Macalester Today

When the Republican National Convention convened in St. Paul from September 1 to 4, it was a rare opportunity for Macalester students to directly observe—and participate in—national political events. Recognizing how a gathering of that size would affect the availability of hotel rooms and airline flights, Macalester chose to start school a week earlier than usual, providing some unique educational opportunities.

INTERNS AT THE RNC

College students have a chance to workas interns at national conventions, thanks to the Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars. With Macalester support, three Mac students—chosen by lottery—took part in this group’s two-week seminar at Augsburg College in Minneapolis, then served as RNC interns. Their stories follow.

“This experience was the first time I had ever been in the political minority,” says Ettinger, a liberal, “and it really opened up my eyes to how half of this country thinks.”
— Caroline Ettinger with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer

CNN
Senior Caroline Ettinger (New York City) was placed with CNN as a runner for the Grill—actually St. Paul’s Eagle Street Grille as re-outfitted by the news organization. With its prized location inside the convention perimeter, the CNN Grill was a gathering spot for politicos, celebrities, and guests of CNN. Among the CNN runners were four students from Southern Methodist University and one from Northern Ireland. “The discussions had with the other runners were among the most interesting of my life,” says Ettinger, who considers herself a liberal. “started to understand why someone would be a Republican. My friend from Northern Ireland also provided an interesting viewpoint because on social issues such as health care and education he agreed with me, but on all other issues he agreed with the Texans, and overall he was a McCain supporter. This experience was the first time had ever been in the political minority, and it really opened up my eyes to how half of this country thinks.”

Houston Chronicle
Junior Kyle Archer (Stow, Ohio) hit the jackpot in terms of fully experiencing the convention, first being assigned to the Houston Chronicle and then being briefly zip-tied and detained when the Rage Against the Machine concert let out in Minneapolis. (He was released after producing both press and RNC credentials.) In St. Paul, his Chronicle associates frequently sent him to the convention floor with instructions to get quotes from “six different
Texas delegates,” or “some elected officials.” delegates in their cowboy hats weren’t hard to identify, but the elected officials were more difficult to spot. Fortunately, former Texas Secretary of State Roger Williams befriended Archer, nicknaming him “Sparky,” and was invaluable in steering him to the right people. At a luncheon where Dick Armey, longtime representative from Texas, was the featured speaker, Archer entered the hall to hear words sweet to any reporter’s ear: Williams calling, “Hey, Sparky, I’ve got some people here I want you to meet!” Archer had four articles published in three newspapers—the Chronicle, the San Francisco Express, and the Albany Times Union.

Arabic Language TV
Junior David Klock (Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania) was assigned to the U.S. government-sponsored Arabic language satellite television network Al-Hurra, which is aimed at the Middle East. His responsibilities were light, so he spent much of his time exploring the convention and the protests outside, and blogging for Pennsylvania’s Pottstown Mercury. He saw most of the big names speak, including Governor Palin and Senator McCain.

Although delegates were bused in and out of downtown St. Paul, interns were on their own to navigate their way around town. In one of his blog entries, Klock wrote about walking uneasily
toward his car one evening with a Palestinian friend when they encountered “phalanxes of Guardsmen”:“The Guardsmen were clearly nervous themselves — which did nothing to help the situation. Eventually we reached the end of the road, where a fence and a group of Guardsmen blocked the intersection. We asked one to let us through, and he told us what was happening—a group of violent protestors was planning to march down the road, and they were preparing to defend it. The soldier eventually let us through, but he told us that once we were on the other side, we had better run—because if we were on the protestors’ side when the trouble started, the soldiers wouldn’t be able to tell us apart.”

Prez Psych 101
Psychology professor Kendrick Brown’s first-year class “Psychology of Presidential Politics” used psychological principles and theories to examine the formation of voters’ political beliefs and how Americans perceive presidential character and leadership. When Senator John McCain chose Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate, Brown’s class examined the choice in terms of social-identity theory, which deals with the idea of “in” groups and “out” groups. “Given this election, I felt like there was a lot to say,” Brown says. “I’m interested in the ebb and flow, the give and take, of politics.”

Math Meets Politics
Popular vote versus electoral vote, the apportionment problem, redistricting and gerrymandering—such topics are part of the mathematical field of game theory, as well as timely subjects for discussion during a national political convention, says mathematics professor Karen Saxe. Her course “Mathematics—Its Content and Spirit” focuses on the mathematics used in social choice and decision-making. Saxe moved the course from spring to fall, in part to coincide with the RNC. “We look at how elections work in the United States and other democracies and introduce such game theory concepts as pure and mixed strategies, Nash equilibria, bargaining, deterrence, cooperation, and the public good.”

Realpolitik
Political science professor Julie Dolan’s “Political Participation” and “Foundations of U.S. Politics” classes toured the RNC convention site before the delegates arrived, then spent a few course hours discussing the role of political party conventions and how they’ve changed over time. “Finally, we spent a day discussing protests surrounding the convention and how the media portrayed these protests,” says Dolan.

Set Design
Designers John Shaffner ’74 and partner Joe Stewart designed the set for the Republican National Convention, as they have for the previous two RNCs. Although the set was relatively simple this year—a podium and the largest four-millimeter high-definition LED screen ever assembled—preparing for such high-profile events is never simple. “The project always provides for a fascinating up-close, front-seat view of the American political process in addition to the challenges of working in such a large venue,” says Shaffner. He and Stewart have won six Emmys—three for David Copperfield specials, two for The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and one for The George Lopez Show. They have designed for the Super Bowl halftime show, the American Music Awards, Friends, and specials for such stars as Willie Nelson, Michael Jackson, and Andy Williams. In addition, Shaffner is chair of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

Protests
An estimated 150 Macalester students and friends marched to the state capitol on Labor Day to respond to the RNC, according to Dean of Students Jim Hoppe. In anticipation of the RNC, Mac members of Students for a Democratic Society had helped out-of-town protestors find housing with students and sympathetic neighbors, and developed workshops on peaceful organizing. As they gathered on campus that day, preparing to march, they were met by police.

At the request of President Rosenberg the police remained on the border of campus, since all events on campus had been peaceful. Vice President for Student Affairs Laurie Hamre, Director of Safety and Security Terry Gorman, and Hoppe were also on hand, which may have helped convince police that the protesters posed no threat. The march to the Capitol was peaceful. From there the Mac students joined with a larger group of protesters marching from the Capitol to the convention site. At the convention site conflicts with police ensued and some Mac students were pepper sprayed and arrested.