Owing to what can be described only as an appalling lapse in judgment, the folks in charge of media credentials for tonight’s Democratic presidential candidates’ debate at Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH have decided to let me in. So here I sit in the media room, alongside such luminaries as David Broder from the WaPo (with whom I rode the parking lot shuttle — funny story to tell about that later), and Laura from Blue Hampshire.
We’re in the pregame show right now — the chair of the NH Democratic party is emceeing things, introducing the usual collection of local luminaries. We just heard from Gov. John Lynch, and then some pleasant warbling from the Dartmouth a cappella singing group. Things started off with a non-denominational but distinctly theistic prayer. So there you go.
OK, the Broder story. He and I were the only ones on the shuttle, so we made a bit of small talk on the ride from the lot to the building where the press hangs out (Alumni Gymnasium, if you’re keeping score). When we got to the credential pickup spot, I presented my photo ID and was handed my credential, no questions asked. But things didn’t go so smoothly for Mr. B. “David Broder, from the Washington Post,” he said. “Hmmm,” said the checker. “Broder … Broder … from the Washington Post, you say?” “Yes,” Broder replied. “Did you fill out a credential request?” “My newspaper did,” he replied. “They told me it was all taken care of.” The checker perused the list for a few moments, and then declared Mr. Broder’s name absent. She handed him a form to fill out. I was still standing there, and I assured the checker that he was, in fact, David Broder from the Washington Post. That seemed to reassure her, since I was the second person to have done that. I found that extremely funny — imagine the headline: “Blogger helps Broder gain admittance to restricted press area.” What planet are we on, again?
I left Mr. B filling out a last-minute credential request form. I wandered down to the press room and secured a spot (thanks to Dartmouth for so-far flawless wireless). Broder walked in a few minutes later, so all appears to be well.
More shortly.
Don’t you realize that you’re going to be the next “reg’ler ‘merican” in a Broder amateur sociology column who confirms his own prejudices and opinions? You’re a star!