This last week in the race to the White House was unheard of. First, lawmakers scrammbled to save our economy from collapse, McCain asked to cancel the first Presidential Debate – and Bill O’Reilly flipped out not just on Dems but all “ideological kool aid drinkers.” Hmm. Could we are all be getting somewhere?

Here is the week in review.

Wednesday, September 24
Joint Statement Released from McCain, Obama on Financial Crisis

Both Senators urged Member of Congress to work together and compromise on an economic bail out package. The package is controversial on both sides, particularly to very conservative Republicans and very liberal Dems.

As a side note, I also found this press release from Senator Obama’s campaign. Along with the statement, he outlined five “principals” for John McCain to follow. I wonder if that actually happened….

Wednesday, September 25
McCain Calls Press Conference to Try to Suspend Debate

Thursday, September 26
McCain’s Request to Delay Debate Falls Flat

“It’s going to be part of the president’s job to be able to deal with more than one thing at once,” Senator Obama said at a press conference.

“What I’m planning to do is debate on Friday.”

Friday, September 27
Congress Nears Agreement, Debate Goes Live

Both campaign jets arrived in Oxford, Mississippi for the first of three Presidential Debates. This one focused on Foreign Policy – but in light of the looming financial crisis, 35 minutes was spent on the economy.

You can watch the different portions of the debate at CSPAN’s Debate Hub. I just discovered this resource. You can also follow Debate Hub on Twitter and YouTube for constant updates.

To see the individual responses on the following topics (from solving the crisis to lessons of Iraq), visit the Debate Hub homepage and select which one you like. You can also see the breakdown of how long each candidate spoke on each topic in relation to the rest of the debate.

And to check out Chris Cizzilla, Washington Post blogger (The Fix) wrap up the key points from the debate, visit his blog. I had tried to post a video here but the WaPo embed isn’t working. I’ll get on that. Until next time.

I boarded Delta 4071 to Atlanta, on my way back covering the Convention for MTV. Next to me was Julie Zimmerman, a Program Advisor, at The Washington Center. I began to tell her about my job as a Citizen Journalist for the Street Team. I was reeling from adrenaline after all the live reports I broadcasted the night before – which I’m sure was illustrated by a permanent grin. By the time we touched down, she asked if I would speak to the fall class of interns at The Center.

“How many are we talking?”
“Nothing big. Just 100 or 200.”

I smiled but cringed inside. “Sure, I’ll do it.”

The day came yesterday, and with a few nerves but no doubt, I showed up with some notes and a flash drive. Before I was set to speak, I was pulled aside by a few of the organizers who each gave me varied interpretations as to what I could or should discuss. It was like a rushed cram session in college with one too many cooks in the kitchen. I took in what everyone had to say, walked myself to a corner and organized my key points in my head.

And just like that I was up.

I introduced myself and started asking no-brainer, conversational questions just to get a rise. In my last minute prep, I decided to just go with my favorite subjects: the rise of mobile tech, our generation’s involvement in the election and the unprecedented amount of user-generated content forcing traditional media to address us as an audience.

“Alright, who here has a cell phone? Any journalism majors? Who here has volunteered in the last year in DC or on their respective campus?”

And with a few smiles in the front row, I was in. I talked to them about our millennial movement – and how we are influencing a serious political realignment for the first time in 40 years. But I also told them there are big challenges ahead — like the fact that 8 in 10 young primary voters went to college. Meaning there is a deep civic divide between them and their peers who are not in line for a college education.

Finally, I answered a few great questions and received a polite round of applause. I breathed a sigh of relief, packed my purse and then went outside to hail a cab. 

Like on the plane that morning,, I knew I had a similar grin and the same rush of adrenaline. I sat myself in the cab, looked out the window – and couldn’t help but wonder. Another test completed — and hopefully many more to go.

Sarah Palin Speech Highlights
(3:01 for the exchange)

More than the cover story and the chant – I think the Olbermann/Matthews demotion brings to light a major challenge in modern journalism.

First, let me just say this. Chris Matthews, Keith Olbermann and  Bill O’Reilly are all the same to me. They pass personal opinions as fact. They reject the entrance of opposing views. And they act as if their answers are the only answers.  From my perspective – it goes against what I was taught in J school: maintain allegiance to citizens and the larger public interest above all else. Is it really in the public interest to introduce bias into any form of journalism?

When I think of the big picture – I think that this feeds our nation’s appetite for convenience and grants viewers a way to feel like a responsible citizen. But on the flip side – it allows citizens to be complacent in how they reach their opinions.

Network Opinion diminishes – not just NBC – but a common interest in a credible journalism practice. Seasoned journalists and industry leaders have pointed to blogs for hurting the health of the fourth estate — when it might be the exact opposite. While blogs open the conversation to people who have been shut out – cable news answered with talking heads -whose bias, vested interests are not always transparent.

In all fairness, I do not blame traditional media’s attempt to fill the opinion space. I see it as being provoked by unprecedented competition after the onset of the internet and their uninspiring response to 9/11. But the way I see it? New media and old face a challenge the industry has never before seen: how to provide citizens with accurate and reliable information in a seemingly polarized world - without telling them how to do it.

Other feature stories were:

• Charlie, Wisconsin “Behind Bars in the Twin Cities”
  Dani, Alaska “Weighin in on Palin”
  Charles, Utah “John Legend Opens Up About Opening DNC”
  Michael, Nevada “The Celebrity Vote”
  Nadir, Michigan “How Rage Raged Against the Machine”

More Dispatches from the RNC…

I am in some ways, more grown up after spending five days immersed as Press at the Republican National Convention. I watched celebrities, politicians, protesters, and people — like my right-wing roommates, Melissa and Gabby, come hundreds of miles away to take part in politics. I was impressed by the power of a political party — but not deterred from what I was there to do: test out cutting edge technology and cover this controversial Convention in the most unconventional way.

Here are a few of my favorite clips from the week. In no particular order, I give you, dispatches from the ground.

Arrested at the RNC

“Obama is Communist..” and Un-American

“In the Tent With Shepard Smith”

Bob Dole Campaigning for the Republicans

On the Floor – Live Broadcasting!

 “No Compromise” on Life – My Roommate for the Week

Ron Paul Supporters Protest

It was September 2008 | Bob Dole was in the Excel Center, on his way to visit the North Carolina delegation on behalf of his wife, Senator Elizabeth Dole. I caught him right before he walked into the floor pit.  I was alone, a credentialed journalist, with three cameras, an ID, and a pen in my pocket. I was on a mission to find some kind of story, and when I bumped into the Kansas Senator and Presidential candidate, I did. | More after the jump

Here are the basic nuts and bolts of the Live Streaming video process: After I hit “Broadcast”, the clip live went auNokia N95 to Flixwagon, a video sharing network that made it instantly available to anyone.

Instant connectvity. 60 seconds after I ended the clip, my phone buzzed twice. First a huge congrats from my Executive Producer who had watched it live, and my Dad, who called and admitted to having tears in his eyes. “You just interviewed my hero,” he said.

More Videos from the Republican National Convention 2008.

While I was at the RNC, my New York Street Team partner, Sara Benincasa did something wildly creative and amazing. She made YouTube series of her dressed as Sarah Palin – and begged the question — if Governor Sarah Palin had a vlog – would it sound like this?

Within days, the blog attracted hundreds of thousands of views — and an on air compliment from CNN’s Wolf Blitzer that, “this stuff is pretty funny.”

Enjoy!

Vlog #6: Before the Big Speech!

 Vlog #1

 Vlog #2 — Bristol!

Adventures of the RNC continue…

For full coverage and my LIVE mobile to web streaming reports, check out: THINK.MTV.COM/EricaAmerica