C-SPAN AND STEVE SCULLY

For two mornings this week, our group of 700 was the audience for the C-Span morning call-in show with Steve Scully and for Brian Lamb’s interview show. I think we acquitted ourselves well. So many of our students lined up to ask questions that we could never get through them all. They were a curious and well-spoken crowd. We got to hear Juan Williams of NPR and Brett Baer of Fox News and a husband-wife team who spent three months in Iowa working for the Obama campaign.

Quotable quotes:

“Obama likes to be the Grand Decider.”

“News is now the province of the cable channels. Networks have moved away from it.”

“This inauguration will be a tremendous emotional moment that goes beyond the political.”

Juan Williams

“We finally realized we were too old to live on four hours of sleep, lots of caffeine and Cheetos.”

“We came away from Iowa with a great belief in the caucus process.”

Carol Wheeler about working on the Obama campaign in Iowa

“Three things will happen: The world will look at us differently; we will look at our country differently; and a significant portion of our population will look at themselves differently.”

Tom Wheeler about the Obama inauguration

BRIAN LAMB, president and founder of C-Span

Lamb(once awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom), spent an hour interviewing us. Each student would come up to the mike, introduce him- or herself and he would interrogate each one in his own inimitable style that, as I recall, was brilliantly spoofed on SNL one time. They seemed to really like it. His questions included: What is the most interesting thing you’ve seen thus far? Why did you come here? Why do you study philosophy? What do you think of Barack Obama? Why do you care about Darfur? Do you want to live in D.C.? Why or why not? I gotta ask you about that tie (a Barack Obama tie). Where do you think you’ll be in ten years? What are your expectations for this new president? What do you read? Tell us something about your country (for those from other countries) that we don’t know.

TED KOPPEL, former host of ABC News Nightline

Koppel asked for a show of hands in answer to his question: How many of you think you should consider the consequences of what you do as a journalist? Most people voted yes, of course. And, of course, it was a trick question. His point was that since it’s impossible to predict what the consequences will be, you should focus on accuracy and objectivity. You can’t be responsible for the consequences 99.5% of the time. He gave Rwanda and Somalia as examples of “blowback” from media attention when, in fact, one would think that media attention would have been helpful. Impossible to know.

He also gave his interpretation of television news history. Until 1968 when “60 Minutes” first aired, he said, television news was a “loss leader.” However, when “60 Minutes” started making money, television news became just another “cost center.” He sees the future of citizen journalism as both good and bad – we can all be journalists, but there’s no quality control. He cites NPR radio as a success story. Morning Edition now has more than 14 million listeners, which is more than the three TV networks combined. However, their funding keeps getting cut.

He also had something to say about the war in Iraq. It’s similar to Vietnam in that there were misperceptions by our government about the situation: in Vietnam it was the now discredited “domino theory” and in Iraq it was the WMD theory. The difference, he said, is that we absolutely can’t let the Middle East descend into chaos. But, he added, it’s a mistake to look at all these crises in the world as separate issues. There are “threads” all over the world that tie together.

“No matter how cynical I get, I can’t keep up.”
Ted Koppel quoting Lily Tomlin as Ernestine

CLARENCE PAGE, columnist, Chicago Tribune

“Reuters and Bloomberg News are doing well because they don’t do paper, just content.”

“Yesterday’s news is today’s commentator.”

“Politics is like Wall Street or Las Vegas: you never use your own money.”

“Newspapers will continue to be around – they’re like jazz. You have to be educated to appreciate it.”

“My generation got out there and played by the rules and lost. This generation won.”

“Chicago is the only city that associates Valentine’s Day with a massacre.”

Clarence’s history of the description of descendants of slaves: We went from colored people to Negroes to blacks to African Americans to people of color. We’ve come full circle!

He’s encouraged that Obama’s speech on race is getting many more hits on YouTube than the Rev. Wright.

“Sensationalism? We prefer to call it excitement.”
(Clarence Page quoting Rupert Murdoch)

JOHN WALCOTT, McClatchy News Washington Bureau Chief

We visited Walcott in his office and heard a very smart man with impressive experiences give us sound advice. He told the students they had to learn at least one other language in order to compete in the global job market. He himself has worked in 83 countries.

He led an investigation of how we got into Iraq (the only news agency to do so) when he was still working for Knight Ridder (which was later acquired by McClatchy). They won many awards for their work, and he gave a wonderful speech at the National Press Club that can be accessed online.

He attributes their success with this series partly to the fact that they wrote from military towns rather than from D.C. “We wrote it for them,” he said. He said many of the reporters in McClatchy who volunteer to go work in Iraq are Arab-American women.

He recommended we read two things: a book by Paul Starr called THE CREATION OF THE MEDIA and the series on Guantanamo by reporter Tom Lasseter.

QUOTABLE QUOTES:

“A democracy cannot function without someone standing outside the circle of poer who doesn’t want to be in the circle asking the hard questions.”

“These guys [politicians] are like a bunch of whining children who need a babysitter. Washington is very seductive.”

“To do reporting right, it’s a blue-collar job.”

“ I don’t think the Obama team has been forthcoming [to the news media].”

“We need this president to succeed – we ALL do. . .I think there is a liberal bias [in the news media], but I do not think Barack Obama got a free pass.”

We're Now Dems in D.C.!!!!

Sunday, Jan. 9, 2009
Washington, D.C.

So. . .I'm back in D.C. (I LOVE this city!) -- once again, under the auspices of The Washington Center. The Center has brought more than 700 college students here to gain academic credit for an intensive, 7-day academic seminar preparing us for one of the most historic presidential inaugurations in American history. I, personally, am responsible for seeing that 11 Minnesota students -- 3 from my home institution of Bemidji State University and 8 from the University of St. Thomas -- learn something and have a memorable experience. I think we're on track.

As usual, it's the people who impress me the most, although the architecture, museums, restaurants and cultural life are all big draws. Although we heard some high-profile speakers yesterday, including reporter Dana Bash of CNN; Steve Bell, former host of "Good Morning America" and professor emeritus of Ball State University; and Professor Michael Genovese, author of the book we're all reading ("Memo to a New President"), the person I'll remember most is our bus driver who guided us expertly around DC for the benefit of the newcomers. Richard, a tall, gangly, bald African-American man who joked that we could remember our bus by the driver with the "big afro," was a genius. He not only drove us around effortlessly (or so it seemed) for 3 hours in DC traffic, but held a microphone in one hand and gave us a running commentary on EVERYTHING. I've had this tour about 20 times, but never was it so intelligent, in-depth and quirky. This is the first time I've ever had a guide stop by a section of Arlington Cemetery and show us the unmarked graves of slaves. I never knew they existed. He had stories that never ended. Hurray Richard!

In talking with one of my students, I learned that this is the first time in his life he's using public transportation. Others said they had very little, if any, experience with it themselves. It's hard for me to imagine, since I rode streetcars until I was about 6 (that really dates me!), and started riding busses on my own at about age 10. It's a different world. Hopefully, they will see more public transport in their future, rather than less!

Monday, Jan. 11, 2009

One of today's highlights was an hour-long talk by Marc Pachter, the Director Emeritus of the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery and the National Museum of American History. He gave a slide show, with ample commentary, on presidential portraits. He was so good that I was inspired to ask my students if they wanted to spend the afternoon in the Portrait Gallery. I've been there once, and remembered it as worth seeing just for the architecture. Being an adventurous group, they eagerly agreed to my plan, and we had a wonderful time. I went straight for the presidential portrait gallery, and was not disappointed. It's curious to learn (from the portrait descriptions) about how so many presidents were really sort of failed, when we think of most of them as great. Pachter didn't hesitate to give his opinion about the incoming president. He believes in the theory that what you want in a president is a first-class intellect AND a first-class temperament, but if you must choose, the temperament is more important. He suggested that Obama will be only the second president to possess both, the first being Lincoln. I hope he's right. I also loved his description of John McCain's personality -- a "Western straightforwardness."

But before we inbibed culture, we had to imbibe some chili at Ben's Chili Bowl on U Street. It may mean nothing to you, dear reader, but this is where our president-to-be dined a few days ago. The place was packed, and Reuters even had a cameraman and reporter there (were they just late or what?) who filmed us, since we were the oddest people in the place. It had the feel of Micky's Diner in St. Paul or Al's Breakfast in Minneapolis. Without knowing it, I ordered the same thing Barack had -- a "half smoked chili dog." Don't ask. Let's just say it was full of many things not good for overweight Americans. I can say that if Barack can eat these and say skinny, he must smoke a lot or work out a lot.

Tomorrow we visit McClatchy News Service and talk to the man who headed up one of the few investigations of why Pres. Bush took us to war -- BEFORE it became the popular thing to do. Stay tuned.

The Dude Does His Thing at the Bemidji Wool Duds Factory

So I park my red Prius in the driveway of the Beltrami County Transfer Station, where I usually go to feed my garbage to the trash-cruncher. I figure my car may be a target, but I'm surprised to see a grey Prius parked closer to the Woolen Mills factory in the Industrial Park just south of downtown Bemidji. My car is one of hundreds here tonight to see THE FIRST DUDE, who, we suspect, will be talking about how God wants us to keep our guns, women included.

A tiny band of Obama supporters stand bravely visible near a little guy in a glowing yellow pinny waving in traffic to the factory parking lot. "Just go home!" he screams at them between waves. They scream back at him, then continue standing with their Obama signs.

The factory floor is filling up fast. People climb up on mountains of blue, red, yellow and black bobbins used to weave blankets, checkered stiff jackets and flap caps. They climb up on chairs by the rows of sewing machines. They climb up on cafeteria tables, avoiding the salt and pepper shakers.

A retired BSU music professor accompanies the lusty lyrics of "God Bless America" on a SongBank Keyboard, then moves seamlessly on to "Amazing Grace." The music stops. We stand around. Nobody gives a speech. It's 6:45. THE DUDE is 15 minutes late and the crowd is getting restless. Nobody can see the front because of all the bobbins, sewing machines, yellow spirals of electrical cords hanging from the rafters and piles of wool. I spy a colleague of mine who is on sabbatical leave on top of a pile of bobbins taking photos. Everyone looks kind of linty.

I am able to see several lanyards hanging from the upper level, where four or five local reporters are hanging out, including the only Native American I see in the pole barn structure:

"Country First"
"Reform Prosperity Peace"

"Darn, we should have brought McCain signs," shouts a woman wearing a "Women for Palin" button.

Just as I'm about to give up, things start to happen. I hear a voice thanking Bill Batchelder for offering his factory floor for this event. Bill is in tan and orange hunting gear. His dad wears a Bemidji Woolen Mills black and red checked jacket with a machine embroidered white sheep on his back.

I hear bits and pieces of what they say, although I can't see a thing (neither can anyone else, unless they're atop the bobbins):

"Small business owners"
"Bemidji, Minnesota, and Wasilla, Alaska, are a lot alike"
"Protecting our environment. . .using our resources"
"Protecting those who can't protect themselves"

I hear a sweet young female voice. It's the chairperson of the BSU college Republicans. "We may go to college," she says, "but you know what? We're not liberals!" Lots of cheers.

Finally, it's THE DUDE, but WE CAN'T SEE ANYTHING!!!

"American dream"
"It's nice to be in Minnesota. . .my closest friends are from Minnesota"
"Reduced taxes, reduced spending"
"Pork barrel projects"
"Government back to the people"

and his longest sentence:

"I should have asked a few more questions when she joined the PTA!!"

And it's over. Total speaking time? At least 3 minutes.

He's given a wool jacket. I can't tell what color it is because I CAN'T SEE ANYTHING!! It must be too big, because they say they'll give him a smaller one later.

He's given some kind of bobblehead. I can't tell what kind. Nobody can, except the 10 people up front. Why don't they put him on top of a sewing machine table or a pile of bobbins????

He's given several religious pictures from Heartland Christian Academy.

As I scuttle out the door, a comely young woman tries to hand me a brochure. "Do you know Tim Tingelstad?" she asks. I do. He is running for the State Supreme Court. He has a prayer clock on his Website, where the word "God" appears about 50 times.

As I head to my Prius, a couple are walking towards the pole barn. "Is he here yet?" asks the young man.

"He's here and gone," I tell him.

"What the hell?" I hear him say as I return to the trash collection site. It's time to go home.