Our man at the GOP Convention Patrick Brown posing with Karl Rove. Patrick this week is getting the chance to meet people he’s only seen on TV or read about
There are few things more hectic than a major party’s political nominating convention. Thousands of delegates, politicians, various hangers-on and media reps are shoe-horned into one large facility in a major American city to toast the standard-bearer in the race for president. More than a few want their opinions heard, too.
It’s recipe for confusion, crowding, and not a small amount of conflict and celebration.
So far, the two people with Alamance County connections at the Republican Convention in Tampa are having a blast. Both are supplying us with their thoughts about what’s going on around them — when they find a spare moment to do it.
Getting the time in a convention stocked with events and interesting things to do is the conundrum.
Today we received our second submission from Patrick Brown, an Elon junior in Tampa, Fla. with the Washington Center Group. Patrick is having the time of his life. It seems a national nominating convention is the perfect place for a lifelong political junkie.
Who knew?
Patrick is enjoying making the rounds at the convention hall and its associated events, as is Reid Dalton of Burlington. Reid is an alternate delegate in the North Carolina group. He submitted something for us on Monday and I’m hoping to hear from him later today or tomorrow.
But I also know it’s hard to find a point in which to write a journal of experiences in a whirlwind of events that begin early in the day and don’t end until after midnight.
As for the Democratic convention, we have an Elon student on site in Charlotte already.
Tanner Black of Concord is a junior at Elon majoring in political science and international studies with a minor in business. This week he’s in Charlotte at the Democratic Convention site with the Washington Center Group. Like Patrick he is absorbing the experience of putting the convention together. It begins next week.
Like Patrick, Tanner will send us a 500-word or so item about setting up the convention and what the week ahead might bring that we will publish on Monday. Unlike Patrick, though, Tanner will be close to home.
“It’s very exciting, especially to have the convention in my hometown,” he said. “It’s literally 30 minutes from where I grew up.”
One thing Tanner will do on convention week is work for Fox News as part of its “Arena Team.” His previous experiences in politics include legislative work for a U.S. senator and campaigning for a congressional candidate.
Throughout the week, Tanner will write about his experiences at the convention and send it back for us to publish online and in print. He particularly wants to focus on the importance of such an event happening in our back yard.
I’m interested to see what he turns in.
If he gets the time.
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