Obama146;s young backers twist parents146; arms

The daily phone calls. The midnight e-mail. And, when college lets out, those dinner table declamations...

The daily phone calls. The midnight e-mail. And, when college lets out, those dinner table declamations? Oh, please. Senator Barack Obama8217;s devotees just won8217;t give their parents a break.

As the race for the Democratic presidential nomination continues, youthful volunteers for each candidate have been campaigning with bright-eyed brio, not only door-to-door but also at home. But the young supporters of Obama, who has captured a majority of under-30 primary voters, seem to be leading in the pestering sweepstakes. They send their parents the latest Obama YouTube videos, blog exhortations and 8220;Tell Your Mama/Vote for Obama!8221; bumper stickers.

Megan Simpson, a Penn State senior, had not been able to budge her father, a Republican. But the day before the deadline for registering for the coming Democratic primary in Pennsylvania, she handed him the forms and threw in a deal-sweetener as well.

8220;I said, 8216;Dad, if you change your party affiliation in time to vote for Obama,8217;8221; recalled Simpson, 22, an Obama campus volunteer, 8216;8220;I will get you the paperwork the day after the primary if you want to switch back to being a Republican.8217;8221;

Thus did Ralph E Simpson Jr, 50, construction company owner, become a newly minted Democrat. 8220;I probably will switch my affiliation back,8221; Simpson said, 8220;but I haven8217;t decided who I will vote for in the general election. If Meg keeps working on me, who knows?8221;

Even politicians are mentioning the persuasiveness of their children, either in earnest or as political cover, as a factor in their Obama endorsements. That list of Democrats includes Senator Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, Gov. Jim Doyle of Wisconsin, Senator Claire McCaskill of Missouri, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas and Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota.

The two adult sons of Governor Doyle, 62, both black and both adopted, spoke to him with fervour about Obama8217;s vision of a multiracial country. Then Doyle8217;s young grandson piled on. 8220;He8217;s a complete Barackomaniac,8221; Doyle said in a phone interview. 8220;When I asked him why, he said, 8216;I think he8217;s really going to work hard for us.8217; I thought, that8217;s it through the eyes of a 7-year-old. 8216;He8217;ll work hard,8217; and 8216;for us.8217;8221;