objectivity
The election is a funny beast for me, especially as a reporter.
I feel very strongly that my personal opinions and my personal politics should stay out of it. Whether I’m interviewing a major party or a third party candidate, I try my best to stay as objective as I can. I’ve interviewed and covered Democrats like Sen. Claire McCaskill, Sen. Hillary Clinton, President-Elect Barack Obama and local Dems, too. I’ve covered and interviewed Republicans, such as Gov. Sarah Palin, N.C. (failed) Attorney General Candidate Bob Crumley and Mayor Pat McCrory.
I tried to ask tough questions, take stock of what was happening around me and give my readers an opportunity to learn something about the candidate or to feel as though they were there.
I have been asked by candidates and ordinary people what my views are, and I always tell them the same thing: It doesn’t matter. I write as someone with no stake.
I didn’t donate to either campaign. I didn’t have a T-shirt, yard sign, bumper sticker or any other indication of who I favoured anywhere near me. The Hubs was kind enough to honour my request that he do the same.
I got to talk to more politicians than does the average American, but because of my self-imposed distance, I felt removed from the election. Though I worked the election, listened to returns and stalked the state Board of Elections Web site for numbers, there was no elation for me or disappointment with the results.
The closest I had to feeling anything was when I left the office and was walking out to my car. Minor exhilaration. Then, listening to the speeches in my car, I got goose bumps.
So, I guess that’s something.
But it’s more important to me that I don’t inadvertently — or purposely — taint someone’s view of a candidate by the questions I asked or the slant of my story.
