Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail 2004
So last night I became a real reporter. I went to the Milwaukee presidential debate with editors Maureen and Kristin and photographer Alex. We all felt a little out of our league, so we were giggly and excited, even Kristin, who is family friends with John Edwards.
We couldn't get into the debate itself, no matter how much we argued with the organizers and the police. So we went to the media room, which had TVs, workstations, wireless internet, and a free buffet with Mountain Dew. It also had about 400 reporters. We immediately regressed to being 14.
"Oh my God, there's Time! The Guardian! That guy from MSNBC! Take a picture of me looking like I'm working!" - Kristin
"The Washington Times is right behind us - should I pass a "Wes Pruden sucks" note over?" - Me
"The guy from the Boston Globe is dissing the Yankees. I'm gonna go over and -" "No! Maureen!" - Maureen
"I think I just got stepped on by the Associated Press!" - Alex
After the debate, I understood the true meaning of a press mob, as about a hundred of us yelled at the police and pushed at barriers until they let us down into the 'spin room'. Edwards, Kucinich, and Sharpton spoke there while Kerry and Dean exited immediately. Everyone was fighting to get shots of Edwards, who performed the best in the debate. I saw someone with a camera standing on their reporter's back to get a shot. After the candidates departed, we all left and went back to Madison and I wrote the story, which is on the front page of the Cardinal, which you should all read.
So after being hyper-informed about this election, seeing all the candidates in person, and writing four stories in the last month - who am I gonna vote for tomorrow? Their positions are all pretty similar. But Kerry's inability to answer a straight question disturbs me, and some of Dean and the Deaniacs' negative campaigning really puts me off. I'll vote for Edwards, partially because he didn't skip the press conference, partially because I like him, and partially because he's a sex scandal just waiting to happen.
We couldn't get into the debate itself, no matter how much we argued with the organizers and the police. So we went to the media room, which had TVs, workstations, wireless internet, and a free buffet with Mountain Dew. It also had about 400 reporters. We immediately regressed to being 14.
"Oh my God, there's Time! The Guardian! That guy from MSNBC! Take a picture of me looking like I'm working!" - Kristin
"The Washington Times is right behind us - should I pass a "Wes Pruden sucks" note over?" - Me
"The guy from the Boston Globe is dissing the Yankees. I'm gonna go over and -" "No! Maureen!" - Maureen
"I think I just got stepped on by the Associated Press!" - Alex
After the debate, I understood the true meaning of a press mob, as about a hundred of us yelled at the police and pushed at barriers until they let us down into the 'spin room'. Edwards, Kucinich, and Sharpton spoke there while Kerry and Dean exited immediately. Everyone was fighting to get shots of Edwards, who performed the best in the debate. I saw someone with a camera standing on their reporter's back to get a shot. After the candidates departed, we all left and went back to Madison and I wrote the story, which is on the front page of the Cardinal, which you should all read.
So after being hyper-informed about this election, seeing all the candidates in person, and writing four stories in the last month - who am I gonna vote for tomorrow? Their positions are all pretty similar. But Kerry's inability to answer a straight question disturbs me, and some of Dean and the Deaniacs' negative campaigning really puts me off. I'll vote for Edwards, partially because he didn't skip the press conference, partially because I like him, and partially because he's a sex scandal just waiting to happen.