Gregory

What made you initially interested in researching your project in particular?
For as long as I can remember, I’ve relaxed by watching videos of past major political events on YouTube and CSPAN. There’s so much out there. You can watch the each of the Walter Mondale and Jimmy Carter debates on YouTube, as well as coverage from Watergate and live reactions to the 1976 Presidential Elections. I found Rush Limbaugh in one of my CSPAN searches. His rise in politics was as fascinating as it was consequential. Professor Marshall and I were hooked.

Please provide a brief summary of your research.
By 1994, Republicans, and Rush Limbaugh in particular, had essentially cornered the radio media market nationally. And that resulted in real electoral consequences for Democrats, who were swept in Congress for the first time in nearly half a century in that year’s midterms. I spent the summer investigating ways Democrats looked to close that radio gap. Former politicians like Gary Hart, Mario Cuomo and L. Douglas Wilder started their own shows, each seeking to become “the Limbaugh of the Left,” but to do it with “thought talk” instead of bluster. For a myriad of reasons, it didn’t land.

What made you interested in pursuing (interdisciplinary) research more broadly?
It’s a skill I never gleaned through my classes at Northwestern, one that I think is necessary for someone that wants to go into journalism and write long-form investigative stories. I needed the training wheels.

Describe your experiences with research thus far. Was it tricky? What skills do you think you’ve gained?
There’s so much information out there. Too much, almost. I’ve learned how to refine searches, the key words to input for the most valuable links and documents.

Any tips or advice you have for students similar to you that are interested in pursuing undergraduate research?
Talk to people. When I started working with Professor Marshall this summer, I thought I’d spend it sifting through documents, reading papers and going through archives. I decided somewhere along the line to approach my research like a Journalist; by reaching out to potential sources and scheduling interviews. It’s how I ended up getting to talk to people like Gary Hart, Marjorie Margolies and Doug Wilder. Those interviews proved invaluable.

What is your most useless talent?
I know probably everything about every hockey player in the NHL. What teams they played for, where they were drafted, favorite foods, etc.