Nostalgia is heavy in any Presidential Election. Reporters love to look back, make comparisons and use the past for prediction. Forty years later, "The Boys on the Bus" by Timothy Crouse, is ample fodder.  Crouse's book gave us pack journalists and "What's the lead, Walter!" He was aimed at the fact that in 1972, a good story for a heavily covered topic was copacetic with what other writers were submitting, especially the ones from the strongest agencies. Dr. Scotton emphasized the sentiment with stories of late-night Editor phone calls to chastise reporters for not following the AP.

What's funny to me is that Hunter S. Thompson's "Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72" covers the exact same campaign with a vastly different approach. In addition to his objective or "gonzo" writing style, he also brought us the mojo wire (fax machine), precursor to the now essential smart phone. Thompson was running outside the norm. This according to himself and to Crouse, who were both covering the 1972 campaign for Rolling Stone. Hunter S. Thompson was the fly in the ointment that drove some of the objectivity and the aggressive search for differentiation that motivates most writers today.  

Flash forward and we see NBC's 2012 group of campaign embeds profiled on Rock Center. A different type of campaign coverage, but following the same non-stop schedule, competitive crowd and elation from being a part of such a major moment in history. The motivation for the profiles was two-fold in my opinion. Appreciation for their effort was certainly one. Building on that appreciation was the reward for their efforts in the form of an amazing future. These young journalists took up an overwhelming task and performed exceptionally.  Experiences and relationships they built during their sometimes excruciating journey puts them in a position well beyond those unable to take such a large risk. In class we also reviewed Jake Tapper of ABCNews.com's 13 Pieces of Campaign Advice for Young Reporters. Each of the embed reporters profiled exemplified these traits before they were even chosen for the 2012 campaigns. The same traits that have led to us discuss works by writers like Crouse and Thompson four decades later.  

As the August RNC approaches, Tampa is preparing.  Heavy focus is on their "readiness" and many of their high-level officials and municipal teams have met with the FBI. The area has invested large portions of their budget to update equipment and add staff for the convention.  Concern is mainly focused on the potential for protest rather than the influx of convention attendees. Republicans are sorely aware that issues brought out during the nomination race have created unexpected ire.
The women's health battle has left many female Republicans in the Tampa area disenchanted with the party.  According to an April 9th article in the Tampa Bay Times, "The biggest threat may turn out to be people like St. Petersburg retiree Lorraine McCann, who started volunteering for the Obama campaign in February when Planned Parenthood and women's health care suddenly became a central issue in the country's political debate." Speculation has begun about potential VPs.  The front runner, according to a CNN Poll, is former Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice.  Will she be enough to help soften the backlash from women voters?

Adam C. Smith, Tampa Bay Times Political Editor wanted to delve deeper into the problems that face the GOP candidate.  Enlisting a focus group of 12 Florida Republicans, Smith gathered heavy insight.  Many of the participants expressed concern over Romney's personality and approachability.  "I just haven't seen the regular guy side of him," said 27-year-old Jonathan Rosa." One member of the group even said that they thought Santorum and Gingrich had more of the personality traits they liked because of their performance during the debates.  Based on what Smith saw, he leaves readers with more doubt to Romney's potential to win than his presumptive nominee status.

"Opportunity vs Assignment" was the topic for discussion on Tuesday in JOUR4953.  Luckily, it really was an opportunity!  ProPublica has made a call to journalism students across the country to help them "Free the Files" and 
investigate how much super PACs (Political Action Committees) are spending in various markets.  The idea sounded like a great chance to contribute to a journalistic endeavor.  

In high school we had to use the FOIA in an assignment, while it took a very long time to get responses to our letters, we did get the materials requested. This was before email, so handwritten letters and ditto copies took time. Although no one had really thought of anything that wasn't actually available without the FOIA for backup, it was a great way to actively learn about our rights and how journalists can get information.

Thursday afternoon I started to feel like a spy.  No joke.  Luckily, when I met with Tessa Fox and Heather Ronaldson to go to the CBS affiliate station, they felt the same.  We speculated about the accessibility of this "Public File" and where it would be kept.  When we pulled into the crowded parking lot that the station shared with a Bally's Fitness, we confirmed the information we had on how to ask for the information and the protocol to avoid any problems.  After we were buzzed in, the receptionist was quick to contact someone and happily told us it would just be a moment.  Step one was pretty easy.  

Once the young woman came up to us, she was pleasantly helpful and took us to a room with a pair of file cabinets.  She quickly grabbed the files needed and went to make our copies.  As we waited, we were tweeting our status and looking at the not quite life size Wheel of Fortune sign.  Step two and three, even easier.  

Upon her return, step four was done and we were able to chat about who comes to see the files and how often this happens.  Apparently it's a very regular thing.  Usually she deals with political groups, but was happy we had tolde her we were from Marquette.  Especially because she was an alum. She did tell us that they are not allowed to ask where people are from. Because they can't ask, some ad agencies would send people in to get data.  I've heard of people doing this, but it's a "sneaky" way of gathering pricing information.  Many businesses want to find out what other organizations pay for ad time and will use the public file records to haggle over their ad campaigns.  It's something that I've never participated in, but I can see some people willing to bend the rules for an advantage.  

As we left, we were really impressed with the ease and readiness of the files at WJDT, a real credit to them for being ready and open to share the records.  We were also excited to be participating in a report that would bring light to the political ad spending in the Metro-Milwaukee area.  Tessa kindly offered to take the time to scan and send over the files - step five complete!  I'm very glad Herb Lowe found a great way for us to experience something that we may need to apply in the future and are now aware of as an OPPORTUNITY!

People group themselves into countries, counties, cities and communities within each of these.  It's funny that they all begin with "C", as if they're demanding alliteration. Elections are another way of clumping a group of people.  That is why the redistricting petitions are so heavily contested.  Dividing groups can lead to misrepresentation.  I’d never thought of it until the polling assignment for JOUR4953 came up.

Districts are meant to represent a geographic area.  Ideology shouldn’t come into play, but it is a component of the clumping that we do.  Like-minded people tend to enjoy the same things, and end up living in the same areas.  Bay View is an area like that.  Fun, small, locally owned businesses that work together drawing a demographic that wants what they have to offer.  As the older members of the community fade, the complexion has changed to a semi-urbanite area. 

As I interviewed people at the local café for my report, it was funny that many didn’t want to publicly discuss their “real” opinions.  Safer to keep values to yourself unless sure they were surrounded with people that felt the same.  Reputation in a close-knit neighborhood means more than disclosure. I saw my own values and concerns as a “hidden” gem.  Don’t rock the boat, just be cool. 

I’ve lived in the area for over a decade, before it became so attractive.  The changes have been both good and bad.  Friends have opened and had to close businesses, but that’s the nature of things. We all enjoy the farmer's market and the motorcycle meetups each week. As the community continues to change, I see the group that was here at that time has become the old school crowd. My hope is that the area remains a place that holds onto smallness and variety. 

You see the differences at each of the polls.  The elementary school has mostly the older set, socializing and familiar.  Along the lake, the higher dollar property owners want to erase the past but keep the quaintness.  Stand outside the library and watch the renters covered in tattoos and spite for the status quo.  All have valid viewpoints, but they make up just one district in a city that is diverse and divided – much like the rest of the state and the country.  That awareness is something I will always appreciate learning, because of a class assignment.