Last night during Monday Night Football, ESPN did something a little bit out of the ordinary. Instead of its usual slow-mo action replays from the first half, ESPN used its halftime slot to show Chris Berman's interview with Presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama.

Rather than reiterating their major proposals for economic recovery or delving into the hot topics of jobs and taxes, the candidates talked about sports. [Check out the full story by the LA Times.]

Below, you can watch Senator Obama express an interest in college football playoffs.

And here's McCain, describing his personal experience playing football, wrestling, and boxing

Pro football is often a place where fans turn to avoid talking about politics. But in the midst of this historical presidential election process, even ESPN wants to get in on the hype.

Ultimately, this presidency won't be won by sports experience or a candidate's personal admiration for football (thankfully, our populace cares about many other issues besides sports). But it will be won by something called an election, which is TODAY, so get your butt out and vote!

No, really. Go vote.

 

After writing the first spotlight on Run to Vote, I started digging in to find other examples of athletic-based election-time activism. It's a great and simple matchup-- sports are good for you, and so is participating in democratic processes. I ended up finding something that struck my interest a little more, not because it's a better idea, but because it raises interesting issues concerning both athleticism and activism as they transform to fit into the twenty-first century.

 

Microsoft is setting up a system that will allow users of their X-box live online video game service to register as voters in between games of Halo. The effort is being organized by the folks behind Rock the Vote, an organization that has been trying to mobilize young voters for over a decade. In a BBC News story on the project, Rock the Vote Executive Director Heather Smith said "To realise our goal of registering two million young Americans by this fall, we need to go where young Americans are. There's no doubt in our minds that many are on Xbox 360 and Xbox Live." Rock the Vote has a good track record-in 1992, they registered 35,000 new voters, most likely helping to create the 20% increase in young voter turnout for the presidential election that year. But aside from mobilizing voters, what effects will such a campaign have? In my eyes, it encourages users to live even more of their lives in front of television screens, limiting their own contact with the material, real-life world.

 

In his article about the rise of professional video gaming, Dan Treadway writes "Studies have shown that video games can help enhance players' analytical skills and make them more perceptive.", which I believe. The puzzle-solving and twitch-reaction elements of many games definitely provide some brain-exercise, but the brain is just one of the few hundred organs and muscles in your body that need regular exercise to ensure that they work properly. Playing some video games can be good for you. Voting is good for all of us. But Rock the Vote would do a great public service if they added a message to be displayed after users register to vote. It could say something to the effect of "Remember to stop playing video games and go outside once in while!"

    The presidential election is an American citizen’s big chance to participate in democracy.  Unfortunately, in our last presidential election, barely more than half of all registered voters actually made it to the polls.  There are a ton of causes near and dear to my heart, but the reality of life in America is that democratic process is supposed to be capable of judging the population’s opinion and guiding policies accordingly.  When nobody votes, it leaves our elected representative and officials without a public to answer to for their decisions.

 

A few years ago, John Williams ran across the nation.  In the process, he decided that he could make a positive impact as a teacher.  He got a job at Granville Central High School in Stem, North Carolina teaching Civics and coaching school the track team.  He and his mentor teacher, Ms. Hineline, realized that with their enthusiastic students, John’s experience running cross-country, they were equipped to do something amazing.

Run To Vote took place between June 14 and August 9 this summer, and it involved Mr. Williams and a group of 5 students traveling through the 48 continental states in a non-partisan voting drive, running a quarter mile for everyone they met who pledged to vote in November.  “People couldn’t really believe that we weren’t just working for one candidate”, said Stephanie, one of the student runners.  The goal wasn’t to sway people’s minds in one way or another, it was simply to encourage participation.

 

 

“Just because you’re not old enough to vote doesn’t mean that you still can’t have a say” Stephanie told me.  One of the other students created a poster listing the candidates’ positions on a number of issues.  Stephanie’s right—the idea of popular democracy is that when you get enough people together and inform them well, they will arrive at an intelligent decision.  As a kid, you might not be able to vote, but you can encourage your family and neighbors to get out on polling day.  The team of 5 students registered over 400 new voters during their trip, and received signatures from over 6000 registered voters pledging to exercise their voting rights.

Though they were sometimes met with disbelief, the group was warmly received by extended families, friends of friends, and people that Mr. Williams met on his first cross-country run, receiving meals and lodging.  They only had to pay for a hotel once.  Go check out the Run To Vote website and get inspired!  You don’t have to be 18 to make a difference.