Why I can't take Part in Super Tuesday
Primaries are difficult things for reporters, as taking part in an activity that is essentially about a political party opens us up to attacks that we’re liberal or conservative. Say I showed up at a caucus in my Maple Grove neighborhood. Not that I’m a huge celebrity, but odds are, someone would recognize me. And they might tell a friend. Who might tell another friend of a different political persuasion. Who might write a blog entry about it. Which might get linked by some journalism Web site. Which would get me in trouble.
Follow that?
In Denver, there’s been controversy over a supposed ban on caucusing set out by the editor of the Rocky Mountain News [via]. Here’s what the editor wrote: “If you participate in a caucus, you are doing so in a personal capacity, and cannot hold yourself out during the caucus as an employee of the Rocky Mountain News. Further, if you participate in the caucus, within 48 hours you must notify the newspaper management so it can make future political coverage decisions and protect the integrity of the newspaper.” The Tacoma News Tribune is asking its news staff to stay away from caucuses and primaries.
It’s tricky. Just because I’m a journalist, doesn’t mean that I have to stop being a citizen. But it does mean I have to put my job as a journalist before any desire I might have to take part in a party activity. And that’s really what a caucus is.
At WCCO, there’s no official policy (that I know of) and there’s been no official memo about it. If it were a primary election where you could go privately and express your choice, I think it’d be different. Frankly, I’d participate, especially because in Minnesota, you don’t have to register to be a member of the party to take part. But a caucus is so public; I think it’s wise for those of us on the air to stay away. That’s what I’ll be doing tonight.
It’s strange: as a political science major at at Marquette University, I’m so into the electoral process. It’s odd to not be participating. But it’s a small sacrifice, so I can keep doing my job.
(Reposted from DeBlog)