I Interviewed the New President!

By Elizabeth Conway

I just heard that Senator Barack Obama is the President-Elect and it hit me. I've interviewed the next President of the United States! In fact, I even joked around with him!

I live in New Hampshire, but I've been here in New York since Sunday working with Scholastic to cover the election. Today was really crazy, between media interviews and working on stories. I began the day at the CNN New York Headquarters at Columbus Circle.

On the way there, we were about to get on the subway and I was pushed aside by a New York commuter and the doors closed. Everybody I was with was on the train and I was left alone on the platform. I freaked out (of course). I had no idea what to do. I decided I should just stay where I was. I found a police officer and stayed with him. Jacob and his mom waited at the next station, while my mom and Jacob's dad came back for me. He knew the subway system best!

From then on on for the rest of the day, we made sure we all stayed together.

But back to the CNN interview. Fellow Kid Reporter Jacob Schroeder and I were in hair and makeup together to get prepped for an on air LIVE appearance.  It calmed me down. It relaxed me and got me ready. Jacob, however, wasn't so sure about the makeup thing!

We went on the air at about 9:20 a.m. It was the first time that both Jacob and I had a TV interview without the reporter being there beside us. The anchor, Heidi, was actually in Atlanta at CNN's main headquarters, so we were talking to a camera. We didn't even see her, so we really had to listen carefully to the questions and ignore the static that was coming through the ear piece.

We got a tour of the studios after the interview. Then we left for NBC, where anchor Contessa Brewer interviewed us on a huge blue carpet decorated with stars, donkeys and elephants, in Rockefeller Center.

We went back to Scholastic and had a quick lunch, but were interrupted to take a phone interview for a radio station in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

The big excitement was covering the results at Scholastic Headquarters. Being here with all the kid reporters, hanging out, working, researching, doing whatever our editors told us, was great fun.

When CNN and MSNBC declared Obama the winner, the whole fourth floor at Scholastic exploded in activity. After more than a year of tracking this election, it was over and we had a new President. Everyone was caught up in the moment—AND the fact that they had to ship new covers for the next issues.

The online team sprung into action, getting stories written and posted. How many blogs did we post tonight? We don't know, but it was a lot. Maybe I'll count them tomorrow.

PHOTO: Elizabeth Conway

Credit:
©Jessica Moon

Comments

[Ashlee]

that sounds really cool Id love to meet Obama

[Cheyenne]

That sounds amazing to get to travel & meet sooo many people.I think I could be a Kid Reporter too!Even though its hard work, it's still worth it!:D

You rock,
Cheyenne

[LoGovd96]

Wow how do you get signed up for this?

[Anne]

That would be really cool to meet Obama wow!!!!!!!!!

[Mandy]

Wow that is cool to actually meet and joke around with the new president! I wish I could meet Obama!!

[joe]

do you know kid repoirter jack?

[mitchell]

that must have been so cool. was he a nice guy and fun to talk to?

[Judi]

OMG that would be AH-mazin!!!!

[hannah]

WOW!

[muhammed]

awsome I would love to have a chance to meet obama too =Þ