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CGG: What brought you out to this event tonight?

Tyson Beckford: I just want young people to go out and vote. No matter who you’re voting for, just go out and vote! You have that right and a lot of people don’t have that right. a lot of people died for you to have that right and you need to go and use that right! That’s what it is.

CGG: Who are you endorsing in this election?

TB: I’m leaning towards Obama myself, and I’m leaned over real hard.

CGG: What would you do if he doesn’t win?

TB: I’d be alright. I’m just going to get all my money and I’m going to another country, because I have a dual passport. I’m a world traveler and I speak a couple different languages so I’m good.

CGG: What do you think is the biggest human rights issue that the next president is going to have to face?

TB: Well, I’m going to tell you right now. We’re going to have a problem with water, and we’re going to have a problem with food. South Korea is getting ready to run out of food. So it’s going to be a trickle-down theory; everybody’s going to be having that problem. It isn’t even going to be about petroleum anymore, it’s not even going to be about oil. It’s going to be about water.

CGG: What do you think America needs to do about that?

TB: Well, we need to figure out a way to clean our water, and start putting money into our country and stop putting money into other countries. You have to take care of home before you can go cleaning everybody else’s house.

CGG: Why do you think Obama has had such a strong impact on youth voters?

TB: Because you know what? The young people listen to what he says and they feel it. This man speaks from the heart. This isn’t no mumbo jumbo. He speaks clearly, he speaks articulately, and the man is well educated. That’s what young people need right now. We don’t need somebody who graduated the last of their class in the Naval Academy. I could do that in my sleep! I could run through the Naval Academy and get first in my class. But that’s not what I want to do. So I want to go with somebody who graduated from a prestigious school; like Columbia, that’s a very good school. That’s serious to me. The Naval Academy, I’m not trying to take away from that, but damn, if six other kids were the only ones lower than you, that’s a problem. That’s a problem!

CGG: Would you consider Obama a party-uniter?

TB: I believe so, because even the Independents have come to his side and they say, “You know what, I like this man.” You have Colin Powell, and I was just in London with him at this Day Africa thing, and he’s a very educated man and I know he’s not picking people because of color. He’s picking you because he believes in you and he knows you have the skill and the education to do take this job on. I’m just worried that the other guy is not physically in shape to do this. When that phone rings, he might say, “Oh my God,” and keel right over, and then we’re in trouble.

CGG: What do you think of Palin? Do you think she was a good choice?

TB: Oh man I’m scared of her. The problem is with her, I don’t even think she can control her own house. She’s got a young unwed pregnant daughter. Man, she isn’t that far from the Spears family, so that’s a problem there. And then you want to get in and run the White House and all that? No, I’m worried about you.