What Comes Next After Generation X?

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Politics for an Undefined Generation

26-year-old Doan Nguyen hosts friends for dinner and interviews them about the 2008 presidential election for a documentary about how those in their early 20s and 30s view politics. Doan says she is unsure which generational label applies to her age group.

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"No," Gersh said.

"Yeah, I think you're supposed to spell it W-H-Y," Williams said.

Abrusci thought of something: "I read another definition of us as generation T -- because we wear T-shirts . . . that cost, like, $120."

Nguyen nodded. On her bookshelf at home, she has a book, tagged with pink stickies, titled "Generation T: 108 ways to transform a T-shirt."

Some research suggests that people in their 20s and 30s might be defined by their politics. They are the first generation in at least three that calls itself "liberal," said Michael Hais, who with Morley Winograd wrote "Millennial Makeover: MySpace, YouTube & the Future of American Politics."

A Washington Post-ABC News poll in May found that 59 percent of 18- to 34-year-olds are Democrats or Democrat-leaning independents and that 58 percent would favor Obama over McCain.

Another night, at Nguyen's rowhouse, many were split on whether the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks marked them. "Things like 9/11 or the Iraq war . . . we were too old to be shaped by that," said consultant Leah Bannon, 24. (She added later that the disputed 2000 election was more influential.)

"I think it's where you were when it happened," said Colleen Vollberg, 27, a nonprofit program coordinator, recalling Sept. 11. "I saw people jumping out of one of the towers."

Talk turned to whether Obama would be their emblem. But Nguyen said she doubted young people are more politically active. "You've heard of 'Rock the Vote' for years, and it's like, we're still not voting," she said.

Actually, votes cast by 18- to 29-year-olds rose 25 percent in the 2004 election, compared with 2000, and participation by young voters in this year's primaries rose in nearly all states where comparable data were available, according to the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement at the University of Maryland.

For her last interview, Nguyen met Will Bower, 35, a Thomson Reuters researcher, at a coffeehouse near Dupont Circle.

Bower felt old. "I am 35, and it sounded like you were wanting younger for the interview," he said.

"I think we're interviewing people from ages 18 to 35," Nguyen said.

"Generation . . . Atari," Bower interjected. "Well, yeah, X can be broken down to Atari and Nintendo. So, I'm still generation Atari."

"I wasn't allowed to play video games," Nguyen said. "I did play Nintendo because I would sneak to my neighbor's house because I liked 'Super Mario.' "

Nguyen smiled. Finally, she figured it out. She belongs to generation Nintendo.

Staff polling analyst Jennifer Agiesta contributed to this report.