Stuck Between Left and Right

(Minneapolis, from the east. The white dome in the front is the Metrodome.)

Howdy all! I just got into the Twin Cities less than a week ago, and I've barely had a moment to spare, and no internet connection besides. But I've found a minute to go to a Starbucks and get this blog going.

I'm David Klock, from Wyndmoor (right outside of Chestnut Hill). I'm also a junior at Macalester College here in St. Paul. Macalester has invited me to come back a week early to participate in a seminar about the upcoming RNC in St. Paul, including an internship. For the next two weeks, I'm going to be spending ten-hour days listening to congressmen, discussing the elections, and working on the floor of the convention.

At the same time, I'll be negotiating my school, Macalester. Macalester students are not entirely friendly to the Republicans. Three days ago, before classes had even begun, they were out on the streets waving signs and protesting the war. Our campus is planning to host hundreds of activists from around the country who will gather to disrupt the convention. Needless to say, most of the folks on campus aren't too happy about my work for the RNC...if anything interesting happens on the protest front, I'll get it up here on the blog for you, as well.

One more thing you should know: I'm a Democrat. Why am I working at the RNC? Because it's interesting to me. I've spent all my life around Democrats, not least on the campus of Macalester, and I want to broaden my horizons a bit. Maybe I'll learn something I didn't know, maybe I'll change my views...I'd much rather be here than at the DNC. This will be an eye-opening experience.

Now I have to run and catch a ride to the seminar today. We're going to tour the Xcel Center, where the RNC will be held, today. I'll be back this evening to get some photos up and tell you a bit more about my experience here.