It's a Political World Out There

You know they say that the political conventions are the greatest thing ever for political junkies. I don’t know if that’s how I would classify myself, but I would say I’ve always been somewhat enamored with the political process. I remember watching C-SPAN when in elementary school. I also remember the fact that I loved that we used to get D.C.’s local news here in B-more, because there political news is local news. Then there was also my political or quasi-political aspiration. Earlier in life I aspired to be the next Thurgood Marshall. You couldn’t tell this little black boy from Baltimore, that he couldn’t grow up to follow in the footsteps of that great Baltimorean. I grew up telling myself I wanted to become a lawyer and then a federal judge just like Justice Marshall. That was until high school when the journalism bug hit me. It probably hit earlier given that I wrote for my school newspaper in middle school, and also edited our yearbook if you can call it that (it wasn’t hardback maybe card stock was used for the cover). Still now rather than be a participant in the political process, I’m an observer.

So last week I made it a point to try not to be my usual post-grad/work life self (narcoleptic old man) and stay up to watch the speeches. I stayed up and caught Michelle’s, Hillary’s and even Bill’s. Wouldn’t you know I napped right through Barack’s speech? I know it’s shameful. Don’t despair I had mi madre tape it so I could watch it. I watched and read it at the same time thanks to the interactive feature over at the NYTimes site the next day at work. It’s also downloaded on my comp now.

Part of why journalism appealed to me is that you really do get a front seat to history. Luckily during the course of the campaign I had the privilege of seeing Senator Obama speak at last year’s NABJ convention along with Senator Clinton. And then I was privileged enough to see Senator Obama speak at this year’s Unity convention. I truly do wish I would have also had the chance to see Senator McCain in person.

So much has been said in the last few day’s about the impact of “compelling stories” and we do know given McCain’s life experiences his is a compelling story. The journalist in me is always drawn to people who have compelling stories, stories which have the ability to educate, enlighten, and empower folks. At the T.V. station it has been an interesting week and a half fielding phone calls which from people who like me were watching the process unfold.
The week before the election I had one woman call in and ask me what was the implication of having Senator Clinton have her name entered into nomination. She then asked me if I really thought the Clinton’s would step aside, and if Obama would ultimately win. I didn’t fall for it, remember that old journalistic keyword objectivity.
“Ma’am I can’t answer that,” I said.
“I just thought I’d try. You have to forgive me I’m naughty when I’m nice,” she said.
It did give me a laugh, and I suppose this week she got her answer.

Then this week there was the caller who asked if it wasn’t written in stone somewhere that you had to be a natural born citizen to be President. “Yes ma’am it’s in the Constitution.” There was the caller who argued that Obama was born in Kenya. There was the caller who called to ask if Hawaii was a state when Obama was born. That was the same question posed to me by a group of folks who had a lone volunteer call in from a retirement home. Part of me was glad to take the calls, because atleast they were seeking out the truth. Then there was my thought that if these questions were raised the “smear campaign was working” or the media wasn’t during a good enough job keeping people informed.

I think we all know that with any election there’s a lot at stake. In any election there’s a lot at stake. There’s the difference between having a say in how things are done, who does these things, and just remaining silent. I’m among those who think too much had to happen for us to even have the right to vote. There’s literally blood, sweat, and tears attached to a right so many seem to take for granted. I can’t get behind apathy. I understand the frustration, but I can’t understand not doing anything to change conditions. There’s that notion that voting is wishful thinking, that it’s also casting blind faith. But isn’t it always. We put our trust in people nearly every day that they’ll do right by us. At the end of the day you have to trust and believe what you want to happen and need to happen will happen. It’s a little hard for me to say that because I’m a bit of a cynic.

I’ve been registered to vote since I was 17, because I had to vote for Mayor of Baltimore in an off election year. I always vote, I’m pretty sure I haven’t missed one yet. I don’t think it possible to deny the historic nature of this campaign, especially now given that John McCain has chosen a woman to be his running mate. The possibility of an African-American President or a female Vice-President means that history will be made in this election.

The thing I worry about is the role the media will play. Those phone calls I get make me hope that the media will do it’s part to fully inform people, and allow constructive discourse. Hopefully we don’t just add to the confusion.

In the meantime I’m going to enjoy the show and the compelling stories Palin, Obama, Biden & McCain.