June 14th, 2010
|
Author: He looks a little apprehensive. Not necessarily nervous, but like all of his brain cells are standing on high alert. It’s Russ Feingold’s first press conference, and he doesn’t want to blow it.
C-SPAN’s online video archive allows web surfers to meander through the Congressional halls of time and happen upon novelties like the 1992 press conference for new senators where Senator Feingold made his first appearance on the cable channel.
Who of Wisconsin’s congressional delegation are surfers most likely to see on their journeys? It’s Democratic Congressman Dave Obey, Democratic Senator Feingold and Republican Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner, in that order, according to the archive, either speaking from the floor, in committee, in a press conference or on one of the cable station’s news programs.
They’re Wisconsin’s C-SPAN stars. Since the cable-industry-owned TV started began documenting (and broadcasting) the business of Congress in 1979, Obey, who has been in office since 1969, has appeared 914 times. Feingold, only in office since 1993, averages the most appearances per year (about 53) and has racked up 899. Sensenbrenner, another Congressional veteran who’s been in office since 1979, has 499 C-SPAN appearances to his name.
Way back where it all started for Feingold, in the 1992 press conference, his first question is easy. He’s standing in front of what appears to be a gaggle of reporters, and one throws up the first inquiry. “What do you think so far?” she asks.
“It’s fine so far. We’re just getting started and learning some of the procedures and hearing from some of the senators about the collegiality of the Senate as well as the obvious partisan differences. I’m enjoying listening and learning some of the history,” the young senator responds.
Then comes the let’s-get-serious-now-folks follow-up: “What’s on your agenda?”
Feingold dives right in, and his answer’s a bit of a mouthful: “The top of my agenda is the federal deficit, making sure that as we go forward to get the country moving again from an economic point-of-view that we don’t forget that part of this has to be a serious plan to reduce the federal deficit over the next four or five years, although I think health care ranks a very close second.”
Senator Herb Kohl and Congressman Ron Kind have enjoyed the fourth and fifth largest number of C-SPAN appearances, respectively, with 361 and 321. A relative newcomer, Congressman Paul Ryan, has racked up a respectable 278 since 1999.
His first appearance is on a C-SPAN Washington Journal program for new members of Congress. The host allows him a few seconds to introduce himself and comment on the selection of House leadership before opening the phone lines. The first caller comes through on the “moderates” line, identifies himself as a hunter and asks Ryan what’s his position on gun control.
The new congressman offers a preface to his position: “I, like you, am an avid hunter. I come from Wisconsin. The opening day of deer hunting season is Saturday. I’m flying back Friday so I can join my family hunting for deer.” Then comes Ryan’s stance. The Second Amendment protects the rights of private citizens to own firearms. “Gun control is not crime control,” he says. “The best way to fight crime is with strong deterrents against criminals who use a gun.”
C-SPAN claims to have 160,000 hours of footage now archived online – about 98 percent of its total video collection. The Purdue University School of Liberal Arts began the C-SPAN archive in 1987. C-SPAN took it over in 1998.
Post Footer automatically generated by Add Post Footer Plugin for wordpress.
Posted in Uncategorized