Yalies like to get ahead of the game, usually four years ahead in fact (or whenever the closest presidential election year is). For the enterprising Yale student, elections work pretty much like summer internships — every year is a campaign year.
A Facebook group called “Yale Students for Hillary” popped up Nov. 3 championing the Yale Law School alum for presidency in 2016, nevermind the fact that the Obama era still has something around a thousand days left and the Clinton bid for presidency remains unannounced.
In fact, the movement has even earlier origins. Founder of the Facebook group “Yale Students for Hillary,” and advocate of the Ready for Hillary Super Pac, Haley Adams said that she has been working on a Yale organization since hearing about Ready for Hillary — a group laying the groundwork for her candidacy — early last year.
According to Adams however, this organization isn’t actually one meant to garner support for Clinton in the Yale demographic, which is almost certain to bleed blue regardless, but rather to show “what kind of grassroots support [Hillary] would have,” said Haley Adams.
Forget the student body, this group’s target audience is Hillary herself. Yale Students for Hillary is working to “encourage Hillary to run.” And if there is anything to be learned from Yale College Council elections, it is that gaining campus-wide support is not only crucial to acquiring any position of power but also dependent on popularity of Facebook activity.
The groups aims to help Hillary steer clear of the mistakes of the past. “In 2008 Hillary started as the frontrunner, but many seemed complacent and didn’t work for it… there’s so much enthusiasm now and I don’t want that to be lost,” said Adams.
Ultimately, according to Adams, the campaign boils down to something fundamental− it comes down to “not only choosing the best candidate on the ballet, but making that sure that the best candidate is on the ballot.” If Yale Students for Hillary has any say in it, Clinton will be on and atop the 2016 presidential ballot.
Now, will any member of albeit smaller Yale’s GOP sector step up to lead the Chris Christie 2016 campaign?