Presidential Politics – Covering The Show – Because The Voter Does Count

Oskaloosa News on the Presidential Campaign Trail 2011

Oskaloosa, Iowa – Covering the show that has lead up to this: The Iowa Caucus.

When this process started, my first steps into presidential politics was the Family Leader events held at Pella Christian High School. The first to step onto that stage was Tim Pawlenty in a time when they had announced exploratory committees.

I can remember setting up my video camera amongst all the other cameras belonging to the others, from local TV stations to national media outlets such as CNN and Fox News.

Once the speech started, none of that mattered and I got to work at documenting the event. Since Osky News isn’t associated with outlets like AP or Reuters, all our content is original.

But along the way, I found many friendly camera operators, sound techs that are behind the scenes making it possible to have that latest news sent out quickly. It was a complete learning experience for us, and we soaked up all we could during those times.

So what business does a small website in Oskaloosa have attending and reporting from things like the Iowa Straw Poll or debate and fundraisers? We asked ourselves that question, and debated the importance of spending our limited resources on attending these types of things. Our conclusion was simple, it does impact Oskaloosa, Mahaska County and all of our neighbors. So the decision was simple, we would attempt to be there as much as possible as the process of deciding our next president continued.

The Fox News Debate and the Iowa Straw Poll was our first step into the world of full on media attention from outlets around the world claiming a simple table space and folding chair on the floor of Hilton Coliseum where you could bump into the likes of major media personalities like David Gregory, Sean Hannity. Talking with the politicians like Mike Huckabee or Senator Chuck Grassley were great pleasures, getting to know political hopefuls along with many Republican leaders. What a learning experience.

By now our jitters of working with the best in the business were over, and many of us were now familiar with each other that a nod or a ‘hey, how have you been?’ were common once the candidates started making their way into town. Our confidence continued to grow, and our understanding of the process grew with it.

Oskaloosa News on the Presidential Trail helping you decide 2011

Presented with an opportunity to ride the press bus for a day along the campaign trail for Rick Perry was another one of those opportunities we just couldn’t pass up.  So, all we had to do was find a willing victim to drives us to the first stop of the day at the Machine Shed in Urbandale.

Sound checks, camera checks, and a bibbed overall waitress rushing around making final preparations for the crowd that is almost certain to appear. Other members of the media start to stake claim to their spots, while the sound tech once again checks his audio equipment.

As the crowd continues to grow, chairs and patience become in short supply, and just as you start to become frustrated by what seems to be constant waiting on candidates because, for goodness sake this was the first stop of the day, why on earth would they be late?

The distant flashes of photographers working along the line of gathered supporters like a distant storm, then the rush of people arrive to your area with a level of activity usually associated with sporting events, and its a personal adrenaline rush in an attempt to get that photo or sound bite.

So once again, you might wonder what a breakfast meeting in the Des Moines area has to with Oskaloosa. It has nearly nothing to do with Osky other than this is how our towns biggest visitor of the day started his.

From there, Perry is whisked away to a couple of radio interviews and a taped piece for a TV station in the Des Moines area.

By the time you had your chance to see him, he had shaken hands with an overflowing, not even really standing room only crowd, going from there to his bus for a drive downtown for a taped interview to air on KCCI and a couple of radio stations. So the traveling press eats some breakfast and upload their pieces about the gaffe Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio made over Buckeyes and Hawkeyes.

From there it’s on to Indianola for a meet and greet, and yet more photos and handshakes that are accompanied by questions of nearly all varieties, and even though I am on the press bus, it doesn’t equate to being able to have more access to the candidate. One of the first things that strikes me at this stop in Indianola is that, many times it’s you, joe or jane citizen that stands up and asks those candidates your questions that create the unknown for a candidate. In the end, those questions asked also help define the candidate, and if the media reports on what is said, you will end up having your own impact upon the presidential race.

Talking with Senator Chuck Grassley at the Iowa Straw Poll in August of 2011

The show piles back on the buses and heads for Pella. I call this a show because for the most part, the speeches are exactly the same from town to town. After hearing the same jokes for the third time, and nearly the same wording, it starts to give you an appreciation for what the traveling media deals with.

Photographers for the most part politely jockey for that picture that will define that moment in time when a candidate and possible President of the United States made that visit to the town. They quickly retreat to their laptops where they frantically search the fresh pictures emailing them off to the publisher. Reporters pound away at laptop keyboards in ways that make you feel sorry for the thing. Who knew that a laptop keyboard could still sound like a manual typewriter?

If you doubt the lasting impact of the photo, we can reference the photo of Teddy Roosevelt speaking on the town square in Oskaloosa around a century ago, or the Time magazine photo of Barack Obama in Smokey Row.

Once again, the show piles onto the bus, and the whole caravan points itself towards Oskaloosa. As we travel along I observe other professionals working to bring you information, and also being friendly and helpful to one another which is one of those most surprising things that has stuck with me since my first days of diving into presidential politics.

As the show enters Oskaloosa, piles out of the bus, they once again set up in Smokey Row, once again the same jokes, the same speech, and the same group of journalists. The only thing that is different is the location and most importantly is you, John Q Citizen.

So the next time you don’t think you can make a difference, I would beg to differ. The only thing that is different from town to town is you and your questions and thoughts.

Today is the Iowa Caucus. I hope that everyone that has the opportunity gets out and makes their voice heard.

To help you catch up, a list of events covered by Osky News concerning a Presidential Candidate is listed below.

Pawlenty at Vermeer Auditorium
Ron Paul at Vermeer Auditorium
Bachmann at Vermeer Auditorium
Early Presidential Poll
Roy Moore in Oskaloosa
Santorum at Vermeer Auditorium
Pawlenty announces run for the White House
Herman Cain at Vermeer Auditorium
Sarah Palin Attends Premier
Tea Party Bus In Oskaloosa
Bachmann visits Pella
Pawlenty in Oskaloosa
Oskaloosa News Presidential Candidate Comparison
Second Amendment Rally in Searsboro
Bachmann Headlines Mahaska Republican Dinner
Santorum mingles with Oskaloosa voters
Herman Cain visits during Art on the Square
Values Bus Stops in Oskaloosa
Fox News Presidential Debate ‘Spin Room’
Fox News Presidential Debate
Straw Poll Reactions
Bachmann wins Straw Poll
Bachmann visits Smokey Row
Ron Paul visits Smokey Row
Reagan Dinner Ron Paul
Reagan Dinner Rick Perry
Reagan Dinner Rick Santorum
Reagan Dinner Michele Bachmann
Reagan Dinner Newt Gingrich
Reagan Dinner
Family Leader Thanksgiving Round Table
ABC/Iowa GOP Debate
ABC/Iowa GOP Debate ‘Spin Room’
Santorum visits with Pella residents
Gingrich visits Smokey Row
Gingrich Not Presidential Material
Bachmann visits Pizza Ranch
Rick Perry visits Smokey Row
Gingrich Family Talks About Newt
Rick Santorum visits Smokey Row
Bachmann attends church in Oskaloosa

Posted by on Jan 2 2012. Filed under Editorial, Local News, National News, Politics, State News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

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