Matt Lauer on DoG Street
The Daily Press reported today that NBC Today show host Matt Lauer and weatherman-on-the-street Al Roker will be broadcasting this Wednesday live from…yes, that’s right — WILLIAMSBURG.
Mr. Lauer will apparently be conducting the show from the colonial capitol building while Al will be walking Duke of Gloucester Street. One thing that was particularly of interest, though, is the reason for their visit to our old little town:
The show will originate in Williamsburg on Wednesday as part of a four-day focus on “battleground states” in this year’s presidential election.
The polls indicate that Virginia is more or less up for grabs this time around — Politico’s 2008 Swing State Map currently shows John McCain up by a thin margin in the Old Dominion, 47.6% to 46.2%. In 2004, Williamsburg as a city voted for Sen. John Kerry 51.3% to 47.8% — but, as a whole, it’s hard to believe that a state that went eight points for Bush in 2004 is legitimately up for grabs now. The polls do seem to indicate, though, that Virginia is a legitimate toss-up. (As a side note, I’m sure Matt Lauer will do his best to convince Colonial Wiliamsburg’s cobbler and blacksmith to vote for Obama — most of the students certainly don’t need to be told twice.)
All in all though, the Today show’s arrival in the Burg is pretty exciting — I will definitely be going to DoG Street on Wednesday morning, and I hope a lot of students turn out as well. This is one of Williamsburg’s few moments in the national spotlight — let’s take advantage of it.
[NCF]