Big Media Circus

I am borrowing the term from a friend's business, but it really does describe what goes on at a Presidential Debate. The Belmont neighborhood is one of the more desirable in Nashville. Very close in proximity to both Belmont University and Vanderbilt University, it has an intellectual air and a diverse population composed of students, professors and professional musicians. In other words, it's cool. I loved seeing the patriotic spirit displayed by some neighbors. There was an alley of booths with all manner of t-shirts, political impersonators--I saw 'Bill Clinton' and 'Sarah Palin' (who paled to Tina Fey)-- BBQ and live music. Water Aid had a booth, as did a pro-choice group and a clean coal group. Rock the Vote had a huge RV, as did OneVote. I taped an interview for Rock the Vote...I will let you know if it makes the cut to Flickr! Most of the east side of the campus was fenced off for the candidates' entrance and an enormous media tent where the university waived a decades-old policy of no alcohol, for the benefit of the visiting media. Wise. In the center of campus, a small area near the Curb Center was open as a public forum. I enjoyed seeing a small group of McCain student supporters giving an interview (see right) as well as some of the more colorful characters sporting their stuff. At the west entrance of the campus--for those of you who know the neighborhood--across the street from Bongo Java, shuttles carrying the small group of invitees dropped off under tight security. There were the usual colorful malcontents, who must have spent a while on the phone coordinating their outfits. I even spotted Secret Service guys with an out-of-state plumbing truck. Kinda obvious, don't you think? Those guys seriously need a stylist and a personal shopper. When I was leaving one of them told me I looked 'fit'. I think he was trying to give me some positive reinforcement as I was moving at my usual snail's pace, kind of limping. But I totally took it to heart, and told him 'Back at ya!' Actually, I grew to suspect that the guys in the van might be carrying Obama's abscizer.