Four Heralders made the trip to Milwaukee for Thursday’s Democratic Debate. It was a unique opportunity for student journalists with primary season underway and nine months until the election.
Here’s a behind the scenes look at the presidential debate and what it was like for media members to cover it:
The debate was sponsored by Facebook and PBS. Journalists, photographers and members of the media mingled in the Facebook room.
In the filing room, Badger Herald News Editor Hayley Sperling sits behind Wall Street Journal writer Peter Nicholas, who offered words of advice.
Protesters from many causes rallied outside University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Helen Bader Concert Hall before and throughout the debate.
Photographers stood alongside the stage waiting for the opportunity to take photos.
Photographers were given 60 seconds to photograph the candidates during a break following their opening statements. Audience members laughed as photographers eagerly approached the stage, one observer noting the horde of anxious photojournalists resembled “a stampede of wildebeests.”
Back in the filing room, Herald Digital News Editor Margaret Duffey feverishly takes notes as candidates address questions about various issues and policies.
Almost 400 journalists from across the nation were packed tightly in the media filing room within the UW-Milwaukee Student Union across the street from the debate location.
After the debate, journalists filled the spin room where they were able to ask senators, DNC spokespeople and other politicians reactionary questions.
