I'm in my last few weeks as a college student here at KU. While I'm excited about punching my ticket out of here there's another big hullabaloo that I'm ready to be done with too, the news coverage for the election.
Now hold on Sam some might say, this topic is at the very core of your blog beat this semester, which you volunteered for. Why did you choose something that doesn't interest you? Well, to take a title from another assignment for this class, when I chose my blog beat that was then, this is now. Yes, thinking back to cold, dreary February when we chose our beats, I was excited to hear all the latest news on upcoming caucuses, speeches and gaffs that would come up then blog about them. Heck, I even was pumped up enough that I covered both the Democratic and Republican caucuses.
However, today, three months later, I find myself not even wanting to turn on cable news or checking out the nation and world section of the local paper because I know it will be loaded with stories that are outlandish and not central to real issues in the campaign.
In a campaign that had its earliest start ever it could be presumed that the anticipation would build up hype and make people more politically active than ever. That may be true for some of the more die hard politicos out there, but for myself and plenty of other Americans that don't eat, breathe and sleep Obama/Clinton/McCain it's tiring. Personally, I have made my decision in what candidate to support in November, and it would take a major fault on his/her part to sway my vote to another candidate. I'm certain that the media coverage now is only a taste of what's to come after the conventions this summer. So break out your earmuffs folks, it's going to be a long winded road to the White House.
The progression of Sam's interest in the media's coverage of the 2008 Presidential campaign.