How do you get 1,300 young people to a political forum?

Get them out of their B Block class.

U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden had a captive audience Tuesday morning at Corvallis High School for an appearance that was part town hall, part get-out-the-vote rally. But the vast majority of students packing the bleachers at the Spartan gym seemed genuinely glad to be there.

And once the Oregon Democrat opened the floor to questions, it became clear that these kids had been paying attention in civics class - and maybe even reading a newspaper. Among the things they wanted to know:

What's your opinion of the war in Iraq?

Is democracy the best system of government?

Do you think the president will be impeached?

What's your view on gay marriage?

What about Measure 43?

Darfur? North Korea? Global warming? Stem cell research?

Questions like these kept Wyden on his toes for the better part of half an hour, and the senator complimented the students on their perceptiveness.

"To come here and have all of you ask such sharp, focused questions makes me feel good about where democracy is headed," he said.

Although most in the audience were too young to vote in this election, Wyden told the students that issues they care about - college tuition, environmental protection, Internet freedom - would be decided at the ballot box.

"I want to make sure everybody who's young understands what's at stake right now," he said.

Wyden's not running for re-election this year, but if he had been, he might have picked up a few votes Tuesday.

"I think it's a good opportunity for us to get our questions answered," said sophomore Zack Spann, 15, of the senator's visit. "I like what I'm hearing."

"I think it's cool he's here," agreed freshman Heidi Anderson.

The 14-year-old won't be eligible to vote until 2010, but she said she plans to cast a ballot in that election.

"You can't complain you don't like what's going on in your country if you don't do something about it," she said.

Bennett Hall is the business editor for the Gazette-Times. He can be reached at 758-9529 or bennett.hall@lee.net.