My Voting Adventure(s)

I know I have expressed before that I love to vote. I love that I get to make my voice heard. I have followed Presidential primaries since 1968; I was in junior high and our history teacher got us all involved in the process. In MN (at least when I lived there) primaries were open. You went, and you were handed a ballot. You did not say which party you were there to vote for; that was private. All candidates for both parties were on the ballot (you could only vote for 1, though). Anyway, it was quite a shock to my parents when we moved to other places and you had to state party affiliation to participate in a primary. They wouldn’t state party affiliation; they felt it violated secret balloting.
  I on the other hand did do it. Whichever party had the candidates that I believed in at the time, I registered for that party so I could participate in that primary. I continue that to this day. When we lived in NH, my husband and I were enthralled by the flood of candidates and reporters. It was a precious, precious joy to be able to speak with those who may be making policy. It was fascinating 10 years out from Watergate to see the journalists holding the candidates’ feet to the fire.

Today is the Arizona Republican Presidential primary. My husband headed to our polling place to vote early. He called me right afterward and told me CNN was at our polling place. Yes, CNN right here in Gilbert, AZ. My son and I headed to the polling place immediately to vote. The CNN truck was there, satellites and all. We wandered over to the truck, poked our heads in to say hi. Yep—I am bold that way! The reporter (Miguel Marquez) asked if we voted yet. ‘No, not yet’ we said. He said “come on back by after you do”….you’d better believe we did!!

We discussed (off camera) what our biggest concerns are; we discussed if that or other reasons influenced/determined who we voted for. It was an amazing ‘meeting of the minds’ intelligent discussion. I don’t mean to intimate I expected anything else. But we get so used to sound bite coverage and sensationalism that we forget that ‘Edward R. Murrow’ style journalists still exist. 

This reporter (Miguel Marquez) is insightful, intelligent, and profoundly interested in life’s possibilities and honest coverage. … and Josh and I got to meet him today. His producer (Traci Tamura) took our picture with Miguel (she is awesome as well). She. too is a top-notch journalist/producer — and has traveled the world to bring the truth.

I have put Miguel’s incredible background below. As soon as I find a specific write-up of Traci’s I will add it. What I did do is see some of the stories she handled. Know that she was recently on special assignment in Pakistan among others. Her background in international events is extraordinary as well. Apparently we hit the jackpot today—two extraordinary journalists in one fabulous morning.
Needless to say, today goes down in the memory books for me. Voting is always special; today, though, I am over the moon!! I asked him for his business card; he has only been back at CNN for a week, so he doesn’t have them yet. I asked him for his autograph; he said ‘me? I’m nobody!” I said, “just the same, could I have your autograph”? — He signed a VHS case they had in the satellite truck. As Miguel wrote in his autograph 

–Watch often! I plan to. Miguel was far too modest, as you will see from his background. In these days of strutting and self-aggrandizement, I find that wonderfully refreshing.

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Miguel Marquez’s background from CNN site

Miguel Marquez is a correspondent for CNN based in Los Angeles. He returns to the network after more than six years at ABC News. He was based both in Los Angeles then London for ABC News and during his time there Marquez covered world events at a critical time. His reporting includes the Norway bombing and children’s camp massacre, the anti-government protests in Bahrain during which he as beaten by riot police, the struggle for Libya from both Tripoli and Benghazi.

On one of his many assignments in Afghanistan Marquez was the only TV reporter present for a major Marine operation in Now Zad, Helmand Province. Marquez also covered the offensive to regain control of the strategic city of Marja also in Helmand Province. He also made more than a dozen trips to Iraq where he covered the conflict at the height of the insurgency and the US led surge strategy that followed.

His initial start with CNN was in April 2003, as anchor for CNN Headline News based in CNN’s world headquarters in Atlanta. Marquez moved to Los Angeles to take up reporting duties for CNN in June 2003 where he covered everything from wildfires to the first Michael Jackson trial for CNN.

Before joining CNN, Marquez was a New York based national desk assistant to CBS Evening News, 48 Hours and 60 Minutes. His first reporting job was at WNBC in New York where he covered the daily events of the city. He moved to KSAZ in Phoenix, AZ where for three years he was a general assignment reporter.

Prior to pursuing a career in broadcast journalism, Marquez served as a legislative assistant to then US Representative Bill Richardson. Notably, while traveling to Pyongyang, North Korea as part of a congressional delegation, two US helicopter pilots were shot down north of the de-militarized zone and Marquez assisted in negotiations for their release. Marquez’s first job was as a researcher for the Congressional Research Service in Washington, D.C.

Marquez has a master’s degree in international affairs from Columbia University; a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of New Mexico and a liberal arts degree from New Mexico Military Institute.

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