UNL grad adding voice, views to Nebraska politics
digg it!
Facebook
del.icio.us
Seed Newsvine
Fark It
Reddit
BY DON WALTON / Lincoln Journal Star
In the dynamic arena of the blogosphere, Kyle Michaelis is Nebraska’s progressive voice.
The 26-year-old launched New Nebraska Network three years ago to introduce “a more progressive or liberal perspective” into the state’s political debate.
Now he’s on the verge of landing media credentials to cover the 2008 Democratic national convention.
Related Link(s):
April 16
On Tony Raimondo’s Iraq war TV ad:
“In case anyone had any doubts, this should make it perfectly clear Raimondo is running a serious campaign, and he isn’t afraid to address some very serious issues while taking his message directly to Democratic voters. These same voters - especially in Omaha - eagerly await some sign that the Kleeb campaign is following suit.”
April 24
On Richard Carter’s challenge to Omaha Democratic congressional opponent Jim Esch to take a drug test:
“It’s one thing to stoop to this level, but it’s even worse to play the people for fools, acting innocent while exploiting a serious issue for cheap political gain. So far, this is the low point of the 2008 campaign season in Nebraska.”
April 25
On Scott Kleeb’s one allotted question to Raimondo during their Senate debate:
“Anyone think Kleeb will use that one question to ask Raimondo to sign a drug-free pledge and take a pee test? Yeah - me neither.”
In Nebraska bloggerville, that’s a breakthrough first.
Michaelis is in line to be accorded the same media access granted to the Lincoln Journal Star and the Omaha World-Herald, who will go to Denver in August backed by considerable resources.
Michaelis earns not a cent from his blog and refuses to solicit advertising.
Blog headquarters is his apartment at 16th and G streets, in a modest neighborhood. He enters the high-tech world from an eight-year-old desktop computer.
But Michaelis has beaten Nebraska’s established media to a prized interview with Barack Obama.
He created considerable buzz with a series of extensive candidate interviews. And he has initiated audio political commentary in the form of discussions online.
Obama was his first blog interview in 2006, when the Illinois senator came to Omaha to address a Democratic event. While the established media had to settle for a news conference, Obama sat down with Michaelis at the Hilton Omaha for 10 minutes.
Who is this guy?
Michaelis grew up in conservative country at West Point.
Graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a horde of academic riches.
Majored in political science and English.
Minors in psychology, philosophy, history, economics and film studies.
Then came a year in AmeriCorps working with refugees and new immigrants.
Then UNL’s College of Law, and a degree earned last December in an abbreviated 2½ years.
“I enjoyed law,” Michaelis says over coffee in the Haymarket at The Mill. “But I never had any intention of practicing law.
“In my mind,” he says, “I took this semester off. I’m looking for a job, I guess.”
In the meantime, he’s reading Stephen King, enjoying his “mammoth-sized” DVD collection, devouring newspapers online, limiting his TV viewing to the reach of rabbit ears.
And looking for a tennis match if it’s a nice day.
This is a Generation Y guy with an Internet presence who doesn’t have a laptop, doesn’t have a digital camera and has no background in Web design.
Michaelis is a gifted writer, who had an outlet — essentially “amusing myself” — as a columnist for the UNL student newspaper, the Daily Nebraskan, for 2½ years.
The blog — a site featuring regular posting of commentary or happenings — opened the next portal for his writing.
“A way to channel back in,” Michaelis says.
OK, let’s get a few things straight:
* Michaelis chose to label his blog as “progressive” rather than “liberal.” He doesn’t shy from being identified as a liberal, but he recognized the word has become “a very loaded term.”
* Yes, there’s “an undeniable connection” with Democratic politics on his blog — Michaelis is president of the Nebraska Young Democrats — but he’s “retaining my independence, expressing my own perspective, not carrying water for the Democratic Party.”
* He’s not angry. Some readers seem to think so, misjudging the strength of his convictions for an angry nature. He’s not mad, he just cares. In person, Michaelis is witty, relaxed, at ease.
What he wants is for all perspectives to be fully aired and considered in a traditionally Republican and conservative state.
Newspaper opinion in the state is overwhelmingly conservative and Republican.
Another Nebraska blog, Leavenworth Street, provides a decidedly Republican, although anonymous, point of view.
The New Nebraska envisioned by Michaelis would be “more willing to embrace innovation (and) more welcoming to diversity,” he says.
“Basic equality for all probably is the most important to me.”
In the crowded new world of 24-hour media competition, spin is becoming dominant and hard news scarce, Michaelis says.
“We do not need a nation of Bill O’Reillys,” he suggests.
“Democracy requires we be more engaged than fed.”
With that in mind, Michaelis says, he tries to be alert to “whether I’m spinning” rather than attempting to offer perspective.
“Truth isn’t just the facts. I try to draw connections. I think I can fill in some of the gaps.
“Ideas are powerful,” Michaelis says. “Not just words.”
No aspirations to be a full-time blogger, Michaelis says.
“For me, it’s always a side project, a channel for things I care about.”
His reasoning for not soliciting advertising income for his blog is two-fold and direct: “There’s a purity to it now. And I would be the person who would have to read those ads the most.”
Michaelis almost scuttled the blog a couple of years ago.
“After 2006, I had this goodbye cruel world moment when I decided to just focus on law school. I shut it down for a few days and people got mad at me.”
That’s when Ryan Anderson, a University of Nebraska at Omaha student, offered to help.
Soon there were three “contributing editors” and the blog evolved into a community Web site.
“It’s not just me on my soapbox now,” Michaelis says.
Other contributing editors have been Dave Sund, a UNO student, and Lisa Hannah, who previously launched her own blog to monitor the performance of newly elected Republican Rep. Adrian Smith.
But Michaelis is looking for help once again.
Hannah was hired by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee to track Republican Senate candidate Mike Johanns during the campaign.
Sund and Anderson are backing away to work on Democratic campaigns.
“If you’re still looking for an angle on any story that might result from our discussion,” Michaelis e-mailed this week, “Help Wanted might be the way to go.”
Michaelis finished law school with about $30,000 in student loan debt about to begin to come due.
“Student debt tends to force students into the corporate side,” Michaelis says.
“They plan on public interest law when they go in. Then they begin to think Kutak Rock for a couple of decades.”
Not him.
He has no plans to take the bar exam.
“My interests and skill set suggest I would work for government,” Michaelis says. “But I’m open to any possibility.”
Writing comes to mind.
Reach Don Walton at 473-7248 or at dwalton@journalstar.com.
Post Your Comment
Standards and RulesYour posted comment will appear after it has been approved.
Frequently asked questions about story commenting.
LOL! Don, you slay me. But this isn't April 1.
"
God Bless America wrote on April 30, 2008 7:58 am:
Good for you Kyle! Some of us totally enjoyed your editorials at the DN as a young, new refreshing view. Therefore we are very happy you continue to share your thoughts with those of us in Nebraska who get annoyed listening people parroting what they hear on Faux News, O Reilly and Rush and the blather from the local (all conservative and mostly spinmasters) radio talking heads. "
Way to go wrote on April 30, 2008 8:26 am:
JR wrote on April 30, 2008 8:54 am:
PROGRESSIVE wrote on April 30, 2008 9:13 am:
Luke Peterson wrote on April 30, 2008 9:33 am:
Kyle Michaelis is one of the most talented individuals I have ever meet. He is always thoughtful and very collegial even when he is upset about things he knows is just wrong. Kyle has the good ole common sense about him that can only be characterized as "genuine Nebraskan." I'm so thankful I can call him my friend while I honestly don't have very many because of the life and times in Nebraska that I live under. "
jiff wrote on April 30, 2008 11:39 am:
Ed Charrington wrote on April 30, 2008 2:45 pm:
Objective Reader of both blogs wrote on April 30, 2008 3:29 pm:
Leavenworth Street acknowledges Republican mishaps--This is the better blog by far "
Dave Sund wrote on May 1, 2008 12:21 am:
I have to echo Luke's comments above. It's been a great privilege to share a platform with Kyle these past few months. He's always sure to keep us in check and intellectually honest. "