MY SITE
  • BLOG
  • ABOUT DONNA
  • CONTACT

​​FUN

WITH
​
HEIRLOOMS





"YOU HAVE BEEN CREDENTIALED ..."

4/19/2016

4 Comments

 
I’m not a political reporter. I’m a feature writer, columnist, editor of a newspaper lifestyles section and local quarterly women’s magazine. I love all that, but it’s sure not glamorous.

 If you know me and my work, you know that.

You also know that I'm the one who posts the chicken-noodle dinners and meeting notices in a community calendar. I type in club-news reports and back when brides still put in long write-ups about their weddings, typed miles of stories about tulle and sweetheart roses. I also stomp around 4-H fairs and help paint the break room.

Duties at a small daily paper are, let’s say, varied.

But you never know when something unique will come your way, as it always does if you stick around long enough. I stick around. Eight years ago, Bill Clinton stumped for Hillary and Barack Obama dropped by on his own behalf – in the same weekend -- in Henry County, Indiana.

Our sports editor, John Hodge, God rest his soul, was called into duty to give the Illinois senator a tour around the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame. The stop was at the senator’s personal request, not as a  prescribed media stop for show.

Once again, Hoosiers are told they have the rare opportunity for their votes to matter in any kind of real way (oh, I know, we have a duty to vote. Spare me that lecture. But let’s face it: If Indiana mattered in the national picture, the big names would be around every election cycle).

Ted Cruz’s dad was in New Castle a week and a half ago. Bernie’s people have inquired about dropping by.

When would we hear from The Donald? Or Hillary or Bernie?

So today word came that Donald is coming to the Indiana State Fairgrounds tomorrow. I wondered aloud if I could get media credentials. My coworkers looked a bit surprised at my musings. And if I could get them, would my paper be in favor of sending me?

My pitch was that I’d go as an observer, not a political reporter,  to witness the goings-on of a Donald Trump rally. Get some photos. Talk to the local folks if I can find any. And then wrap it all up in a column about the experience.

As I awaited the “pending” notice on my media inquiry to turn into what I hoped was a green light, our area sister newspapers were contacted and so far, three have said they would like to run what I write.

By mid-afternoon, the green light rolled into my email in-box. I'm in.

The rally is at 3 but my day starts in Indy early in the morning for round one, the check-in. Then we leave and return a bit later. The whole shebang ends way after our Thursday deadline so my work will appear in Friday’s community papers.

That’s why I’m posting my Wednesday blog now. I’ll need to keep my first-string observations fresh for my employer so I won’t be writing about the experience in a blog tomorrow. But I imagine I'll still have plenty to say later.

No matter what you think of Trump, surely we can agree that he’s an interesting character and this election cycle is certainly not predictable, nor is it run of the mill. And we're far from done.

Picture
A few tools of the trade.
4 Comments
terri fredericks
4/21/2016 03:40:26 pm

can't wait to hear about your experience!

Reply
Donna Cronk
12/30/2016 07:33:13 pm

And all these months later, President-Elect Trump! Who knew!

Reply
Debbie M. link
4/22/2016 07:22:25 pm

I think it would be interesting to see Trump in person and form your own opinions!

Reply
Donna Cronk
4/29/2016 04:17:44 pm

It is interesting to be in the middle of the "process."

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    DONNA CRONK

    FUN WITH HEIRLOOMS
    is my most popular program for 2023, inspired by my memoir There's a Clydesdale in the Attic: Reflections on Keeping and Letting Go. Contact me to hear about my programs for your event.

    CONTACT: Let's talk about it. Call me at 317-224-7028. Email:
    newsgirl.1958@gmail.
    com.  



    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015

    Categories

    All
    Age Thing
    Aging
    Author Journey
    Christmas
    Clydesdale In The Attic
    Cooking
    Cooties
    Crafts
    Creepy!
    Decor
    Faith
    Family
    Farm
    Fashion
    Friendships
    Gardening
    God Bless America
    Gratitude
    Guest Posts
    Hair!
    Halloween
    Holidays
    Home
    Indiana
    Indiana Bicentennial
    Keeping The Peace
    Life Connections
    Mail Call
    Newspapers
    Next Chapter
    Pen Women
    Photography
    Poison Ivy!
    Quilting Club
    Reggie
    Retirement
    Sadness
    Seasons
    Seller's Cabinet
    Shopping
    Sleep
    Snow Day
    Tourism
    Travel
    Union County
    Weird Food
    What We Keep
    Writer Chicks Society
    Writing

Proudly powered by Weebly
Photos used under Creative Commons from Lise1011, Simone Ramella, StarsApart, Biblioteca General Antonio Machado, kennethkonica, roseannadana: Thank you for 3 million views, GotCredit, chuck4x5, besnette, nielskliim, James E. Petts, jeffdjevdet, rumolay, kkmarais, tgrauros, susivinh, Larry1732
  • BLOG
  • ABOUT DONNA
  • CONTACT