why YOU are voting...

Jessica Alba is asking all of you why you are voting in the election. What issues are important to you? Environment? Iraq War? THE ECONOMY?!?! Submit your video response on I Beat You and Jessica and Hayden will pick their favorite.

THE MUZZLER!! Available now!

Jessica Alba, in continuation of her work on the Only You Can Silence Yourself, stars in this mock home shopping show in which YOU, the voter, can purchase The Muzzler?

What is the Muzzler, you ask? Well it is a fashionable restraining device in which, when applied correctly, you can prevent your voice from being heard! Watch the video, and listen to the testimonials of Hayden Panettiere and 90210's Tristan Wilde, to find out more!



What are your opinions of the video? Was it memorable? Did you get the point? Will you be voting...or will you be visiting www.TheMuzzler.com?

Vice Presidential Debate!

Tonight, Senator Joe Biden and Governor Sarah Palin will debate for the first and only time this election. Over 52 million people watched last week’s Presidential debate and even more are said to tune in tonight. This debate is of utmost importance, as early voting has already begun in eight states, including the vital swing state of Ohio. Tonight, newcomer Sarah Palin will have to prove she has the experience and knowledge needed to be VP, while Joe Biden needs to talk up his 40 years of expertise.

Gwen Ifill of PBS will moderate tonight’s debate, which will take place at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. The format will be slightly different than the Presidential debate, as the V.P. candidates will only have 90 seconds to answer questions, followed by a two-minute discussion led by Ifill. The short time frame is said to help both Biden and Palin, as both can ramble off-topic when they have the time.

The economy will definitely be a key issue tonight. Palin has termed herself “Joe Six-Pack American” and will surely try to appeal to the average citizens. Biden may have the upper hand though, as he can promote his and Barack Obama’s ability to bring change.

You can catch the debate tonight, October 2, at 9pm Eastern/6pm Pacific. It will be 90 minutes long and aired on numerous channels (check your local listings). You can also watch it on myspace.com/debates.

Presidential Election Registration Deadlines:

Presidential Election Registration Deadlines:
October 4: Rhode Island, South Carolina, Washington

October 5: Alaska

October 6: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia

October 7: Illinois, New Mexico

October 8: Missouri

October 10: New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma

October 11: Delaware

October 14: Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon

October 15: Massachusetts, West Virginia, Wisconsin

October 20: California, Kansas, South Dakota

October 21: Connecticut, Maine

October 24: Alabama, Iowa, Nebraska

October 29: Vermont

November 4, Day of Election: Idaho, New Hampshire, Wyoming, North Dakota

Hollywood Declares Themselves!

Don't vote...no just kidding, you defintiely should....THen why is Hollywood telling you not to? Watch above for answers from Amy Adams, Tatyana Ali, will.i.am, Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Bacon, Maria Bello, Halle Berry, Selma Blair, Kate Bosworth, Kevin Connolly, Courteney Cox, Ellen DeGeneres, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jaime Foxx, Jonah Hill, Djimon Hounsou, Dustin Hoffman, Anthony Kiedis, Ashton Kutcher, Adam Levine, Laura Linney, Eva Longoria, Tobey Maguire, Demi Moore, Esai Morales, Natalie Portman, Giovanni Ribisi, Sarah Silverman, Ethan Suplee, Kyra Sedgwick, Michelle Trachtenberg, Usher, and Forest Whitaker.

Hollywood Declares Themselves