From the editor: We provide context and local impact as history unfolds

This is not the column I was planning to write.

I had intended to write about our coverage of the Republican National Convention − and I will touch on that. But the assassination attempt on former President Trump on July 13 merits a few words here.

I was visiting my parents in Virginia Beach last week. We were getting ready to go out to dinner, and my mom was watching the local news. At about the same time the anchor went off script to say something to effect of, "We’re hearing now of a situation at a Trump campaign event in Pennsylvania," my cell phone lit up. In a group text I’m in with former colleagues at USA TODAY, someone wrote, "Oh s---. Trump rally. He’s bleeding."

Dinner would have to wait.

One of the strengths of USA TODAY is that its dedicated reporting staff is boosted by journalists across the nation who work at one of the more than 200 local news organizations owned by Gannett, our parent company. These sites comprise the USA TODAY Network, which means stories written by Enquirer reporters have the potential to reach a national audience, either on USA TODAY’s platforms or through any of our local news outlets. Likewise, Enquirer readers have access to regional and national news provided by USA TODAY and any of our sister news organizations.

When a big story breaks, we often draft local reporters to join the national reporting team, and that’s what happened after the Trump shooting. Butler, Pennsylvania, is roughly 110 miles from our sister newspaper in Akron, so we immediately dispatched a reporter and photographer from the Beacon Journal to assist with the coverage. Throughout the week, other Ohio journalists contributed to the effort, working either on the ground in Butler or remotely.

Meanwhile, we were finalizing our preparations for coverage of the Republican National Convention. Enquirer reporter Scott Wartman, who covers county government and local politics, along with Statehouse reporter Haley BeMiller, were part of the USA TODAY Network’s team of more than 20 journalists in Milwaukee. Their presence became more important as it became apparent Ohio’s junior senator JD Vance, was Trump’s pick to join the ticket as nominee for vice president.

We’ve been covering Vance, who lives in Cincinnati, since his days promoting his 2016 memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy” – back when he was one of Trump’s fiercest critics. That expertise was on full display in BeMiller’s story immediately after the Vance announcement, which detailed the Middletown, Ohio, native’s journey from Trump antagonist to ally.

"In the old days, transitioning from withering criticism to fawning deference violated the physics of politics," University of Cincinnati political scientist David Niven told BeMiller. "But this is just another way Trump has transformed our politics. The list of Republicans who have developed amnesia about their initial Trump assessment is long."

BeMiller also provided insight into how Vance’s senate seat would be filled should the ticket prevail in November and who’s on the shortlist.

Our presence at the convention is also about keeping tabs on Ohio’s delegates and other noteworthy politicians from the Buckeye State. After former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy gave his nationally televised speech, Scott Wartman not only got reaction but provided insight to what lies ahead for the St. Xavier High School graduate – including his chances at a cabinet position in the Trump administration or being appointed by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine to replace Vance in the Senate.

"I think Vivek can do anything,” Jennifer Barlow, a delegate from Fairfield Township told Wartman.

Wartman also will be our reporter when the Democrats gather next month in Chicago, paired this time with Jessie Balmert, who also reports from our Statehouse bureau in Columbus.

There’s no shortage of places to get national news, especially when we’re watching history unfold before our eyes. But few can provide both the sweep and depth – the local impact – that our team brings each and every day. As always, I welcome your feedback on how we did.

Enquirer Executive Editor Beryl Love writes a biweekly column that takes you behind the scenes at The Enquirer. Occasionally, he shares his thoughts on local issues, particularly as they pertain to a free press and open government. Email him at blove@enquirer.com. He can’t respond personally to every email, but he reads them all. Love also serves as regional editor for the USA TODAY Network Ohio, representing 21 local news oganizations in the state.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Trump assassination attempt Vance VP nod impact Ohio politics