Allyson Bird - Internship Diary

Oct. 25:

Friday was a scramble. Thursday I pitched a story for our Florence, S.C., newspaper comparing Bush and Kerry contributions from local donors. Putting together the spreadsheet took hours, but the results were startling -- 238 donors for Bush, and seven for Kerry.

I spent all day calling donors. I have to admit I hate asking people questions that are really none of my business. I got much better at it at when I reported from the Democratic National Convention this summer, just because I talked to so many people -- from politicians to spectators -- in a matter of days. I'm not uncomfortable doing it anymore, but I still can't help but feel like a telemarketer with a penchant for personal questions. "So why did you give a thousand bucks to Bush, ma'am?"

I called one elderly woman looking for her son. Her phone number is listed under his name, which was also her late husband's. She told me her husband had been dead for 25 years and that I probably wanted her son who had a different number.

All I could think was how later in life I don't want my children to see me doing this, calling people at home, prying into their finances and voter preferences. I suppose I'll just be sure not to take my work home.

My most compelling interview was with a man who runs a S.C. Veterans for Kerry group but had contributed to Bush in 2003. I asked him about the group he leads now and then respectfully asked him why he was listed in Federal Elections Commission records as a Bush contributor. He ended up being my best interview, explaining his own flip flop with a very heartfelt argument.

The story went live late Friday afternoon and ran 1A Sunday. Mathematical and prying as it was, it was a fun one.

next entry>>