Student democrats battle Election Day blues

In a few weeks, Americans will wait endless hours in line for holiday sales.

However, a handful of Americans will not step foot in a voting booth on Tuesday because the lines will be “too long,” said junior Alexa Lopez, membership director for IU College Democrats.

Some IU students believe all Americans need to get through the wait is a little comedy.

“We just really, really want to get everybody to early vote,” Lopez said. “We can tell people as much as we want and give people fliers, but I feel like if we get some kind of entertainment, something that catches people’s attention, it will incline people to go with us.”

The entertainment will be a political satire about Barack Obama by freshman Ben Bizuneh, a stand-up comedian who recently won open-mic night at Funny Bone for his “Obamedy” act.

“I am a big political junkie, and I watch MSNBC, CNN, all that,” Bizuneh said. “My brother told me I did a pretty good impression, so I started writing stand-up for it.”
Bizuneh will put on his act starting at 1:30 p.m. Friday in front of the Sample Gates. His 30 minute act will be about Obama’s hesitation to choose a position and what Obama should have done at the debate, among other things.

“Obamedy” is just the start of the political fun, said junior AnnElyse Gibbons, who is coordinating a march following the performance.

Participants will start marching down Kirkwood Avenue at 2 p.m. to the Curry Building, where early voting will take place, Gibbons said. All supporters are welcome.

Gibbons said she is hoping “Obamedy” draws a crowd of people to help get voters to vote early, because lines on Election Day are expected to be extremely long.

“Anyone that shows up can come and early vote with us,” Gibbons said. “We would never turn anyone away, although Students for Obama is hosting it, and we will be walking with Barack Obama signs as well as Baron Hill and Jill Long Thompson signs. So if they are OK with that, then they can come and walk, too.”

Bizuneh said he believes anyone who has not voted early should definitely come out.
“If they also want to laugh and be entertained before they go, they should come and check it out because they will hear one of the best Obama impressions ever,” Bizuneh said. “I’m told by people it’s much better than the Saturday Night Live guy.”