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Rich Peters
A video produced by a recent University of Iowa Law School graduate — “Why I’m a Democrat In 2008†— will be featured on the big screen at the party’s national convention in Denver next week.
At a minimum, the video likely will be seen on C-SPAN, and it may reach a network television audience depending on its timing.
Rich Peters, 29, who grew up in Carroll, Iowa, created the video for a Democratic Party/YouTube contest. More than 33,000 people already have watched the video — a number that is sure to increase dramatically once it airs before a national audience.
Contest organizers recently selected the Peters video from hundreds of entries. With his win, Peters, now living in Iowa City where he volunteered for the Barack Obama presidential campaign, will have full access to the convention in Denver where he will produce more videos for YouTube.
“I intend to leave no stone unturned,†Peters said in a phone interview with Iowa Independent from Iowa City.
Peters has posted dozens of videos on YouTube related to politics — including one, “Coalition of Voices,†a montage of photos and video clips from Obama’s primary and caucus campaign season. Another video, from North Carolina, chronicles Obama’s interaction with a homeless veteran.
Peters said he would like to be involved in non-profit work or politics himself, perhaps returning to western Iowa to seek office.
But for now, in association with Google, the parent company of the wildly popular video-sharing site, YouTube, a dominant force in American politics, Peters has found a calling.
“I really like the content people are providing on YouTube and other citizen blogs,†Peters said. “I kind of want to see where this takes me. I think YouTube itself is a great community with varying backgrounds.
In recent days, as part of his winning package for the contest, Peters traveled on Obama’s campaign in the South, shooting several videos, which are now on YouTube about the experience.
He interacted with national media and top political figures during the trip from Florida to Virginia.
“They shared so many stories with me,†Peters said.
Initially a supporter of U.S. Joe Biden, D-Del., in the presidential race, Peters found himself gravitating to Obama’s change message.
“I truly believe that Obama will actually implement that,†Peters said.
Peters, who graduated from Buena Vista University where he double-majored in biology and chemistry before going to law school, canvassed door to door as an Obama volunteer in Iowa City during the caucuses.
In his winning video Peters uses the force of his voice and charisma with few props. It’s a straightforward accounting of his reasons for voting for Obama and other Democrats in November.
He starts with the war in Iraq.
“This war in Iraq has gone on for long enough,†Peters says in the video. “Our troops, they’ve done their job. And Obama’s plan for withdrawal is the best way to get these heroes where they belong — home.â€
Shooting the next segment in a wooded area, Peters makes his case for the environment.
“I believe the Environmental Protection Agency should be more than just a rubber stamp for big business in the White House — that it should actually do its job and protect the environment,†Peters said.
Peters said he has not been told the specific time for the airing of his video.
Here is Peters’s video:
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