DATELINE: Berkeley, California

The University of California at Berkeley is to political activism what Manchester is to rain; historically, it’s drenched in the stuff. It drips down the walls and gets into the water supply. Going back to the Vietnam protests and the formation of the Black Panthers in nearby Oakland, it’s famously a hotbed of radicalism.

Stepping onto the leafy campus on a sunny primary day, the whole place is thronging with activity. Those who aren’t involved in the election madness, occupied with such fripperies as studying, seem to be in the minority. A young woman dressed up as the lesser-known superhero Captain Vote is telling anyone who will listen how important the youth vote is, before starting an election conga line to prove her point. A golf cart bearing a banner that reads ‘Vote or get run over!’ hares past us. Amidst a gauntlet of student society stalls with names like ‘Students for Responsible Business’ and ‘Ask a Palestinian’ sit a multitude of political stalls, partisan and otherwise. The Berkeley Republican society sits quietly, shyly tucked away in a corner, separate from the main action.

Everyone here seems to be about Obama, from the campaigners with placards haranguing passing traffic, to the ubiquitous chalked messages about hope and change, to the diverse array of regular students wandering about their everyday college business wearing ‘I voted Obama’ stickers. The campus activists are optimistic about Obama’s chances, both in California and nationally. Today it’s just vital to get the vote out, Victor explains:

“Students never have their shit together, and you have to vote in a very specific place on election day, so we’re armed with information to make sure people get there. We know that Berkeley is like 80% Obama.”

80%? Wow. How do you know?

“From phone calls, from just being around. Hillary hasn’t even bothered campaigning here.”

Obviously, Berkeley’s not a representative microcosm of anything, but it’s certainly where the action is.