So nobody asked. But here goes a thread about covering the US presidential election as a journalist from a - compared to US standards - fairly small marked; the Danish. I will be updating this throughout the coming day’s. #USElection2020

My media outlet is called B.T. It’s a tabloid. And it’s the largest newspaper and online publication in Denmark with about 1.5 million daily readers. #USElection2020

I am fairly new to covering US politics in the US. My base is in Copenhagen. But I travel to the US whenever it’s deemed necessary and covid alows it. Currently I am in the US. #USElection2020

So when I said fairly new I have been covering US politics for more than four years on and off. The last year on. In this thread I will share with the no one who is reading what I have and will learn - and more importantly what I haven’t learned. #USElection2020

On wednesday I arrived in D.C. to cover this years election. Got this pretty good hotel in Arlington for one night. The description promised a room with a view. This is what I got.

I would like to apologize in advance. My phone’s settings is in Danish. Autocorrect is already killing me. #USElection2020

So before I arrived in the US I had decided to spent my days before the election in West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania before returning to D.C. on the day of the election. But something extraordinary happened that made me change that. #USElection2020

I got an e-mail. This e-mail. #USElection2020

Let me explain. Normally smaller foreign country media outlets like B.T. do not get approved for those kind of things (Instead we stand in line with everybody else for hours to get in). I have gotten rejections before. So have many of my colleagues. I try anyway. Just in case.

So all my plans pushed aside. I jump in my rental Hyundai. Thrilled. Start the approx five hours drive from D.C. To Fayetteville, NC. The rain is pouring down. Hurricane Zeta has hit mainland US. The drive is slow. But still I am thrilled. #USElection2020

Five hours later I arrive in Fayetteville, NC. The weather has cleared and in the low 80’ies. I find the Fayetteville Regional Airport where the rally is. Trying to find the press parking - yup I got acces to that - and it hits. #USElection2020

Someone from the campaign tells me - she’s quite exited and hurries on after talking briefly to me - that the rally has been cancelled due to hurricane Zeta. The stands i the airport remains empty. Crap!

Well I actually did get some work done. Wrote a piece about the cancellation where I talked to some disappointed Trump-supporters. Got just shy of 150.000 views. https://www.bt.dk/udland/bt-i-usa-daarligt-nyt-for-trump-aflyser-vaelgermoede-i-sidste-oejeblik #USElection2020

And you should not feel sorry for me driving five hours to get to a cancelled rally. I met this guy from Chicago who flew out just for the @realDonaldTrump rally. His name is Robert Noort. He’s going home today. But said he would be back on monday for the rescheduled rally.

Here is Roberts story (in Danish). #USElection2020 https://www.bt.dk/udland/bt-i-usa-robert-floej-1200-km-forgaeves

Well after the rally failure yesterday. Today was back on track. From warm North Carolina to kold West Virginia. Visiting small towns in both NC and WV that are republican heartland. Yadkinville and Buckhannon. Much love for @realDonaldTrump - Here GOP central i Yadkinville.

In both those places I continue my success in getting people in office to do interviews with me. Neither the Mayor in Yadkinville or Buckhannon responded to my e-mails (Will keep trying). But met alot of interesting people both places. #USElection2020

Here is Yadkinville native Tony sitting on the porch of the home he shares with his mom and wife. My story incoming. #USElection2020

As I wrote at another point in this thread I am fairly new to covering US politics in the US. But just fairly. For instance I went to Iowa and New Hampshire earlier this year. And the aforementioned success in getting interviews was in play there.

Sure I got some very brief comments from @AndrewYang who - when he heard I was Danish - had praise for my home country.

But my luck didn’t extend to @BernieSanders - who at that point was leading the race to become the Democratic Partys presidential candidate. #USElection2020