Racing against time

I’m also racing against time, like others. With countdown has started and days numbered, I’m like a traveler getting ready to pack up for entirely different world--called as third world. Call every day to different fellows exchanging advices how to utilize the training allowance and then shooting mails to Susan for winning her nod before placing online purchase order, it is how I spend most of my time amid office business. I have one week left in New York Times’ main office that will be spent on editorial section, my work place for last one week. After getting sick in Chicago, it was refreshing start in editorial section. Frankly, it’s a big learning place, must-visit place for intellectual nourishment. Journalism is not only the learning about CAR, investigative reporting, drafting, it also largely deals with intellect, knowledge, vision and for this, there is a need of extensive reading and interaction with policy makers. I consider it a wonderful experience since I have had this opportunity first in NYT’s Washington bureau and now in editorial section. Since last morning when I joined editorial section, I’ve been kept more or less busy, in one or other way. I spent time helping different editorial writers, mostly those write about local and international politics.

Eleanor writes on New York politics. She is conducting endorsement interview of different candidates—for New York Senate and Congress. I spoke to candidates’ campaign and set up meetings. And when they arrived for interview, I was among the penal. New York Times conduct interviews of different candidates ask them their electoral preferences and plan to overcome with existing challenges, and then editorial board applies collective wisdom to endorse the best candidate in race and write editorial on him/ her. Wisdom behind this exercise, Eleanor told me, is to help people making choice since sometimes they don’t have time and access to ascertain candidature. I also heard Japanese ambassador being interview by the editorial board. The guest is told in advance that the whole discussion is off-the-record and for the consumption of editorial staff and that the guest name won’t be used anywhere anytime. The guest is also told that there is different between “off-the-record” of newsroom and editorial board.

As Pakistan’s Prime Minister was in Washington last week, I had a chat everyday with relevant writer discussing the positive and negative aspects of his visit and we’ll write together an editorial next week. Next week starting today (Aug. 3) is very hectic. Editorial board will be having a number of high-profile guests like former Israeli Prime Minister, Congressman heading committee on South Asia-Middle East, Ambassador of Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) and Governor New York. It’d be really fascinating idea to hear them. I’ll also spend sometime with the editor of editorial section, knowing more about their policy and different experiences. With every passing day, I feel sad because I wanted to spend more time with them.