Washington University Vice Presidential Street Report

So the Missouri Homefront headed out to Wash U with little hope of securing a press badge, but under strict orders to cover the event. After some finagling and fast talk, I got past the lockdown of Police that surrounded the campus.  I never did score that press badge, but I was able to cover the circus that came to the Wash U campus in the form of the Vice Presidential Debates.

The quad was a mess of activity.  Chris Matthews from CNN's Hardball had a sound stage set up with what felt like a live action circus. Students joined in on the carnival atmosphere by holding up real political signs of who they supported for President to more signs of what they really felt saying they wanted to take a nap.  While the VP debate was one of the most important events that will effect the youth's future, the reaction was an odd and humorous site.

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Jesse Irwin’s a known commodity in certain circles of St. Louis, Missouri. For most folks, he’s most thought of as the singer/guitarist of the Dock Ellis Band, a group committed to both classic country songs and the showmanship needed to really bring them to life. It’s not for nothing that the local alt-weekly, The Riverfront Times, recently referred to his “1,000-megawatt smile and a magnetic, charismatic personality.” He’s charmer, humorous and witty, with a comeback for any occasion. 

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As November’s election increasingly comes into focus for all voters, it’s probably a good idea to check in with the newest set of participants. College freshmen are, obviously, taking an active part in the process for the first time and we’ve checked in with a group of them at Webster University.

The suburban St. Louis liberal arts college represents a reasonable cross-section of the region, with students usually from within the immediate, 100-mile radius of the Webster Groves campus. That said, the group we surveyed – adjunct professor Thomas Crone’s Introduction to Mass Communications class – is not an exact demographic representation of the school. This group, for instance, includes 20 US citizens, and only three non-citizens, on a campus where foreign students do flock. The group was also predominantly white, with a smaller percentage of students who are African-American or other ethnicities.

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Next weekend – on Saturday, August 23, to be precise – Dana Smith, a self-taught St. Louis artist and young father of two, will debut his multi-media show, “In Money We Trust.” The idea is inherently political, playing with various notions of what the influence of cash has wrought on the political process in America.

Found at the Fort Gondo Compound for the Arts, at 3151 Cherokee in South St. Louis, “In Money We Trust” will bow with a unique event. It’ll be worth attending the opening, especially considering that the work will hang for only a short stretch, until September 1.

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Martin Casas, Allison Brunz of the Young Democrats Saint Louis speak on running for office and Gregg Christian speaks on his run for committeeman for the 15th Ward. Gregg to the contest, ousting the incumbents.