Withdrawal

I was a political news junkie for almost two years. Now that the election is over, I'm going through major withdrawal. Even NPR did a story about us. I used to come home late from campaign volunteering and I stayed up past midnight to read the latest blog posts on The Page and Swampland at Time.com, and The Caucus at NYTimes.com. I watched video clips from The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. I read through all of the postings on CNN's Political Ticker. I was hooked! I even read through the transcripts from The Newshour's David Brooks and Mark Shields news analysis segments. I went to work very tired but satisfied that I was fully informed for the day ahead.

Now, I'm a little bored by the every day news. Well, it's only 69 days until the Inauguration. I guess I can hold out until then.

Oh, the media

This story is one the reasons why I watch the PBS coverage of the election and the party conventions. The folks on the Newshour are objective and respectful. They always have both sides represented and there is no fawning over anyone. I also love the presidential historians.

SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL PBS STATION.

Honorary Degrees

I was touched by a story I saw on The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer this evening. The story was about how Oregon State University conferred 23 honorary degrees to Japanese Americans who were sent to internment camps during WWII. These students were never allowed to graduate from OSU. I know that some people think that apologizing for past behavior (discrimination, racism, slavery, etc.) is unwarranted. I think that these people don't realize that we cannot hide from the sins of our fathers. By expressing remorse, we let the victims of racism and hate know that they are not forgotten, that their pain and suffering has meaning.

You can listen to the MP3 podcast on the NewsHour's PBS site.

Newscasters are funny.

I got tired of the CNN coverage and switched over to PBS' NewsHour team.  They just had a funny moment where the video from John McCain's headquarters was on the screen, but they were playing the audio from Barack Obama's headquarters.  It was hilarious to hear Jim Lehrer say this, "Wait, why are we hearing Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) at John McCain's headquarters?" 

I am a big fan of The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer and I wish I watched it more often.  It airs at six o'clock in St. Louis and I'm usually at the gym or at my parents' house for dinner.  Maybe I'll set the DVR tomorrow.  Anyway, it's an hour-long newscast, hence the name, and the reporting team focuses on the actual content of a story, instead of the soundbite.  The reporters provide real in-depth information and analysis.  I always feel a little smarter and more well-rounded after I watch one of their broadcasts.