KentNewsNet Blogs

By Aaron Martin

Traditionally, the excitement and drama involved with political conventions is reserved for the DNC with its super delegate system and celebrity appeal. But this year the spotlight was stolen and hasn’t been returned thanks to an unexpected nomination. John McCain shocked the world with his selection of Sarah Palin, the current governor of Alaska, as his running mate. That pick gave a stale campaign life and changed the entire landscape of this election, and it was undoubtedly felt at the RNC. All the talk focused squarely on the choice of Palin over seemingly more qualified candidates Mitt Romney and Tim Pawlenty. Being on the floor for Palin’s speech was nothing short of breathtaking. After an aggressive speech by keynote speaker Rudy Giulliani focusing on Barack Obama’s qualifications, Sarah Palin stepped to the podium with the world watching. The entire crowd hung on her every word from the very beginning, creating an atmosphere rarely scene in politics let alone a national convention (something comparable to Obama’s speech less than a week earlier).

Her speech was widely considered a success setting the stage for John McCain’s acceptance of the nomination. His speech was strong and to the point, trying to appeal to independent voters still deciding on the right candidate. The electricity felt throughout the Excel Energy Center and the country made this event all the more historic, and this was all history I witnessed with a front row seat. Most people are lucky ever to get the opportunity to attend a national convention let alone witness a historic one. At the ripe of age of 21 I have accomplished both feats, which is as surreal as standing 30 feet from Sarah Palin as she asked the country to support her and John McCain. Time will tell how truly historic those speeches were. But regardless of political beliefs or party affiliation, it will go down as one of the memorable events in US history for all those lucky enough to attend, including yours truly.

- Aaron Martin

Timothy Magaw I Daily Kent Stater

A lot of work goes into putting out the paper each day. From 3 p.m. until our midnight deadline (or even later, especially if Prentice catches on fire again), the newsroom is a hub of activity. This may not seem like a big deal to the thousands of students who pick up the Stater on their way to class, but we do a lot of work each evening to make sure you’re able to complete a Sudoku puzzle during class or see if your friends made it into the police blotter. 

In today’s Stater, I explained my goals for the semester. I told you what’s on my mind, and now it’s your turn to tell me what’s on yours. 

I’ve always felt that a lot of students don’t really “get” what we do here. That’s something I want to fix. I’m not interested spelling out our production schedule from start to finish (I wouldn’t put you through that). But if you have a question, let me know. I’ll post some of your questions right here along with my answer.

As journalists, we always demand transparency from people we’re covering. So, our readers should expect the same from us. Wondering why we ran a certain photo? A certain headline? Covered one event but not another? Just let me know.

Welcome to the blogs of KentNewsNet.com, the independent news Web site for the Daily Kent Stater, TV2 and Black Squirrel Radio.

As the semester progresses, we hope to bring you great information and some interesting reads on topics from the freshman experience to Kent State sports.

Look for regular postings from our editors, reporters, photographers, and videographers, and feel free to add your own comments and thoughts. If you have ideas to improve our blogs, or suggestions for new topics, we’d love to hear from you.

Thanks for reading,