Light Moments from Local News

For all of you non-Ohioans who don't have the priviledge of watching the local coverage by NBC affiliate WKYC, we've been graced with some prime moments.

First, we were surrounded by MSNBC's Hardball host, Chris Matthews. Not only is he taping live from Cleveland State University twice tonight (first from 5-6 p.m., and now again from 7-8 p.m.), but the rest of the press room got the impression that he was participating in two interviews at the same time. Live on Hardball being broadcast on the smaller televisions in the press filing room, and again on the local station on the projector screen in the front. Supposedly the local interview was taped earlier, but I wouldn't put it past Matthews to be in two places at one.

Next, they went to local reporter, Jennifer Murphy, who began speaking about the hundreds of fans for both Clinton and Obama who are braving the cold tonight, just as a huge Ron Paul sign appeared behind her. The camera frantically moved to the side to catch the Clinton signs, but they were largely unsuccessul. For most of her broadcast, the Paulites won out.

On a slightly more serious note, the local media are paying plenty of attention to the youth vote. In one interview they ask a bunch of Cleveland high school students about the issues that they most care about. Then they showed scenes from the debate watch party, where supporters took to dancing in front of the camera.

Needless to say, Ohioians, including the local media, are taking advantage of the pivitol role they suddenly find themselves in in these primaries.