Opinion: A new poll shows Barack Obama is winning the youth vote, beer vote

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Barack Obama has locked down the youth vote, according to a poll released Monday.

The USA Today/MTV/Gallup survey found that 61% of 18- to 29-year-olds who are registered to vote prefer Obama, versus 32% who like John McCain.

The numbers aren’t exactly a surprise. Obama has gone to great lengths to reach young people -- many have remarked upon his campaign’s technological savvy -- and young voters often lean left.

But the poll revealed some interesting things about the Millennials (that’s the nickname given to people born in the years between 1980 and 2000).

For example: 64% of the youth surveyed say they have given the presidential race a lot of thought and 44% of them believe this election is the most important of the last 50 years. And age matters, it seems. More than 70% of those polled said they thought Obama understands the problems of young people better than McCain.

And now to the important stuff: Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin may need to rethink that ‘Joe Six-Pack’ line of hers. After all, 52% of the young people polled said they would prefer to have a beer with Obama. Only 27% would want to throw one back with McCain.

-- Kate Linthicum

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