On the Bright Side: SUNY Oneonta class experiences primary up close

On the Bright Side

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January 11, 2012

BY JOE MAHONEY Staff Writer The Daily Star Mon Jan 16, 2012, 11:01 AM EST

Concord, N.H., may be 227 miles away from Oneonta. But for a serious political science student, there was no better place to be in recent days than the Granite State.

Since last Friday, 11 students enrolled in a presidential elections campaign class at the State University College at Oneonta have been in New Hampshire, getting a bird's eye view of the pace of political events linked to the Republican primary balloting held Tuesday.

Taking the trip was a mandatory precondition to joining the spring semester class taught by Gina Keel, an assistant professor in the college's political science department.

Adam Shapiro, a member of the SUCO class of 2013, said when reached in Portsmouth, N.H., on Tuesday that going to media conferences, rallies and staged media events provided a window into the campaign trail that television viewers never see.

"You get a completely different perspective when you're up this close," Shapiro said. "The media frenzy is unreal. You go into a campaign appearance and there are 50 television cameras in front of the candidate."

It also provided a glimpse at how events tend to emphasize the horse race rather than enlightenment on how the candidates stand on specific issues, he said.

"The candidates come in and make a speech that is five to 10 minutes long," he said. "Then they're done, and you say: 'What was this?' You learn their talking points. But you really don't learn much else about the candidates. It's all a big spectacle."

Shapiro has had some previous involvement with politics. In 2010, he worked on the unsuccessful re-election campaign of former Rep. Michael Arcuri, D-Utica, who was defeated by Rep. Richard Hanna, R-Barnevald. Four years ago, he was a field organizer for then candidate Barack Obama's campaign in New York City.

Taking a blanket swipe at the Republican slate of hopefuls, he said: "They're all anti-Obama. But you don't hear them offering any solutions."

Keel said the experience provides her students encounters with "the ground-level politicking, the media coverage and analysis, and some direct participation with the candidates. Many of them have shifted their positions. It's a way for them to become more engaged as citizens in politics."

Four years ago, she said her class took the same trip with her.

"Several students went on to become actively involved in politics," she said. "It does stimulate them to think about career options."

Before the votes were counted Tuesday night, she said her sense was that frontrunner Mitt Romney "is not going to beat expectations. This is not the kind of win he needed."

Meanwhile, the students were there when former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman's campaign appeared to gain momentum.

"We've seen the surge up close and personal with Huntsman," Keel said.