Hannah Hecht's Blog

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The article “Richard Mourdock Rape Comments May Be October Surprise To Help Dems, Obama” by The Huffington Post’s Michael McAuliff  and Sabrina Siddiqui covers the recent rape comments made by Indiana Senator Richard Mourdock. The article puts forth the idea that these comments may give Obama and the Democratic Party the advantage that they need in swing states. Before the comments were made, Mourdock was the only congressional candidate endorsed formally by Mitt Romney. The article compares Mourdock’s remark that pregnancies coming from rape are “something that God intended to happen” to Todd Akin’s “legitimate rape” firestorm earlier this fall.

I think that this article is definitely newsworthy, because it highlights a belief of a major congressional candidate that can be very offensive to people everywhere. It also sheds some light on Republican Tea Party extremists and their thoughts for the future of the country.

The article does a good job of presenting the information. It not only covers the comment, it also puts a special emphasis on its effect on the presidential election and senate elections across the country.

Click here for the article.

The New York Times opinion article “The Cancer Lobby” by Nicholas Kristof examines the chemical formaldehyde and its capacity as a carcinogen. Formaldehyde is present in all kinds of different household items “from nail polish to kitchen countertops, fabric softeners to carpets.” However, most people do not know that formaldehyde is a carcinogen, and the American Chemistry Council is lobbying Congress to keep it that way. The article compares this cover-up effort to the efforts of the tobacco industry to delay legislation regulating cigarettes.

This is definitely newsworthy. In fact, the main purpose of the news media is to keep the government honest, and this article works to do so. It exposes some of the corruption that comes with lobbying efforts in Washington that end up hurting the people, in the end. I think that the article was written very well and I would not have done anything differently. It was even able to effectively use a question in the lede, which is a very tricky thing to do. The article is aiming to shock the audience, which I think is the approach to take. The fact that there are a multitude of carcinogens in my home is very shocking, and the writer treats it as so.

 Presidential campaigns rely heavily on the time and energy of volunteers across the country. Here in Sioux City, volunteers like Morningside history major Jack O’Brien help campaigns reach out to voters and deliver their message.

O’Brien has been volunteering with President Obama’s grassroots campaign, Organizing for America, since the 2008 election.

“For me, tuition is the main issue,” said O’Brien. “I am able to go to school cheaper when interest rates are down and student loans are more available.” O’Brien also supports Obama’s stances on abortion, gay rights, and foreign policy.

O’Brien has taken advantage of many different opportunities that have stemmed from his volunteer efforts. Through his work with Organizing for America (OFA), he has been offered an internship with Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) in Washington D.C. this summer. He even was able to meet President Obama in September, upon his visit to Sioux City.

“Basically they wanted 20 people from different constituencies, like a businessman or a politically-interested college student,” said O’Brien. “Through volunteering, I managed to make connections that got me that opportunity and others.”

Volunteers at the Organizing for America’s Sioux City office talk to voters across Siouxland about President Obama and his positions on a range of issues like the economy, women’s rights, and the Affordable Care Act. They use a range of different strategies, such as canvassing, holding press conferences with prominent Democrats, and phone-calling, all to convince people to vote in favor of the Democratic cause.

“It’s really exciting to talk to undecided voters, especially when they’re willing to have a conversation.” said Sioux City community member and OFA team leader Joan Tozier. “The times that they not only listen, but add to what you’re saying, that’s when you know you’re getting through to them. That’s a good feeling.”

The volunteers at the Sioux City OFA office believe that the votes of every citizen on the west side of Iowa will be very important in the upcoming election.

“This part of Iowa is known as the ‘firewall’ because of its high Republican concentration,” said Tozier. “We really are very important because if we can pull this [part of the state] to democratic, then we will make a difference in the national election.”

Both O’Brien and Tozier feel that it’s very important for Morningside students to get involved in the campaign.

“Sometimes people can be in favor of something, but they think everyone else will volunteer,” says Tozier. She believes that the volunteers here in Iowa are some of the most important in the country in swaying the campaign.

Working with OFA is also an important learning experience.

“Even if you’re on the fence, it’s an informative process,” says O’Brien. “Getting involved will help you find out what you believe. At a time when most people here [at Morningside] are casting their first vote, that’s pretty important.”

Prospective volunteers can contact the Sioux City Organizing for America office at (712) 869-9209 or come by 4106 Morningside Ave from 9am to 9pm every day. Volunteers for canvassing are especially welcome on weekends and Tuesday and Thursday nights.

Click here for the article.

The Huffington Post article “Presidential Debate 2012: Mitt Romney Gets His Moment,” describes what Mitt Romney will have to do in tonight’s debate in order to put himself back on the electoral map. The article used a few different polls to explain that Mitt Romney still has a chance of winning the presidential race, but he will have to prove that he would make a better president than Barack Obama. It highlights the prevailing attitude that Romney would do a better job of handling the economy, Romney’s likeability (or lack thereof, especially when contrasted with Obama’s), and the viewpoints of different American subsets (such as women, white males, and minorities) on both candidates.

This article is definitely newsworthy. The presidential debate season begins tonight and will play a role in the votes of many undecided voters. I thought the article did a good job of handling the subject. While President Obama’s policies have been well known to the public for the last four years, Romney is still in the process of introducing himself to the American people. The article decided to come at the story by spotlighting Romney because of this, which I thought was a good way to handle it. It did a good job of showing both candidates strengths and faults, and I wouldn’t have written it any differently.

Click here for the article.

This week, J.K. Rowling’s first non-Potter centered book, The Casual Vacancy will be available in bookstores everywhere this Thursday. While the world is incredibly excited to see what Rowling has in store for this adult novel, a question burns in the back of many people’s heads. “What about Harry?” In an interview on Wednesday, Rowling said that while she probably won’t write any prequels or sequels to the Harry Potter series, she may write something else centered in her magical world.

This is definitely newsworthy. Rowling is one of the most successful authors of our time. The article not only highlights her new book, it also gives very interesting information about a new younger children’s book and the possibility of another story in the Harry Potter universe. Many people, from children who are currently reading the series, to the diehard fans who grew up with it (now mainly college students and older), to the adults who found that the Harry Potter books are much more complex and engaging than any other work of children’s fiction will be very interested to hear about the possibility of a new book.

I thought that the article was written very well and it made good use of quotations. It covered a lot of subject material in a short amount of space and I would not have done it any differently.

Colin Higgins, a freshman nursing major at Morningside College, has quite a sense of humor, despite his very serious summer occupation. Higgins drives an ambulance as an EMT during the summers. Though he is very serious on the job, his favorite way to unwind is to watch “Super Troopers,” a hilarious, if not a little crude, comedy.

“Does it have to be appropriate?” asked Higgins with a slight smile when asked about his favorite movie. “Super Troopers” features Jay Chrandeskar, Kevin Hefferman, Steve Lemme, Paul Soter, and Erik Stohlhanske as Vermont State Troopers who get themselves involved in various shenanigans inside and outside of the work environment.

Colin’s work experience from the summer forms a direct contrast to the hilarious escapades of the Troopers. This summer, he   had to keep his cool in various life-threatening situations in order to save lives. On his first day on the job, he was a part of three life flights and a six hour drive to transfer someone from one hospital to another.

Through all of the ups and downs of driving an ambulance, Colin still continues to keep his good humor and smiling personality.

Click here for the Huffington Post article.

Click here to see the leaked video of Romney’s controversial comments.

The Huffington Post article “Mitt Romney Video Sends Capitol Hill Republicans Running for the Hills,” describes the reactions of many different Republican congressmen to Mitt Romney’s “47 percent” comment released earlier this week. The congressmen of the GOP had varied reactions, some standing behind his comments, but a surprising number of politicians, such as Senator Scott Brown (MA) openly denounced Romney’s comments.

This event, and the reactions of the Republican congressmen, is definitely newsworthy. Some people are even saying that these comments will lose the election for Mitt Romney. In an election year, the parties have to stick together and put their full force behind their candidate. The fact that some of the GOP’s most prominent politicians are trying to distance themselves from Romney and his comments shows that he cannot be the best person for the job. How can the Republican Party sell that Mitt Romney ought to become president if the politicians on his own side don’t even agree with his ideas?

The article was well-written and gave several examples of different Republicans who are trying to distance themselves from Mitt Romney and his “47 percent” comment. While I had already read a little on the subject and seen the leaked video, it was smart of the journalist to use the third paragraph of the article to summarize the leaked comments. The only thing that I would have done differently if I were the one writing the article has to do with a quote. This paragraph appears near the middle of the article:

“Everybody is running away from Romney,” Reid said. “That’s why Republicans all over the country are running away from Romney as fast as they can.”

This quote contains reasoning that is very obviously circular, and its inclusion kind of weakens the article as a whole. If I were the journalist, I may have just written “Everybody is running away from Romney” and left it at that. Otherwise, I may have worked to find a different quote.

On a personal note, I believe that these comments further prove to the nation that Romney is not ready for the presidency. It’s a president’s job to make the United States better as a whole for everyone who lives there, not just those who voted for him. And, if elected, it will most definitely be Mitt Romney’s job to take care of not just the 47%, but the 100%.

While I think that my writing skills are pretty strong, I struggle with writing in a journalistic format, instead of the five-paragraph essay style. Most of the writing that I’ve done in the past has been for English classes, and journalistic writing is entirely different. News stories that I write tend to be either incredibly boring and factual, or too creative and lacking in factual detail. I’d really like to learn how to strike that balance between journalism and true prose. Eventually, I’d like to be able to write news stories that still contain a hint of my own personal style and creativity.

Click here for the article

The article “London 2012 Delivers Unexpected Legacy” by CNN’s Piers Edwards, describes the impact of this year’s Paralympic Games on the world. While, in the past, the Paralympics have been underrated and underreported, London changed all of that. It quoted a newspaper in saying “The 2012 Paralympics will live long in the memory as the Games where South Africa and the world learnt that these Games were not the fun games nor the ‘shame’ games.” The article highlighted many different Paralympic athletes and focused on the positive impact that the Games had on viewpoints of disabled people.

This article is very newsworthy because it highlights an event that involves incredible accomplishment, inspires disabled people to continue pursuing their dreams, and highlights the world’s changing perception of disability. It also contained a lot of information about the Games as a whole, and taught me about something that I knew very little about.

However, I thought that it was kind of lazy of the author, as a writer for a major news source, to quote a different newspaper instead of interviewing actually people and coming up with his own ideas. I also thought that the lede was a little misleading, as it didn’t even really mention the Paralympics or athletes with disabilities. I was under the impression that the article was about the regular Olympics until I came across the name of a swimmer that I’d never heard of, and, later down the list, the description “double amputee.” It would have been a lot clearer if the article mentioned that it was about the Paralympics (and not the Olympics) explicitly within the first few sentences.

While the Hindman-Hobbs Center is home to a weight room, an indoor track, recreational basketball courts, wrestling rooms, and classrooms, the pool is the often-overlooked heart and soul of the recreation center. Built in 1988, the aquatic center has seen better days; it now is home to chipped lane lines, outdated equipment, and worn starting blocks. However, the men and women who spend four hours a day swimming back and forth across the 25 yard pool will tell you that it has a lot of character. “The pool is where we come together as a team though all the sweat and tears,” says Krystal Carlson, senior captain of the 2012-2013 Mustang swim team, “I’ve put in hours and hours of work here, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

Sitting on the cool, tiled floor of the pool deck, one gets a sense of being completely at peace. The gentle buzz of the water filter, coupled with soft trickle of water sliding over the deck, fill the air. The quiet and constant sounds make it quite easy to think; to observe the gently moving water in silent contemplation. A distinctive aroma of chlorine fills the air, strong, but not unpleasant. There’s no distracting music, electronics, or conversation; the clarity of the faintly teal water reflects one’s own clarity of thought.

When it’s getting close to practice time, person by person, the members of the swim team start to appear on deck; young men coming from the locker rooms on the left and young women from the locker rooms on the right. They all wear minimal clothing which show off their muscled frames, Speedo briefs for the men and tight, form-fitting racing suits for the women. Their conversations are almost indecipherable; sound bouncing off the cement walls and echoing across the deck. In contrast with their athletic appearances, many of the team members seem awkward on their feet. They walk in a gangly way that befits young teenagers, not experienced athletes. However, they all appear confident and at ease, happy to be ready for a challenge and overjoyed to be in a place where they feel truly accepted.

The coach, friendly but authoritative, says something. One by one, they enter the water and morph from awkward teenagers to hardened athletes. They perform each stroke with ease and gracefully glide through the water. Each armstroke makes a soft “whoosh” as the swimmer’s fingers enter the water. A fast staccato kick bubbles at the surface of the water and propels the swimmer toward the opposite wall.

The practice wears on and, all the while, a huge painted logo looks down upon the swimmers, a majestic and fierce Morningside Mustang, reminding them that they compete not just for themselves, but for the college and for their teammates. Stroke after stroke, lap after lap, and practice after practice they swim back and forth. Weeks pass and each athlete experiences incredible heartbreak, exhaustion, and joy, all in that same echoing, worn-down room. But the pool stays exactly the same. The water continues to flow over the edge, the filter continues to buzz, and a harsh chlorinated smell continues to permeate the air.

In 50 years, when it all is said and done, the athletes may not remember their fastest times. All of the races, workouts, and conversations will slowly fade away. They may not even be able to name every one of their teammates. But, whenever they walk by a steamy indoor pool where the harsh smell of chlorine permeates the air, they’ll remember that distinct emotion of confidence, joy, and excitement. They’ll know that the old Hindman-Hobbs pool was the place in college where they truly belonged.