Just got back from the presidential debate

All hell broke loose today in the newsroom with news that one, our current interim president and the head of IHL are currently under investigation; two, there was an emergency meeting regarding the hiring of our new university president; and three, IHL still says we will have a president announced by November. It was a MAD HOUSE...two reporters and two editors working online, on the phones, pulling up all that we could find. It's days like that when I realize how much I love the journalism industry.

As I worked calling several Mississippi agencies, my sister called. I took a five minute break to catch up with her, then received a beep in from a Gulf Coast number. Fortunately, I switched over to take the call. It was someone from the public relations department at the University of Mississippi (more commonly known as Ole Miss down here) calling to see how many reporters and photographers we were bringing to the debate tonight.

"I was under the impression that we couldn't get on campus tonight," I said.

"Oh no, you're welcome to come! No press passes left or tickets to the actual debate, but you're free to hang out in any of the common areas on campus - we're showing it in the Grove."

"Great! Thank you so much!" Click, close phone, run back into the newsroom. "WHO'S FREE TO GO TO OXFORD TONIGHT?!"

"WHAT!? WE CAN GO?"

"YES!"

Okay, I realize that was a little dramatic, but we were just so excited to get to be there. Three of us got to go - a fellow reporter and the photography editor. We had a good ride down there and the weather was incredible. Kudos to Ole Miss for a job well done - very well organized, friendly volunteers/workers, clean facilities, and decent parking. Not to mention excellent idea to broadcast the debate in the Grove on two big screens to enable thousands to stay on campus, even if they couldn't make it inside to the actual debate.

I'm in the process of writing a story about the debate - it'll be interesting. Still haven't figured out exactly how I feel about the debate - were questions really answered, who has solid ideas, where in the world are we going to come up with something to get the country out of this economic crisis?

Okay, enough researching, reading, Twittering, and typing. It's been a very long day and I'm headed to bed...FINALLY.