When being objective becomes a challenge

We've discussed the topic of being objective several times in class. It is one of those values that defines whether a journalist is considered a good journalist or not. I hope to be a good journalist one day and I'm working hard towards it, but sometimes it is so difficult to remain objective.

I am a very opinionated person. Yes, I'm one of those people who tends to debate over practically every issue affecting people today. However, I don't have a problem keeping those opinions out of my stories. Usually it's fairly easy to do that, but there have been times in the past when it was difficult for me to filter my own opinions either out of my stories, or while interviewing people.

One such example was during election day, November 4, 2010. I met a lot of really interesting people that day, and interesting is a very kind way of putting it.

There was this one girl at the Student Recreational Center, a polling place that day, who really wanted to share her opinion on camera. She desperately tried to get my attention while I interviewed others and when I finally approached her for a sound bite, she said something along the lines of, "I will not vote for McCain because I'm afraid he will die while in office and then Sarah Palin will replace him. It is not her job to be a politician. Women should stay at home and cook for their husbands and sons. Palin should do that and not try for the role of President when that is clearly a man's job."

I was so irritated by that comment and I could hardly contain myself. This girl was either trying to be controversial so she would get some TV2 airtime or she was truly an idiot.

I turned off my camera and said to that girl, "I can't believe you actually think that way. You should be ashamed of yourself. What you just said goes against everything women have fought for for centuries. " She then said, "whatever," the most intelligent comeback one could possibly think of, and stormed off.

One of my professors happened to be there and she told me I should never behave like that if I hoped to be a good journalist one day. I completely understood why she rebuked me. I had regretted saying what I had said the moment the words came out of my mouth.

My question is, how do you remain completely neutral at all times? Does it get easier with experience or are some people just better at doing that than others? Perhaps Ray is right when she says people have to teach themselves to become more like robots if they hope to be completely objective in reporting their stories.