The faces behind the facts: Journalists on covering the 2024 election

By Olivia Montgomery/Kent State NewsLab

Politics can be complicated, frustrating or just too emotionally charged to read about. 

Political journalists work to weave through these braids of complex legislation, heated debates and what election results mean. 

At the same time, reporters have to maintain their professionalism, give voice to people who are often overlooked and manage the difficult emotional landscape of politics in the U.S. 

I spoke with three political reporters about how their unique perspectives and journalistic experience have guided their coverage. 

Perspective from a journalist outside of the U.S.

Martha McHardy is a U.K.-based journalist who reports on U.S. news for Newsweek. She has covered 2024 presidential election and pro-Palestine protests on college campuses, among other events. 

Q: When you’re covering these United States political issues from an outside perspective, from being in the U.K., what is that like for you?

A:  I think especially with Trump, the whole tone of American politics has been lowered so much since 2016, that it’s unrecognizable to what it is in [the U.K.] and also what it used to be in America. I think as someone in the U.K., I do find it insane. I think I also find it a bit easier to distance myself from it. It’s not happening in my country. I’m not living under a Trump presidency. I have some friends who—they don’t live in America, but they have American family, or were born in America, and they’re really affected by what’s been going on. Obviously, I am, too, but not in the same way. I don’t know if that’s helpful for journalism. 

Q: How do you work to explore all angles or sides of a topic before you start writing it? Then, how do you work to keep your own personal bias out of these stories that you’re working on?

A: I don’t actually have the answer, because I don’t know if you always can keep your personal biases out of your journalism. Obviously, every journalist tries very hard to do that. But you know, every single thing you write, every single story you pitch, is informed by some kind of belief or bias that you have, and it’s kind of impossible to avoid it. But, I mean, it’s always important to actually get all the sides of an argument.

Perspective from a student journalist

Mays Turabi is the editor-in-chief of the Cleveland State Cauldron, the student newspaper for Cleveland State University. Turabi took charge of news coverage regarding the election alongside a fellow student reporter. 

Q: How did you start going down the political journalism path?

A: In Fall 2022, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown visited CSU to mobilize student voters for the midterms, and then-editor-in-chief Jaden Stambolia asked his staff at the time if anyone could interview Brown. I was a freshman with zero journalism experience, yet I did not hesitate to take on the task. Kudos to my younger self—she was always particularly ambitious. By no means a perfect interview, but it covered major bases, even some controversial ones. A gratifying experience that took guts, that’s for sure!

Q: How do you handle being a student in tandem with your journalism work?

A: I like to think of journalism as the perfect supplement or perhaps partner to my coursework. It makes me a better student, a more qualified candidate in the pre-law pool and a smarter person overall. If I maintain this mindset, balancing school and journalism becomes a second language. 

Q: How has digital media changed the way you approach your job, from reporting to engaging with readers?
A: Digital media has taught me how students consume and why students consume, thereby influencing our manner of presenting information. How do we give students what they want — dramatic headlines, sparkly designs — without hindering the quality of the news they’re consuming? A question we never stop asking! Student journalism, albeit exhausting and humbling, is one of my greatest honors and joys.

Perspective from an Ohio political journalist

Haley BeMiller began reporting for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau in 2020, focusing on politics and state government. Previously, she covered political issues for multiple outlets in the state of Wisconsin. 

Q: How do you overcome obstacles when it comes to sourcing or getting people to open up about political topics, especially those issues that hit close to home for some?

A: Whether it’s a political piece [or another piece], these are really difficult things for people to talk about. Most normal people don’t want to sit around talking about the election results or specific candidates. I think it requires a lot of patience and empathy to a degree. Also just recognizing that with politics it’s very contentious, people argue a lot. When people see that you’re treating them like a human being, and not just as a Republican or Democrat, I think that helps build trust as well. 

Q: When you are going into interviews, how do you go about covering particularly complicated issues that many might not understand, or that maybe you don’t even fully understand?

A: Just be upfront with the people that you’re talking to. Say, ‘look, I don’t get this. Help me, walk me through this.’ I also like to end interviews with, ‘is there anything else you wanted to add?’, ‘anything else I should be thinking about?’ I’ve found that I’ve never come across someone who treats me like an idiot because of that. I think a lot of these sources are receptive and probably appreciate reporters being candid if they don’t totally get something.

Q: Do you ever deal with public backlash or criticism when you’re writing these pieces, and if so, how do you deal with that?

A: In terms of reader feedback, if it’s really nasty, I don’t respond. But if people have thoughtful criticism or questions about a story, I’m happy to respond and just at the very least thank them for reaching out and reading and sharing their feedback. I’ve done several different trainings on building trust in news organizations at a time when there isn’t a lot. I find that I can do my little part when possible to explain stories and the job to people, because most people really don’t understand how we do things. There’s no reason that they should because there’s always been a kind of curtain, I think, over the journalistic process.

This story was originally published by the Kent State NewsLab, a collaborative news outlet publishing journalism by Kent State students.