I Need Some Sleep, Sources Say
The conventions of political journalism require me frequently to cite "sources close to the campaign" for various facts and assertions. This seems pretty silly when, as is often the case, these sources are basically just buddies of mine.
Case in point: Blogging the primary elections last night, the results from Alaska were coming in too slowly for my taste, and I vented my frustrations via Twitter. This prompted a call from Libertarian Republican blogger Eric Dondero, who was in Anchorage at the Egan Center where Alaska's political community gathers on election nights. Eric started feeding me the latest numbers on the hard-fought Republican primary for Senate, where it now appears that challenger Joe Miller has upset incumbent Sen. Lisa Murkowski.
Dondero was in Alaska working on the campaign of Libertarian Party candidate Scott Kohlhaas who, because the Republicans didn't field a candidate in the district, is the only opposition to nine-term Democrat incumbent state Sen. Max Gruenberg.
However, because Eric didn't tell me that it was OK to quote him on the record, I just assumed he wanted to remain anonymous. So I initially described him (in a 1:46 a.m. update) as "a Republican operative who can’t be named." It was not until nearly 4 a.m. -- by which time Dondero had fed me four more updates of exclusive reporting -- that I asked if I could name him, to which he replied, "What? You mean you haven't already linked me?"
Journalism is not a science, you see. However, my habit of sleeping late the morning of an election proved its worth, as it is now past 7 a.m., I've been working more than 20 hours and I'm just now ready to go to bed. Assuming, of course, that the doggone phone doesn't ring.
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Comments:
May '10
Re: I Need Some Sleep, Sources Say
Of course, when journalists say "some believe", they mean "I believe" (golly, there's an original perception).
Clearly, we need an analysis of what the upset of Murkowski portends for the mayoral candidacy of Ricky Hollywood.
Aug '10
Re: I Need Some Sleep, Sources Say
Heh. If teenage girls in Wasilla could vote, his castoffs would constitute a plurality -- er, sources say. Rumor is the boy was (and is) a notorious "Hit-and-Run" artist.
Jul '10
Re: I Need Some Sleep, Sources Say
So how did the Libertarian do in the AK race?
May '10
Re: I Need Some Sleep, Sources Say
How big can the dating pool be in Wasilla? The Divine Sarah did well, but poor Bristol. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.