Young Obama Backers Twist Parents’ Arms

A curious twist.

Kevin Washo/The Office of Bob Casey Senator Bob Casey, whose family members are shown with Senator Barack Obama, is among the superdelegates who cited the persuasive power of their children in endorsing Mr. Obama.

“Our kids are probably more precious to us than any previous generation of parents,” said Dan Kindlon, a Harvard child psychologist. “We have fewer of them, we’re relativists, and we’re more swayed by them. A lot of parents are a little afraid of their kids.”

Afraid? Oy. But:

For many parents, this campaign season also feels like a fond flashback: in their children’s unvarnished idealism, many see a resurrection of their own youthful political passions. “It’s something you can brag to your friends about,” said Professor Kindlon, who writes about child-rearing and adolescents. “ ‘My kid is involved in politics.’ ”

Andy Manis The New York Times
Ami ElShareif, 20, a college student,
persuaded her father, Bader ElShareif,
who traditionally votes for Republicans, to back Mr. Obama.

Mike Mergen for The New York Times
Ralph Simpson Jr., in Lancaster, Pa.,
with his daughter Megan Simpson,
an Obama supporter, registered
as a Democrat at her insistence.

The two adult sons of Governor Doyle, 62, [Wisconsin ] both black and both adopted, spoke to him with fervor about Mr. Obama’s vision of a multiracial country. Then Mr. Doyle’s young grandson piled on. “He’s a complete Barackomaniac,” Mr. Doyle said in a phone interview. “When I asked him why, he said, ‘I think he’s really going to work hard for us.’ I thought, that’s it through the eyes of a 7-year-old. ‘He’ll work hard,’ and ‘for us.’ ”

In the Illinois primary, Mr. ElShareif voted for Mr. Obama. His daughter, thrilled, sent him an Obama sign, which he displays in his convenience store near the University of Chicago. “The neighbors and the students come in now and say, ‘We like your sign,’ ” Mr. ElShareif said. “Maybe these young people know something we don’t.”

Angola? Isn't that a cat?

This was a precious one, and I can't let it go by. Libraries can be interesting places to observe human nature.

A woman came in Wednesday afternoon, about 40, nicely-enough dressed. She needed some research material for Angola during the Cold War.

An hour or so earlier a mother and her son had been at the Reference Desk asking the same question. I found three books that pertained to the topic; two were out. So I gave the youngster the call number of the third, and suggested he also look at a Kissinger biography.

So when the second mother asked about Angola during the Cold War, I told her all the books we had were out, as I had earlier helped the other young man. He had told me, I said to her, that he was working with three others in a team; was her son part of that team? She had no idea.

I suggested Reference books, and she agreed she could copy the relevant pages. I found a Cold War encyclopedia, and gave it to her. I also suggested she look at a Kissinger biography, or perhaps a Nixon biography, where she might find additional material. I said I remembered that Nixon and Kissinger dealt with Angola.

She said I remember the Cold War, but Angola? No. She added she had no idea where Angola is. I gently said West Africa, and left it at that.

So here she was, doing her son's research, and she had no idea where Angola is. Oy vay.