UW-Madison's Students for Barack Obama hosted actors Penn Badgley and Shawn Pyfrom at a Homecoming tailgate party Saturday.
Badgley, 21, who plays Dan Humphrey in the CW's Gossip Girl,"" and Pyfrom, 22, who plays Andrew Van de Kamp in ABC's ""Desperate Housewives,"" came to Madison to promote Obama and to talk with students about the importance of being politically active.
""I think for our generation in particular it is very important that we all take part in this election and that we vote - that we let our voices be heard,"" Pyfrom said.
Badgley said it is important for students to create opinions on issues that matter to them.
""It's so important to make your voice heard,"" he said. ""If you don't do everything you can and you're disappointed in the outcome, it's going to hit home immediately.""
The actors emphasized not only the need to mobilize the youth population to vote but to encourage their peers to become politically active as well.
""It's important to motivate our generation,"" Badgley said. ""We need to make the change. We are poised now to have the largest youth turnout ever, and that is the first step we can make toward the real changes this country needs.""
Badgley and Pyfrom said they are especially concerned with the environment and the economy when it comes to analyzing the candidates.
""This election affects particularly young people who are going to be graduating from college soon and are going to be released into a shrinking job market,"" Badgley said. ""While both candidates obviously promise [job creation], I see more real potential for change in that area with Obama. I have never been inspired by a politician like this.""
Badgley and Pyfrom spent the weekend traveling through Wisconsin, Indiana and Ohio, promoting Obama on different college campuses. They said they wanted to use their celebrity status for a good cause.
""We're not always responsible for how people perceive us on our shows but here we're taking responsibility for the fact that we do have some recognition,"" Badgley said. ""We can influence people, so why not? That's the point of a democracy.
