D.C. Excitement Goes Beyond Election Results

By Madison Hartke-Weber

Being on the campaign trail this election season has been pretty exciting. As the Washington, D.C., correspondent, I have had the chance to go to some really interesting events.

There are three that really stand out for me. The first was a Barack Obama rally at the University of Maryland in February. About 18,000 people came! Everyone was so excited and loud and hopeful about the future.

The second was in June when Hillary Clinton gave the concession speech that ended her campaign for President. The people there were sad and angry, and many of them said they wouldn't vote for anyone else.

The third was a few weeks ago in September, when I attended a press conference for Bob Barr, the Libertarian candidate for President. Some of his supporters were upset that he hadn't gone to an earlier press conference with other third party candidates and they stood up and shouted at him. That was the most exciting press conference I have been to so far!

I feel privileged to have been part of this election year and I am really looking forward to both the election on November 4th and the inauguration on January 20th. Washington should be an exciting
place to be—especially AFTER the election!

PHOTO: Kid Reporter Maddie Hartke-Weber interviews Libertarian candidate Bob Barr after a press conference in Washington, D.C. in September 2008. (Photo courtesy Maddie Hartke-Weber)

It's the Economy and More

By Abigayle Lista 

On November 2007, Senator John Edwards announced his candidacy for President in New Orleans, Louisiana. This was the beginning for me, when I started covering the important events surrounding election 2008. A little over a year later, Edwards came back to New Orleans to suspend his campaign and I talked to him again. He was very kind both times. It was the end for Edwards, but my work went on!

I also covered an event with former President Bill Clinton who was campaigning for his wife Hillary in Pass Christian, Mississippi. He spoke about why she would make a great president. Former NFL player Keishawn Johnson was there also.

I covered both the primary election results for both Mississippi and Louisiana. Democrats in both states chose Obama as their nominee and Republicans in both states chose McCain. These two states were good predictors of what the rest of the nation would do!

One of the more recent events I have covered for the election was the first official presidential debate in Oxford, Mississippi. It was a very exciting event for me for many reasons. The spin room after the debate was very intense. In the spin room I asked some pretty important politician’s questions. These people were Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, former Mississippi Senator Trent Lott, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, and former Secretary of State Madeline Albright. I was even interviewed by a reporter because she was amazed about me being a kid reporter.

This is a historic election and I have been privileged to cover it. This country will either elect its first African American President or first female Vice President.

Right now our country is having some of the worst problems it has ever faced with its economy. The next president will have a tough job on his hands.

It is a relief that the election will be over soon. I am ready to see who will win. I hope that whoever wins the election will remember us in the New Orleans area. We are still recovering from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and are feeling the bad effects of the economy.

PHOTO: Former Mississippi Senator Trent Lott talks to Kid Reporter Abi Lista at the first presidential debate, which was held in Oxford, Mississippi, on September 26, 2008. Photo by Suzanne Freeman

A Historic Election Comes to and End

By Juliette Johnson

During my time as a Kid Reporter in southern Florida, I went on the campaign trail and saw many things. One of my first assignments was to cover to a Rudy Giuliani rally and I got a picture with him! I learned something important at that event: It takes a lot of pushing, a lot of confidence, and a great big smile to be a Kid Reporter. Covering that event was a lot of work and certainly a challenge, but I found that persistence paid off and I got to talk to the candidate. (You can read more about it further down the page on this blog!)

Later on there was a HUGE John McCain rally where I got to met my Editor, Suzanne Freeman, for the first time. We got really close to McCain, but after the event, he rushed past us on his way to a debate. We didn't get to ask a question.

At the beginning of the election there where so many candidates to cover, and many of them came to Florida. Florida is a big state with a lot of clout in any national election, so it's important for the candidates to come and be seen and heard.

I am very sad that my time as a Kid Reporter is almost over because reporting is my passion. This election has been very historic. I think it will be remembered forever and I think that the votes will be very close.

I believe both canidents are very convincing, but the voters will decide. I am very happy that there are kids taking part in this election and belive they have a GREAT impact on it. Being a Kid Reporter was awesome!

PHOTO: Kid Reporter Juliette Johnson with former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani at a presidential primary event in southern Florida in January 2008. (Photo courtesy Juliette Johnson)

Caution: Hard Work Involved!

By Aaron Broder

If I had known how much time I was going to spend as a Scholastic Kid Reporter on the campaign trail, I might not have signed up. Over the the last year and a half I have spent many weekends and evenings dedicated to following an event that was going on, and hours, sometimes even days, working on a single story. Since I started covering the election, my free time has been devoured by this job.

And I have loved every minute of it!

Yes, I'll admit, I didn't love every second of it. There were some particularly tough times over the past nineteen months when I would struggle with writing a story. But I have gotten opportunities to see so many things that other people don't get to see in their entire life, let alone at my age.

I've seen numerous potential presidents, such as Governors Bill Richardson and Mitt Romney, Representative Ron Paul, and Senator Hillary Clinton (though, incidentally, neither of the two current candidates). I saw former Senator John Edwards come to Nashville, Tennessee, to campaign for president, and I later wrote about him endorsing Senator Obama for president. And I even got to speak with Ralph Nader shortly after he announced yet another attempt at the presidency.

Most exciting of all, I got to report on the Presidential Debate at Belmont University from the media tent, surrounded by reporters from all over the world, something that most definitely wouldn't have happened if I wasn't working for Scholastic News. 

Now as the election comes closer to the end, I'm not sure if I am going to feel relieved or disappointed when it is all over.

PHOTO: Kid Reporter Aaron Broder meets presidential candidate and former Governor of Arkansas Mike Huckabee at  primary election event in Nashville, Tennessee, in January, 2008. (Photo courtesy Aaron Broder)

Access Takes More Than Luck (But It Helps!)

By Elizabeth Conway

My year on the campaign trail is coming to an end, and I have had an unforgettable experience as a Scholastic Kid Reporter.  My first assignment was to cover a town hall meeting with Elizabeth Edwards in a historic New Hampshire barn.  My sister and I were fortunate to have a one-on-one interview with Mrs. Edwards, but I soon realized it would take more than luck to get that kind of access at every event.

I quickly learned that you really have to push your way through the crowds and speak up to have your questions heard—and answered—by the candidates.

During the New Hampshire Primary I traveled all over my state chasing candidates who spoke in schools, theaters, barns, restaurants, and on sidewalks in various towns and cities. Throughout the course of the year, I ate a Huckaburger with Mike Huckabee, and interviewed Mitt, Ann, and Tagg Romney, John Edwards, and John McCain on several occasions. 

At a recent Obama event, I pleaded with numerous Obama support staff to ask the Senator a question.  My pleading eventually paid off and I was granted a sit-down interview!  It was exciting to speak to the presidential nominees in person, get a feel for what the candidates are like, and begin to see their true colors.

I even met celebrities, including singers Bonnie Raitt and Jackson Browne, and actor Peter Coyote.  I had my first live TV interview on MSNBC with David Schuster on the day of the New Hampshire primary and later appeared on the Today Show with Matt Lauer and Meredith Vierra.  I also met Chris Matthews and Tim Russert, following my MSNBC interview. Russert congratulated me for my success as a reporter and gave me some great tips. 

I am very excited because I know that whatever the outcome of this election, history will be made; either with our country's first African-American president or our oldest elected president and first female vice president. And I was there, recording history.

PHOTO: Kid Reporter Elizabeth Conway talks to Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama at an event in September in New Hampshire.

An Amazing Election Year

By Brittney Sheena

I have been able to shake hands with Rudy Guiliani, former President Bill Clinton, and Michelle Obama. I was also able to squeeze a few questions in, get lots of pictures, and even more experience.

I started covering the campaign with my sister, Michelle Sheena, who has been a Kid Reporter for two years now. We met Rudy Guiliani at a campaign event at a local breakfast spot in Houston during the presidential primary. The event was pretty laid back. Former New York City Mayor Guiliani arrived by car to shake hands with his supporters and answer a few questions.

The next events were a bit stricter. I had to get press clearance ahead of time and security for Hillary and Bill Clinton and Barack Obama was a lot tighter.

At a Barack Obama rally at the Toyota Center in Houston, I covered the event on the press bleachers right next to CNN's Candy Crowley. It is pretty amazing to see CNN feeding the news live on television as you watch history in the making.

After the event was over, I asked Ms. Crowley how she felt about this campaign and what advise she would give a young reporter. She said to read, write and study history. It was great to get her opinion. 

One of the hardest parts about covering an event is the waiting and waiting. Most events start later than they are scheduled to. This is because the candidates are trying to meet with a lot of different groups in the same day. You should see their schedules!

After a few events, I started taking my homework to the events so I could work on it while we were waiting for things to get started. It is a lot of fun because other reporters from newspapers, magazines, and television will ask you questions, especially after a few events when they start to recognize you.

The other hard part is getting your question answered by the candidate. You have to really try to get close to the candidate and then get his or her attention. That takes focus, confidence, and sometimes just plain strength!

PHOTO: Scholastic Kid Reporter Brittney Sheena with Michelle Obama at a rally in Houston, Texas, on March 3, 2008. (Photo courtesy Brittney Sheena)

A Year on the Campaign Trail

By Maeve Hammond

One of my first Election 2008 assignments was John McCain’s visit to Kalamazoo, Michigan.  Back in April 2007, when McCain first announced his candidacy, Republicans Rudy Giuliani and Mike Huckabee were looking like crowd favorites! How things changed over time.

I also covered the Republican Economic Forum in Dearborn, Michigan, in October 2007. (Can you believe that was a whole year ago!) This was one of my favorite assignments because I got a behind-the-scenes look at the Presidential candidates.  I had a spot in the NBC press room, and was able to see how reporters who I admire prepare for their pieces as they came and sat down right beside me.  It was awesome!

In August 2008, I covered Obama and Biden’s stop in Battle Creek, Michigan.  This occurred just days after they accepted the Democratic nomination for President and Vice-president.  Michigan was back in the spotlight as a possible battleground for the presidency.  I was very proud to report a story with such national importance from my own backyard! 

Michigan has had such a high unemployment rate recently that both presidential candidates visited the state to speak directly with the voters about their economic recovery plans. In fact, McCain introduced his running mate, Sarah Palin, at her first town hall meeting in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in September.  I felt the same excitement in September as I did in August:  I was part of national news being made in Michigan and able to share it online with readers from all over the United States.

It has been such a rewarding experience covering Election 2008:  even though I’m somewhat disappointed it is ending, I am excited to see who will win!  No matter which party wins the White House, it has been an historical event with the first Democratic African-American presidential candidate running, and the first Republican female vice-presidential candidate nominated.  Thanks, Scholastic!

PHOTO: Kid Reporter Maeve Hammond interviews Janet Huckabee, wife of Republican candidate Mike Huckabee at a debate in Michigan in October 2007. (Photo courtesy Maeve Hammond)

The Early Days in New Hampshire

By Hana Knowles

My first assignment in the 2008 Election was the Dartmouth College Democratic Presidential Debate in New Hampshire.  When I arrived at the college, I spotted three cars in the shape of pigs that represented the Federal Budget and spending.  Crowds were screaming for their candidate. I met Joe Biden briefly after Chris Matthews interviewed him on MSNBC.  Then I interviewed Chris Matthews.  I asked questions about the debate and being a reporter.  He gave me advice about being a good reporter:“Read, Read, Read!” he said.

I watched the debate from the press room with other reporters from all over the country.  After the debate I worked in the spin room interviewing, Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean, presidential candidate Mike Gravel, candidate spouses Elizabeth Kucinich and Elizabeth Edwards, and representatives from each of the candidates.  This was hard work.  Getting the attention of the person I was interviewing was difficult with other reporters shoving and shouting to get up front. They were all all a lot bigger and louder than me! 

In November, I interviewed Republican candidate John McCain at the Veterans Day Ceremony in Boscawen, New Hampshire.  I also covered an Obama rally at Concord High School with fellow reporters from my school.  I interviewed Mitt Romney, too.  I found interviewing the candidates easy once I started the interview. 

When the presidential campaign started there were many candidates, talking about many issues.  Now there are two candidates focused on fewer issues, mainly the financial crisis, health care and the war in Iraq.  The candidates seem more aggressive toward each other then when they first started campaigning.

It seems like a short time ago the campaigns started in New Hampshire, which holds the first primary in the nation.  The new president, no matter who he is, has a big job ahead of him.  No matter how much is changed there is always more that can be done to make the world a better place for our generation.

PHOTO: MSNBC’s Chris Matthews talks to Scholastic Kid Reporter Hana Knowles at the Democratic debate in New Hampshire, September 26, 2007. (Photo courtesy Hana Knowles)

All the Candidates Come to New Mexico

By Jacob Schroeder    

It has been an exciting and busy year being involved  with the presidential campaign. It all started when the Governor  of New Mexico (the state I live in ) announced that he would  run for President. I got a chance to interview Governor Bill Richardson one-on-one in his campaign headquarters in Albuquerque! It was fun to visit a presidential campaign office and meet the campaign staff.

After my interview with Governor Richardson, I became very excited about the campaign. I started learning about the election and started watching news clips about all of the candidates. I paid attention to the convention news too.

In December of 2007, I flew to Arizona to interview 16-year-old Bridget McCain. She is one of Senator McCain’s daughters. It was fun to meet his wife Cindy McCain, too.

As the campaign really geared up in the spring, I started to attend candidate rallies. When former Bill Clinton came to New Mexico, I went to hear him speak. At the rally, I got to interview Dolores Huerta, the Co-founder of the United Farm Worker’s of America. She was there to endorse Hillary Clinton.

Barack Obama came to the Albuquerque Convention Center for the Economic Summit on the American Dream. I also saw his wife, Michelle Obama, when she came to the New Mexico Women’s Voter’s Registration Rally.

At a town hall meeting with John McCain, I asked him who what he was looking for in a vice presidential candidate. He wouldn't tell me who he was thinking about, but he did say he was looking for someone like me: young, vigorous, and talented,” he said. “That person has to share not only my principles and my values but also priorities." That turned out to be Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin.

My election year sure was a great one!

PHOTO: Scholastic Kid Reporter Jacob Schroeder asks Republican presidential candidate John McCain what qualities he is looking for in a running mate. “A lot like you,” McCain answered! (Photo by Heidi Schroeder)

Part of History in the Making

By Mariam El Hasan

Reporting from the campaign trail has been exciting—like reading a great novel.  Even though I love it, I can’t wait until the conclusion, because I’m dying to know how it will end. 

This has been, by the far ,the most amazing year of my life and I am so glad that I was part of this election as a Scholastic News Reporter and have had the opportunity to write all about it.

I reported on the Republican debate at the Ronald Reagan Library, the first Presidential Forum on Global Warming, rallies and other events including a Presidential Forum at Saddleback Church, which was the first time that Senators McCain and Obama came together on stage.

I interviewed many politicians including Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, Fred Thompson, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani, and many other people.  I have to admit that it was pretty cool to be one of the only people who interviewed Rudy Giuliani right after he dropped out of the race.  It was really nice to work next grown-up reporters, too, because they always supported me and patted me on the back.

I will never forget the time when I put Governor Schwarzenegger on the spot.  Let’s just say that his aides had a good laugh and the other reporters high-fived me!

When I grow up, I will always be able to look back at this time and remember it clearly.  I can’t believe that I have been part of recording history in the making.  Soon, people in America will decide if we will have our first African-American president or our first female vice president.  This will be a big step in our democracy and I am happy to be a part of it!

PHOTO: Kid Reporter Mariam El Hasan interviews Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in November 2007—a full year before the actual election! Photo courtesy Mariam El Hasan