ENVIRONMENTALISTS PRESSURE THE PRESIDENT

For young environmental activists, Obama's now the one to pressure; Thousands of them…learn organizing techniques borrowed from his 2008 campaign. But they'll be using them to push him to embrace renewable energy.
Peter Nicholas, April 17, 2011 (LA Times)

"…Thousands of college students and idealistic young voters…[recently learned] organizing techniques aimed at pushing the country toward renewable energy…[M]any in attendance now see [President Obama] as something of an obstacle…Frustrated by the pace of clean-energy initiatives, they are planning to use organizing techniques borrowed from the Obama campaign to pressure him to rethink his energy policy.

"President Obama rolled out an energy plan last month that, in the near term at least, envisages a place for nuclear power, natural gas and so-called clean coal. Activists at the conference say these are "dirty" energy sources that must be replaced. They hope to prod both the White House and Congress to accelerate the nation's conversion to renewable sources such as solar and wind…"

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"Many interviewed at the event said they didn't anticipate voting against Obama. But their enthusiasm for his presidency has waned…Helping guide the grass-roots movement are former 2008 campaign staffers who trained the first generation of Obama volunteers…They are urging participants to return home next week and build cadres of local activists who will exhort politicians to change the nation's energy agenda…

"…[A]bout a dozen of the environmental activists came to the White House for a discussion with senior aides. Obama unexpectedly dropped in. The conversation grew pointed…Obama said that it would be politically difficult to enact a clean-energy program, according to participants who attended the meeting. Republicans now control the House. But even when Democrats ran both chambers, Obama still could not win passage of legislation meant to curb global warming…"

This could be what the President is up against:

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"White House aides say they are confident that the president's base is intact. A Harvard University poll last month showed that young voters are largely happy with Obama. The survey showed that 55% of voters aged 18 to 29 approved of Obama's job performance…[whereas another poll showed his] overall approval rating was 41%…

"Brandon Knight, 27, recalled that after Obama took office, he got a call from a White House environmental official asking for ideas on how to press ahead with renewable energy…[but now with] government moving slowly, Knight…said he and his friends have come up with a new slogan: 'With or without you.'"