I HAVE VAGUE, distant memories of watching the 2000 election as a 15-year-old boy. I remember staying up late into the night, watching red states and blue states pop up on the map. In the following weeks, I overheard heated discussions in my house and on television about voting problems in Florida, irregularities in Ohio, and a controversial Supreme Court decision. But I was only a sophomore in high school. I did not really understand what was going on.

Now, at 22, I am a voting adult who comprehends the consequences of that election. I have friends from high school serving in Iraq. Now I understand the grave danger of alienating the Muslim world. I have traveled to over 25 countries. Nearly everyone I meet tells me how his or her respect for America has plummeted during the Bush presidency.

But that is all that I have ever known as an adult: a reviled America under George Bush, and a Congress dominated by petty bickering instead of big ideas. The 2004 election offered an opportunity to vote for a Democrat, but few people my age were excited about Kerry. I have come of political age at a time when America is divided, disliked, and fading as the leader of the Free World. There is a thirst among young Americans for a new era of politics at home and abroad and for an America that is creative at home and respected abroad. And there is an overwhelming sense that only one person can usher in that new era: Barack Obama.

It is a well-known fact that young voters are coming out in droves for Obama. In Iowa, the youth vote increased by 135 percent. Young Iowans supported Obama by a margin of 4-1. Obama’s energy, hope and optimism for American government make him a more attractive candidate for young voters than Hillary Clinton for a number of reasons.

First of all, we are a generation free from any huge upheaval like the 1960s and the fierce cultural divisions that followed. We find no fulfillment in divisiveness. Friends my age who support Barack are conservative Christians and liberal activists. Obama’s unique ability to transcend traditional cultural divides in America makes him popular across a spectrum of young voters, even young evangelicals.

Secondly, it must be remembered that my generation grew up in a time when young men and women — for the most part — have had the same opportunities. I have some female friends who are supporting Hillary because they believe she is the better candidate. But my generation is not fixated on race or gender like the Baby Boomers and older generations. Obama excites us on his own merits.

Thirdly, my generation grew up in a post-Cold War era. The fall of the Berlin Wall and the rise of the Internet marked an opportunity in history for the world to come together in a new way. We are a global generation, and we want to live in a United States respected by the world. There is a conviction among young voters that Barack — in part because of his background — understands what it means to live in a truly global society and will best restore America’s image abroad.

Obama is immensely popular internationally and we know that having him in the Oval Office holds the most promise to turn the page on George Bush. Bill Clinton is loved around the world, but my generation has moved beyond those years. In addition, we know that Obama’s charisma and his living for several years in a Muslim country, Indonesia, will let him reach out across borders in a way that Hillary cannot.

But there is one curious question: Why would my generation support Obama if he is the less “experienced” candidate? After all, we have lived under one remarkably inexperienced president, George H.W. Bush, and we have suffered the consequences.

Many older Democrats who argue for Hillary’s experience do so because they remember her years in the White House — the good old days before Bush. My generation does not want to turn back the page to the 1990s. We also worry about the fact that America lacks universal health care and about massive student debt. And we mourn friends killed in Iraq. We believe that Obama’s experience outside of D.C. is equally — if not more — important.

Above all, my generation is focused on creating a new era of American politics in which our country is dynamic, united, and a respected both at home and abroad. We want to whisk away the defeating years of the Bush presidency. We want a leader who will transform our country, restore our status in the world, and ease the level of partisanship in our politics.

Just as John F. Kennedy did, Obama has inspired a new generation of young Americans to believe in government. This young group of inspired young citizens will not come out with the same fervor for Hillary — especially if she tries to play games with Michigan, Florida, or wins the nomination through the votes of superdelegates. I hope the young voters who have poured out for Obama spark this country’s enthusiasm for the promise he holds. For eight years my generation has heard the same tune, “President George Bush.” We’re tired of it, and eager for a catchy new song with the sweet phrase, “President Barack Obama.”

Patrick Cook-Deegan is a history major at Brown University, where he is a senior.