Due to the overwhelming amount of press coverage concerning the potential candidates for the 2008 presidential election, I made a point to touch on this important subject and ask my fellow students how they feel about the selection of candidates and what experience or qualities each brought to the table. Naively, I assumed that the excessive media coverage would make our students all too aware of the candidates and their stance on the “important issues.” However, even more naively, the assumption was based on the belief that the media were giving us the information we needed to make informed decisions.

So, due to my pensive and over-analytical nature, I sat down and watched the leading news networks taking mental notes. Not surprisingly, the elections were on, the topic in big red, white and blue. The whole gang was there: Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and a few glimpses of John McCain here and there. For the purpose of experiment, (with my eyes glued to the news stations for about an hour) I imagined that I was an uninformed and undecided voter – both pretenses not so far from the truth.

In my time spent lounging on the sofa I learned a notably large morsel of information, but it didn’t satisfy my hunger, my craving for information. Now, I do not assume all students are craving information about presidential candidates, but if what I saw is all we know, then we are definitely malnourished.

The TV taught me: campaign strategy, demographics, who’s ahead, image and the like. What I saw was 80 percent about Hillary’s losses and how or if she could get back to her previous dominance. I learned that young voters are projected to vote for Obama; that Hillary has, despite losing, the Hispanic vote; women tend to vote for Hillary; Barack has more widespread appeal and more information about where they stand in the race rather than what they are all about.

I proposed this question to myself: “Does this mean we are past the stage of getting to know the candidates?” Is this the, “If we don’t know by now premise…,” premise? Whatever the reason, and there are many, it is important to get yourself informed about this group of people; one of them will be our next head of state, head of government and commander in chief. However faulty, skewed and entertainment-driven our media may be, it is a privilege in this country to vote. It is at the very essence and core of democracy for the people to decide their fate.

So, this is my call to action. Get out there and learn about our next leader. Take the time to read up on the candidates and see if what they believe goes with your goals for the future. Do not miss out and definitely do not blindly cast a vote because your parents or friends told you to do so.

Get a fervor for your country and a dream for our future, and cast your vote accordingly in November. Get that insatiable hunger for making America better, because the process is never-ending. Don’t vote for Obama, Hillary or McCain, but vote for your country and for yourself.

This will be the first time many of you can vote, so don’t miss out on this important part of history.

Brent Lemons is a junior international relations and political science major. He can be reached for comment at blemons@smu.