Courtesy photo

Another presidential race is upon us, and for many young voters, Arianna Huffington and her Web site — huffingtonpost.com — are must-read material when it comes to political prognostication.

Huffington, the famed political commentator and author, was in San Antonio recently to speak to members and supporters of the Government Affairs Council of Planned Parenthood, as well as its political action committee, Winning for Women. The organization says its mission “is to educate and activate voters to elect candidates who will support family planning and reproductive choice.”

Before Huffington spoke to a capacity-filled crowd at the Hotel Contessa, she talked with 210SA about the presidential race and the emergence of young voters.

Has the presidential race played out as you thought it would to this point?
No, but that's what's exciting about it. It's exciting to see young people energized about politics. I was in Iowa and New Hampshire, and in New Hampshire, Larry David (the “Seinfeld” co-creator and “Curb Your Enthusiasm” star) was getting out the vote at Dartmouth, and it was amazing to see so many young people who had never voted before who are now energized.

Do you think that has to do with a fresh batch of candidates?
I think there's definitely an excitement about Barack Obama, in colleges especially, the fact that he's from a different generation and the fact that he's African American. But it also goes beyond those things. The way he speaks is very inspiring, and we've also seen him on social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace.

It seems like the media is desperate for this race to reach the finish line, and it's led to them making a lot of incorrect forecasts. Why is that?
At the Huffington Post, we started a petition to just say no to pollsters, to refuse to answer their questions when they call. Polling is part of the problem, and so much coverage is driven by polling. In New Hampshire, all the polls predicted Obama would win, so all the coverage was around that and the end of the Clinton campaign. He was a double-digit favorite, and then he lost by three points. I think it's time for us to re-evaluate polls, and what we're doing at the Huffington Post is featuring polls in the same place as horoscopes, the weather and gambling odds. Those are all things that are fun to read and are interesting, but they're not to be taken seriously.

Why does the right wing seem to despise Hillary Clinton so much, when compared to the other Democratic candidates?
Because of the history. This goes back to the '90s, and they're really fighting the '90s. It's not so much about now, but about the past.

It seems like Rudy Giuliani vs. Hillary was a lock two months ago. What happened?
I think it's a good lesson for the media that pollsters are making up their own minds. New voters are being energized, and this is the most exciting primary we've had in a very long time. There's no incumbent in either party, and the field is wide open.

Do you think the fact that some people might want a fresh face in office could hurt Hillary's chances?
Definitely because there are a lot of people who feel that (the Clintons) were a little too dynastic, and they want something new. A lot of people, especially young people, like the idea of a new beginning. But there are other people who love the '90s and love the Clintons and want a continuation, a restoration.

You appear on a number of shows. What is your favorite one to go on?
Bill Maher (host of HBO's “Real Time with Bill Maher”) is a friend, and I love his show, the combination of real politics and satire.
 
CLINT HALE | 210SA