Today, I'm taking a different approach to my RNC blog. Rather than analyzing mainstream media coverage of the previous day at the Republication National Convention in Cleveland, I am analyzing my students' blogs and tweets, which have kept me on top of what's going on downtown. I feel like an editor, here in my home office, watching on several TV networks while they brave the downtown streets, the inside of the Quicken Loans Arena, and the booths in Media Row, where most have internships and volunteer jobs.
Because some of their blogs are not public -- they're just learning to blog and have that option in this class, especially those who are not budding journalists -- I will use first names for everyone but I'll link to each blog so you, my readers, can check it out for yourselves. If they're not public, the links won't work. (Since I have access to all, I can't always tell if they're public.) Most are public.
Live action on the streets really picked up yesterday, Day 3 of the convention, with the most-noted protest an anti-Trump wall, made of fabric, that demonstrators stretched across public square and nearby streets, if I got this correctly. Carlos (@vivacarlitos_) and Alec (@ChenkusNews), who are live tweeting from the streets whenever they can (working around a job and an internship), are capturing great and not-so-great moments and interviewing interesting characters, using cellphone video, photographs and 140-character tweets.
Alec is also blogging about his take on the convention, this week from the perspective of his internship with PBS's Religion and Ethics Newsweekly -- a fascinating experience in which he has spent a day with the Nuns on the Bus, another at a luncheon with speaker Rick Perry (two other headliners cancelled at the last minute).
Peter, a mature student and longtime Cleveland resident, has a blog with a unique take on the convention: He is seeing it all through he eyes of the Singing Angels, a youth choir that has been "serenading the elephant" (as Peter puts it) at various locations, from the airport to concert halls, to what probably is the high point: singing the national anthem on the opening night in the Quicken Loans Arena, a performance broadcast on several national media with millions of viewers.
Another special perspective is Alexya's. A foreign student from Belize, she is accustomed to a parliamentary system and other factors that make that country's political system very different. Her blog is a fascinating take on American politics. It's also a firsthand account of the life of a lowly convention volunteer, checking credentials at the doors and catching occasional glimpses of famous people.
Olivia, a political science major, is doing some terrific political analysis. She's upset that Ohio Gov. John Kasich hasn't shown up at the convention, and that Melania Trump plagiarized portions of Michelle Obama's speech from 2008. She also writes about her experience as a Cleveland Ambassador, a volunteer for the RNC Host Committee who greets delegates and answers their questions.
Caitlin, another political scientist, has some great analysis too. In today's entry, she notes that Donald Trump is not staying in Cleveland, but flies home to New York City every night, rather than using this as an opportunity to get to know some of the "regular folks" he professes to care so much about. Her blog is full of original thoughts.
Will, whose major is also political science, does some analysis of the fallout and repercussions of the Melania Trump plagiarism scandal, which he notes has carried on longer than necessary due to unprofessional handling by the Trump campaign. He also reviews the "bizarre" speech by Dr. Ben Carson - this is well worth a read.
Andy, whose blog is not public, is a high-school senior taking college courses, and a great addition to the class. He is definitely up to the in-depth political discussions of his classmates and often contributes unique insights. He's volunteering at a local museum that is hosting some convention-related events, but isn't able to see the action on the convention floor, much to his frustration.
Tim, a teacher who is working on a masters degree, brings to his blog the insights of a lifelong Clevelander, who grew up among the kind of working-class folks Donald Trump appeals to. His blog shows great understanding of the relationship of this city and its people to the convention and the nominee. He also has some interesting views on Mike Pence's role as VP. And his latest insights are from the perspective of a bored volunteer, coping with the somewhat disorganized state of things at this convention.
Chris, whose blog is also private, has been analyzing some big questions, such as Why did Marco Rubio Fail?, Why did Bernie Sanders Succeed?, Why is Hawaii so Liberal? and Why did Trump Succeed? in his blog, which shows the expertise of a political science major. He is doing a media internship and very busy!
Media internships have also kept a couple of other students, communication majors Julie and Jack, from keeping up with their blogs during this convention week. I imagine they'll get back to the schedule soon and I'll be able to recommend their work next week. Both did terrific work in the first week of the course, before the convention started.
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