Support for Obama is still strong among young voters

Six months after an inaugural ball that featured Beyonce, Jay-Z, Shakira, and J.Lo, the president continues to enjoy high approval ratings from people aged 18-29.

A July 20-26 Gallup poll indicated, Obama holds a 66 percent approval rating among young people. That's down from 71 percent the week of July 13-19 but dramatically higher than his approval score in the general population, which Gallup measured at 56 percent for the week of July 20-26.

As a candidate, Obama appealed to young voters with his commitment to issues they continually rate as most important, such as education, healthcare and Iraq.

Aaron Luce, a senior at American University in Washington, was particularly enthusiastic about Obama’s plans to reform the student loan system. Luce, who is studying in Buenos Aires, anticipates graduating next year in debt by more than $30,000.

Luce said that he saw the student loan issue as going beyond his own personal finances to break a vicious cycle among politicians and young voters.

“Young people don't vote because they feel like no one pays attention to them, so politicians don't pay attention to them because they don't vote," said Luce. "President Obama is breaking that cycle by speaking to young people about the issues that affect us.”

Daniel Gustafson, a government and theology major who took out loans to attend Georgetown University, agreed, adding that so far he’s been pleased with Obama's performance.

“As a junior in college who is facing massive debt as a result of the continually rising cost of education," Gustafson said, "I wholeheartedly support any effort to expand access to and affordability of post-secondary education.”

Older people are reported to be less hopeful about the changes that Obama has promised. Charles Dunn, dean of the Regent University School of Government in Virginia Beach, Va., said that youthfulness and idealism can go hand in hand.

“President Obama has authored many policy proposals that would expand the government control and young people are more likely to look on this more favorably,” said Dunn.

Still, some young people remain skeptical.

Paul Courtney, 20, an English major at Georgetown University who voted for Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said, “I think that a lot of young voters are caught up in the hype and celebrity of President Obama. I don't think that young voters are paying much attention to his policies.”

Michael Coward, 22, a server at a restaurant in Chattanooga, Tenn., expressed similar concerns.

“Obama strikes me as reckless, spend-happy and part of the problem, not solution,” said Coward, who voted for the Libertarian Party candidate Bob Barr. "We are on the fast track to a Brave New World, and this 'lead by entertainment' style of his is not what will make things right in our country."

Other young Obama supporters, however, feel that it’s too early to judge.

Alexander Haddad, 22, an aspiring writer and Obama supporter living in Phoenix, drew a sports analogy.

“My grandpa, a die-hard Giants fan, always used to throw up his hands at the opposing team's first touchdown and scream, "That's it! It's all over!"

Similarly, he said, Obama's critics are eyeing the dropping poll numbers and calling the game a little too early.

Gustafson agreed.

“Barack Obama has been president for just over six months -- and had to spend some time at the beginning of his presidency dealing with issues that the Bush administration failed to address,” said Gustafson.