Mr. Ma goes to Washington

Wayne Ma | Daily Illini Columnist
Published Tuesday, April 27, 2004

WASHINGTON D.C. — A few weeks ago, I found myself at a Playboy 50th anniversary club tour interviewing Miss August 2003. She was explaining to me how she juggles being a full-time veterinarian while attending events each month for Playboy. Amusingly enough, the party was located at a nightclub in northeast Washington, a venue that just recently hosted the Young Democrats After Hours party, where I saw Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter and Al Gore, among other prominent Democrats, give speeches in support of John Kerry.

As I rode home in the cab with pictures of myself and a few playmates on my digital camera, I thought to myself that maybe this journalism thing wasn't so bad after all.

Yes, Washington has been good to me. This past semester, I've used my lowly DI press pass to see and meet politicians and journalists from all corners of the country. People from Helen Thomas, the oldest White House correspondent, to Barak Obama, Illinois candidate for the U.S. Senate, have graced my path.

I've sat at the same reception table as Gov. Howard Dean, had a discussion about South Africa's nuclear program with an assistant secretary of defense on the subway, argued with a former ambassador to the Reagan administration about gay marriage, laughed with Dick Durbin about being mentioned as a vice presidential candidate on The Daily Show, walked past John Edwards, Bob Graham and Wesley Clark at the Democrats United dinner and once observed Rush Limbaugh at a liberal media roast surprise audiences from behind a curtain to lambaste the poor coverage of his prescription drug case.

"You can always weasel your way in D.C. — you just have to be annoying," a journalism student with experience in Washington once told me.

She wasn't kidding.

So far, I've been able to find my way into the private offices of Tribune columnist Clarence Page and Sun-Times columnist and University alum Bob Novak to chat with them about column writing. I've found that professionals who normally might not have the time for anyone will bend over backward to help a student — and it's been quite a ride.

Meanwhile, I'm sure you're wondering what I've learned from my time here — other than that any event with the words "luncheon," "reception" and "dinner" is worth attending.

Perhaps I have a better understanding of how Washington really works. The District of Columbia, for one, is a city of many extremes. It's known for its high crime rates but also for having the most educated population. It contains some of the country's poorest areas next to some of its richest. It features some of the most beautiful buildings located down the street from the most rundown ghettos.

Politically, it's also at odds with the fundamentals of our Constitution. Washington is the only city in the United States with a budget determined exclusively by the federal government. The D.C. license plate jokingly reads, "Taxation without representation," poking fun at the fact that its residents don't have members in Congress.

And as an intern at the Department of Homeland Security, I've realized what others mean when they say government is bureaucratic and inefficient. My background check, for example, will still be in processing by the time I leave in early May. Furthermore, a good amount of my job involves reading about standards and guidelines. At a meeting, I once received an itinerary for an itinerary (don't ask).

But that doesn't mean I haven't enjoyed my internship, and I've obviously enjoyed attending events as a representative of the DI. While it's been difficult to move to a new place and adjust to life without my social niche, I don't have regrets. I've been able to have experiences that most students my age haven't, and the opportunity to share it with others has meant a lot to me.

This is Wayne Ma, from Washington, signing off.

Wayne Ma is a junior in LAS. This is his final column. He can be reached at opinions@dailyillini.com.