In front of his fireplace, Eamon Javers ’94 dials into the CNBC control room using a “padcaster,” an iPad on a tripod with a light attached to the top. Thanks to technology, the Washington correspondent is able to continue broadcasting live from home during the pandemic.
“Now, everyone online can pick apart my bookshelf and reading habits,” he joked to Alison King Haley ’84, P’23 during a webinar on April 20. The virtual Q&A featured Javers, who described his experience covering politics and the White House. Haley, a political reporter for NBC Boston, moderated the event, which was hosted by the Office of Alumni Relations and Colgate Professional Networks.
Javers and Haley discussed how COVID-19 has impacted the field of reporting. “In terms of practicality, reporting from home is almost the same,” Javers said. “If this had happened 10 years ago, we never would have been able to do this, but we’ve all just gotten to the point where the kids and the dog are normal parts of the workday.”
As a White House reporter, Javers has faced some difficulties working from home because he can’t physically go to the White House as he usually would. He also noted the congressional ramifications of COVID-19, pointing out that congress initially had no method of remote voting. “The reality is, the leadership in congress doesn’t want to confront the loss of political power it would represent,” he said. “The ability to physically cajole members of congress, to set the schedule and force them to stay in session overnight and vote as late as 1 a.m., that’s one of the real brass tacks and sources of power for congressional leaders these days.”
Javers believes that the pandemic will have a dramatic impact on the political world. “Like during the 2008 financial crisis, a relatively mild event compared to what we have now, we’re seeing extreme political movements on the wings,” he said. “We’re already seeing armed militia forces storming statehouses protesting state closures, and we’re seeing people advocating for an immediate universal base income. That’s all unpredictable, and we don’t know where it’s going to land, but it’s going to have a seismic effect on politics.”
Other online events organized in the spring by the Office of Alumni Relations included Mark Divine ’85 discussing how to manage fear and stress, wine tasting 101 with Mari Jones ’09, and the proper goals of a college education with David McCabe, the Richard J. and Joan Head Chair in philosophy.