capesidefan

interesting

article from http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...deon_president


Kids Pick Kerry to Be the Next President

Wed Oct 20,11:35 AM ET Television - AP



NEW YORK - Kid power! Democrat John Kerry (news - web sites) is the winner, and the rest of the country should pay attention because the vote on Nickelodeon's Web site has correctly chosen the president of the United States in the past four elections.

Nearly 400,000 children and teens voted, and the results were released Wednesday. Kerry received 57 percent of the vote; President Bush (news - web sites) got 43 percent.


Nickelodeon has been airing information on the Nov. 2 election, plus sponsoring debates where kids could put forth their views on the environment, the war in Iraq (news - web sites) and terrorism. Some animated shows on the cable channel also have been focusing on the election.


Linda Ellerbee, who writes and hosts "Nick News," says their voting usually reflects their parents' views — but not all the time.


"Every so often you get a kid that says, `My parents are voting for X, but I'm voting for Y,'" she said. "It's amazing, the point when kids start forming their own ideas about issues."


Ellerbee said Nickelodeon has been traveling the country teaching about the election and the importance of being socially informed. Seven-year-old Anthony Viggiano of Baldwin, N.Y., won a contest for the best song lyrics about freedom of speech and performed it with rocker John Mellencamp (news).


"If we can get kids interested earlier in voting, when they can legally vote, they will," she said. "They will run for office, they will be the candidates (that) people want to vote for."


Ellerbee, who will announce the results on "U-PICK Live" Wednesday night, said many children wonder why they can't vote in the real election.


"Kids aren't dumb, they're just younger and shorter," she said. "In fact, last election, a boy came up to me and said, `We picked George Bush (news - web sites) to win, and he didn't really win. Al Gore (news - web sites) won the popular vote, so we were kinda wrong.' Quite an observation."

Ambular

Which confirms my theory that Nickelodeon kids have been "slimed" just too many times

86amanda86

I guess so...

The Daywalker

Wow, so if Jim Kerry runs against my in 2012, he might win.

LaraCroft01

Actually if they had picked Bush I would say the same thing.

migamoo

Am I the only one that found that tidbit interesting? If you just look at the past four elections, Bush-Clinton-Clinton-Bush (either way you look at it) you can see they aren't really partisan when it comes to their voting. Maybe the kids really know something we don't.

Ambular

I bet it would be amusing to see the little kids debating against one another

The Daywalker

Just the way Mr Clinton likes it, Bush on all sides of him.

Milt Palacio

That's right!

Ambular

Funny

summerbug

They do say that these types of polls ON ELECTION DAY are often fairly accurate in predicting the election. Many kids have their own separate opinions but many are just learning about the process and all. These snapshots are often a reflection of what parents are saying/doing. SO, these polls done on Election Day have often called the winner. Or so I have heard.

alli balli

Bahaha.

I think asking kids what they think is pretty interesting because I think they see more how the candidates come across as people rather than all the political spin that adults see. In 2000 Gore probably came across as very dull whereas Bush (apparently, though I disagreed) came off as friendly and warm. This year I wouldn't say either candidate seems very warm, but Bush seems angry and Kerry seems more cool and collected.

Citizen Sarah

So young... so wise