Street Team '08: CarissaJ
 
 
 
   
 
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This blogger is a member of Street Team '08, a hand-picked group of state-based citizen journalists who are contributing to MTV's Choose or Lose election coverage.
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RNC Day 2
Posted September 02, 2008 at 10:08 PM

For the past few days, I've been in the midst of all the action.

Yesterday I followed the Anti-War protestors as they marched from the Minnesota State Capitol down the the Xcel Center and then back up to the Capitol. Today, I was lucky enough to be on the floor of the Republican National Convention. I love being a part of all of the political activity going on in my home state!

As awesome as it is to have the RNC here, it is also frustrating. Security is so tight, that it is hard to get anywhere without having to take a huge detour around the big gated perimeter they've set up encompassing the Xcel. I feel like I don't recognize my own city. Everywhere I look there are bomb squads, secret service, and military. It just feels weird.

Another thing that is weird is how people are treating me. As a journalist using new media (phone vlogging and twittering) people at the RNC either I'm fake or fascinating.

The security and staff at the RNC think I'm not really a journalist because I don't have a huge camera on my shoulder. As I filmed George W. Bush's address to the Convention, one of the staff asked me to leave and told me the area I was in was for media only. I had to explain I was doing live-streaming via my phone.

The people who find me fascinating are other media. Local reporter Esme Murphy told me that my phone vlogging is the way of the future - and then told her cameraman that he better watch out because he may soon be out of a job.

 
 
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Tags: election   Republican   Minnesota   Street Team '08   St. Paul   RNC
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