The UT Rec Sports Center: It ain't much to look at, but tonight it will be the center of the political universe. Credit: photo courtesy of University of Texas

Things are starting to rev up down here at the UT Rec Sports Center, site of tonight’s Obama-Clinton debate. I just strolled through the media area to take in the scene. More and more journalists are streaming in and setting up. We Chroniclers are situated between The Texas Observer and Texas Monthly‘s Paul Burka.

It’s always amusing to me to watch the TV people setting up. Thank god we print journalists don’t have to deal with all that equipment. Managing this laptop is quite enough, thanks. (And thank god we don’t have to look good or dress well.)

Everybody is here, ranging from The New York Times, National Public Radio, and the BBC to the Llano News, Nokoa (The Observer), and the West Austin News. There are even some high school reporters, and I’m sitting right behind a 14-year-old from Scholastic News.

Click here for a photo gallery of the debate preparations.

This article appears in February 15 • 2008.

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