Jake Gyllenhaal - I'm young and I vote

Today Oxford's streets were even more clogged up than usual, the reason being a small protest against the current situation in Zimbabwe, by people from that country who now live here and therefore are able to voice a protest. And much of that protest was through song and dance. With Barack Obama now almost certainly the representative of the Democratic party in America, this seems like a good day for a brief look back at the place of democracy and civic liberty in Jake's list of course, focusing on the last Democratic campaign, back in 2004.


Then, Hollywood, as ever, was used as a means of drawing the young and apathetic to the polling booths and Jake Gyllenhaal was one of those who went out of his way to make voting something the young and sexy should want to do. Jake's main role was to attract first voters. A big part of this was visiting college campuses, as can be seen in this video, taken at Carroll College, Wisconsin, on 28 October.





The tour continued to Bowling Green State University, where Jake said 'When young people turn the age to vote, they are more excited about buying porno and cigarettes than voting.'



In September 2004, Jake was one of those who featured in a special video on the Oprah Winfrey show, again encouraging the young to vote by almost wooing them to the booth. Definitely, Kerry had brought out his big guns and we could see how handy Jake was with the pompoms.







One of Jake's causes has been Declare Yourself and in March 2004 it held an event at the Beverly Hills Post Office, which was attended by 'some of Hollywood's most influential young actors', including Jake, Kirsten Dunst, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard, Reese Witherspoon, Tobey Maguire and Mark Ruffalo. At the event, the young stars could examine the only touring original printed copy of the Declaration of Independence.


'"A lot of my friends who are sort of just leaving their parents' home and establishing their own life, they don't have health care because they can't afford it," "Moonlight Mile" star Jake Gyllenhaal said. "If there was something serious that would happen — God willing it doesn't — I hope they can afford it, and right now they can't. It freaks me out and it's a huge issue." Gyllenhaal also predicted the environment — a topic he's been studying for an upcoming film — would be an important issue in the presidential election, and he showed off his new "I'm Young And I Vote" T-shirt, a reaction to the controversial "Voting Is For Old People" shirt...'


'Jake's sister, Maggie Gyllenhaal, also attended Tuesday's event, walking hand-in-hand with beau Peter Sarsgaard, whom she described as "the guy who reads five newspapers a day." "The economy and the ongoing war and how much the government will be involved in our social lives, those are the three big issues," said Sarsgaard, who earned a Golden Globe nomination for "Shattered Glass."'


Although the event was non-partisan, in 2004, Jake never made a secret of his support for the John Kerry campaign.



While Maggie drove people to the polls, Jake was known to go one step further and literally carry them there... This one looks like she's got a good grip.


A huge thanks to a good friend for helping with the pictures.


Talking of Jake and Peter, I can never get enough of this. If Jake and Peter tell me to eat soap suds, I fear I may...



Includes pictures from here, View Images, IHJ and a good pal!