CHICAGO — A dozen grade-schoolers got their own chance to quiz President-elect Barack Obama on Tuesday, getting an earful on such issues as longer school days, how it feels to be on television, and even the first puppy’s “business.”
“How will you feel when you move to the White House?” one child asked.
“I’m going to be excited,” Obama said, explaining that he would have a “pretty nice office” in the shape of an oval when he got to Washington.
Obama was joined by Vice President-elect Joe Biden and Arne Duncan, Obama’s pick for education secretary. The three greeted the youngsters, who ranged from first-graders to fourth-graders, after a news conference at the Dodge Renaissance Academy in Chicago.
The children sat on the carpet in front of him, each eagerly raising their hands to ask questions and discuss what they were learning in school.
“Decimals,” Obama replied to one student. “Wow, Joe doesn’t even know his decimals,” he joked about Biden.
The president-elect talked about how his daughters, 10-year-old Malia and 7-year-old Sasha, will get a dog when they make the move to the White House next month. “They’ve been asking for a dog for years now,” he said.
Obama said the girls would need to take care of their pet. And that didn’t just mean feeding and walking the dog.
“You know, if they do their business, if they’ve got some poop — you got to make sure that you’re not just leaving it there,” Obama said.
Not all the children’s questions were lighthearted. One child, who said a cousin was serving in Iraq, asked Obama about the troops overseas.
“One of the things that I promised I would do is to try to bring this war in Iraq to an end,” Obama said, adding that he hoped to have them home in about a year and a half.
Another asked Obama what he would do to represent the efforts of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
Obama said not just presidents, but everyone could do their part to honor King’s work by treating people with respect and listening.
“Dr. King used to talk about the fact that, you know, no matter what your job is, you want to do your best,” Obama said. “And right now your job is to learn, so when you guys are in class you got to make sure you’re working as hard as you can.”
Earlier at the school, Obama named Duncan, the head of the Chicago school system, as his choice for education secretary Tuesday.
“When it comes to school reform, Arne is the most hands-on of hands-on practitioners,” Obama said. “He’s not beholden to any one ideology, and he’s worked tirelessly to improve teacher quality.”
The Cabinet posts yet to be filled include secretaries for the departments of Labor, Transportation, Agriculture and Interior, where officials have said Democratic Sen. Ken Salazar of Colorado has been tapped. Nor has Obama named leaders for the intelligence agencies, or a trade representative.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
