[Baldwin:] Mitt Romney's VP pick, Paul Ryan, is a young guy, he's 42. Although some say he looks more like 32. And just as Barack Obama energized the youth vote back in 2008, Republicans could well be hoping Ryan's youthfulness will help them this time around. Ryan, as I mentioned, he's 42, a true jen-xer, and as he walked out last night, look at that crowd to give that acceptance speech in Tampa, the energy truly was palpable. And for anyone counting, which we were, of course, Congressman Ryan used the word "generation" in that speech eight times. Roll it.
[Ryan:] I accept the calling of my generation. In this generation a generation apart from my mom's generation, for my generation the founding generation secured those rights for us. And in every generation since
[Baldwin:] I want to bring in Alex Schriver. And your title is a bit long. So it is national chairman of the College Republican National Committee.
[Alex Schriver, Chairman, College Republican National Committee:] That's right.
[Baldwin:] Welcome. Nice to meet you.
[Schriver:] Good to be here.
[Baldwin:] Let's just begin, obviously, part of your job is energizing the young, the college-aged kids to vote for this ticket. How is that working out for you this year?
[Schriver:] Well, I tell you, Paul Ryan made my job a lot easier last night. Young people are fired up, they're engaged, a lot like we saw in 2008, just for different side of the aisle.
[Baldwin:] Do you think it's the same enthusiasm?
[Schriver:] Absolutely. I think young people young people see the importance of politics. They see how it affects their day to day lives. And they got caught up with hope and change in 2008. And a lot of them feel disenchanted. And what Paul right brought opportunity. He brought optimism to those disenchanted young people saying we can do better. Our generation deserves better. That's what this campaign is about. That's what this ticket is about. That's what young people are voting for this November.
[Baldwin:] I'm with you, Alex. I was in the convention last night and felt the energy as well. Here's my but for you, let me cite a poll. The CNNORC poll asked voters between the age of 18 and 34 who they support for president, 73 percent said Obama. The poll was taken just days before Mitt Romney announced Paul Ryan would be on the ticket. Do you think, and I think you already are going to say yes, given his speech last night, do you think that Paul Ryan made the sell to young voters much easier?
[Schriver:] Sure, absolutely. There was a poll taken just the day after Paul Ryan was selected among the same demographic, and it showed Governor Romney with 41 percent of young people voting for him. And obviously, we lost this group, 6632 in 2008, but by staying on the issues that young people care about, jobs and the economy, the number one issue to 74 percent of young people. Talking about student loan debt, talking about getting out of your parents' basementRyan.
[Baldwin:] I want to play a little bit more, from the speech last night where he was teasing Mitt Romney a bit about the music choice.
[Ryan:] We're a full generation apart, Governor Romney and I. And in some ways, we're different. There are the songs on his iPod, which I've heard on the campaign bus and I've heard it on many hotel elevators. I said, look, I hope it's not a deal breaker, Mitt, but my play list, it starts with ACDC and it ends with Zeppelin.
[Baldwin:] Obviously, that got a big laugh last night. ACDC, Zeppelin, "The Rage Against The Machine," Tom Morelo says, you know, he's obviously not a huge fan of the Paul Ryan-Mitt Romney ticket. But for someone sitting here, let's say, Alex, who's truly an Obama voter, whose poster is not faded, what's your lead line in the pitch?
[Schriver:] I'd say are you better off than you were four years ago? The fact is no group of voters have been affected by this policy like young people. The burden of $16 trillion of national debt is on our back. A failing Obama care bill is on our back. A $1 trillion in student loan debt is on our back and we have to pay that. And we need to start having a realistic conversation with young people about the promises our government makes to them. And it really is a generational opportunity. Paul Ryan's acceptance last night, I accept the calling of my generation. What a powerful line to young people. I am one of you. Paul Ryan, 42 years old, closer in age to me than he is to Joe Biden, I think young people see that, appreciate that, and respect it.
[Baldwin:] The question is, do they see it in Mitt Romney and we'll see it. We'll see it in his speech.
[Schriver:] Tonight.
[Baldwin:] Alex, thank you s much. Nice to meet you. Coming up here, we're going to talk more about Tropical Storm Isaac. More than a million people without power and thousands face this massive, massive cleanup job. CNN's Chad Myers says inland flooding is now, just as it was yesterday, still a tremendous, tremendous concern.