Supporting Democrats

University students often come up with creative, outrageous or downright unbelievable excuses for why they need to miss class. But Matt Sonneborn’s explanation for his two-day absence from the intensive Summer Language Institute might be a candidate for the best one heard in years — he was heading to Boston to serve as a New York delegate at the Democratic National Convention.

Sonneborn (American Politics, English ’06) grew up in Syracuse, N.Y., as the lone Democrat in a staunchly Republican family that loved to engage in heated political discussions at the dinner table. As a result, he developed an early interest in politics that intensified as he grew older. By the summer after his first year at the University, he was already working his way into the political world through an internship for Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY). He was also a founder of John Edwards Cavaliers, a student group that actively assisted the Edwards campaign in Virginia by distributing flyers, hosting events and speakers, and gathering signatures to get Edwards a spot on the state ballot.

“A stroke of luck” is how Sonneborn modestly explains his selection as a delegate to the DNC. Local election officials seeking a young, politically active Edwards supporter got his name from Schumer’s office and called to ask if he would like to run for a spot in the New York delegation. Startled but extremely excited, Sonneborn agreed. Since he was in Charlottesville, his family did much of the campaigning for him in Syracuse and gathered the signatures required to ensure his place on the ballot.

For several months, Sonneborn had no word from back home. “I just assumed I had lost and was going to go quietly on my way,” he said. But just as he had given up hope, the call came advising him to pack his bags for Boston.

After a thorough Secret Service check and a difficult negotiation with the strict attendance policy of Summer Language Institute, Sonneborn found himself in a Boston hotel elevator that opened to reveal the Rev. Al Sharpton, clad in a bright red shirt and warm-up shorts, wagging his finger at a companion in a heated debate. “So I just smiled and said, ‘Hey there Reverend’,” he recalled. This encounter was just one of many “surreal” sightings and meetings Sonneborn experienced. He sat in on a national security briefing given by Wesley Clark, attended a party emceed by actor Steve Buscemi and listened from his front-row seat to speeches given by Hillary Clinton, Al Franken, Ben Affleck and the Kerry and Edwards families.

Sonneborn said he was “very impressed” with Teresa Heinz-Kerry and said she seemed “articulate and heartfelt.” He was also thrilled to hear Edwards, whom he had supported early on in the presidential campaign and whom he represented as a delegate. But Sonneborn admits that the “coolest” sighting was not a politician but actor Richard Schiff of the popular presidential drama “The West Wing.”   

While his experience as a delegate was positive, Sonneborn said, “it was a little more cosmetic than I expected … more like a concert than an intellectual debate.” He plans to go into politics someday and hopes to downplay the glitz and glamour side in favor of “intellectualism and common sense.”

Since his return from the convention, Sonneborn has continued his activism on Grounds as a part of Wahoo Informational Service to the Electorate (WISE), a student group that aims to educate students about the real-world consequences of politics. He is also a member of University Democrats and supports the Cavs for Kerry campaign.

Whatever shape his future takes, Sonneborn expresses strong faith in his ability to make an impact in the political world. “I really believe politics can be for good and not so self-serving,” he said. “There can be meaningful change — it can and will happen, and I’d like to help.”