Category: All History is Local History

Calhoun vs. Krayeske

by Craig Fehrman, posted in All History is Local History, Sports, The Media

[Gelf]

Reporters make for some of the toughest interviews, precisely because they know what makes for a tough interview. They directly address questions, rarely ramble, talk in soundbites.

This might seem like a writer’s dream—they even remember to pause and let you catch up!—but the best material in an interview often comes when people ramble, non-sequiturize, or just fill dead air. When reporters worry about helping you out and giving you what you “need” for a story, they often render the conversation sterile and predictable.

This was not a problem with Ken Krayeske. Despite Deadspin’s snark, Krayeske has a pretty solid resume as a reporter, but it’s his recent question to UConn coach Jim Calhoun that’s getting him national attention. The ensuing dust-up has generated plenty of inane opinion, but little actual reporting. So, with Gelf’s blessing, I decided to talk with Krayeske about his question. The results may surprise you.

N.B. (updated)

by Craig Fehrman, posted in All History is Local History, Features, Hoosiers, Politics

[Culture11]

I grew up in a tiny Indiana town, where, each political year, we bonded over a latent jealousy toward Ohio for its constant visits and stump speeches and attention; all we got were the commercials, since our TV channels came from Cincinnati.

Of course, this all made sense. Politicians and reporters ignored Indiana because, as a state, it had already cast its ballot. (This year may prove to be an exception, which is why we’re getting covered.) But this doesn’t mean that every county and town mirrored the state’s worldview—Bloomington, I’m looking at you—and I’ve long held the theory that there’s just as much to learn from a man-on-the-street piece on Indiana as from one on Ohio.

A few weeks ago, Culture11 gave me a chance to turn theory into praxis. I don’t live in Indiana now, but the same principles should apply to a true-blue state like Connecticut. Check out my dispatch from North Branford, one of that state’s independent small towns.

UPDATE: If my story inspires you to do some electoral digging of your own, check out this Google map, which includes the results from the last seven presidential elections. Unfortunately, it stops breaking down the results at the county level, so you’ll have to trust me on North Branford. (h/t Marc Ambinder)