[Leica] Answering Sonny about tomorrow

[jon.stanton at comcast.net (Jon)]

Sonny asked:
"Jon, when you called the Police on a guy doing his job as the 4th estate,
you changed it from a privacy issue to a freedom issue.  You never did
answer my question.  Was the reporter obnoxious before or after he was asked
to leave?"

I was in the booth with my back to the door....I heard some noise, and then
a  raised voice "you can't bring that in here" (the poll watchers/called
judges in Chicago were all elderly people who perhaps were unsure of
acceptable protocol) referring to a camera...another raised voice responded
"yes I can"....the poll watchers began discussing can he or not? and who do
we call? (I was out of the booth at this point) The reporter and cameraman
were discussing where to set up....A poll watcher politely asked them if
they would step outside until they (poll watchers) were able to speak to
someone with authority. The reporter loudly refused...stating "his rights"
As I mentioned earlier it is a small space....a mobile classroom. There were
maybe 4 booths, 2 tables with 6 watchers each covering I believe 6 different
precincts...(I live in a rural area) The poll watchers remained civil and
soft-spoken. The reporter no doubt, (by your interpretation) was becomingly
increasingly frustrated and louder. Keep in mind the reporter deals with
this (his rights to a story) on a daily basis....the poll watchers once
every four years if at all. The reporter in my estimation was "chip on the
shoulder obnoxious" from moment one..He surely could have waited the few
moments to be vindicated by a phone call to someone in the know. Note
also...I was not the only one to complain....I received a follow-up call
from the PD corroborating my complaint with others. Had I access to a local
phone number for KIRO/KOMO ? I would have complained to the News Director.
Re: the mic...No...it did not happen in this instance....but it has
happened....mic in the face and some reporter asking me a dumb
question....One instance comes to mind....I was working at the Harris Bank
in Chicago....The bank was evacuated because of a bomb scare (early 70's
Puerto Rican Nationals FALN) after coming down 9 flights I reach street
level and a mic is shoved in my face with a voice asking me if I was
"inconvenienced"  No warning! No ID...(It was the ABC Chicago affiliate)