Who will you vote for?

Last night at dinner I threw the question out there to Abbey, "If you could vote for the next president, who would you vote for?"

A: "I dunno."

D: "Well, who is running for president? Who are your choices?"

A: "Barak Obama, and Hilary Clinton"...(long pause)..."John McCain and Mitt Romney??"

D&S: "Yes, very good!" (side mention to Ang, 'interesting what a 4th grader has picked up on as who is running for president.')

D: "So, who would you like to see be our next president?"

A: "I dunno."

D: " Well, what do you know about all of them?" "What do you know about Barak Obama? Would you vote for him?"

A: " Well, he's black."

D: (sinking feeling in my stomach) "What else besides 'he's black'?"

A: "Well, he'd be our first black president, but I don't know if I would vote for him, because he doesn't talk about the 'issues'."

D: "What 'issues', do you know what 'the issues are'?"

{Quick Civics lesson given by us all on what 'issues' are, then back to the question.}

A: "Well, I heard on the news he doesn't talk about the issues, and doesn't have a plan for healthcare."

D & S: "Interesting..." "Where did you see this news, in Tulsa?"

A: "Yes"

(ah-ha...)

D: "Okay, so how about Hilary Clinton?, "Would you vote for her?""

A: {wrinkles up nose} "UH-UH!"

D:"Really!!, such a reaction, why don't you like her so much?"

A: "I dunno."

D: "Well, that was quite a reaction, and a pretty definite "no way jose would you vote for her" look. I'm really curious what has changed your mind about her, because this summer you said you wanted her to win, and be the first woman president."

A: " I dunno, I just think I don't like her."

D: "What else do you know about her?"

A:" She is Bill Clinton's wife."

D: "Is that all? Do you know she is a senator?"

A: No, where is she a senator?"

D: "New York" "What about Barak Obama? He's a Senator too, do you know for what state?"

A: "Indiana?"

S: "Close, Illionois"

{Ang and Abbey get into a squabble over how to say Illinois (silent 'l' or not)

D: "Okay, those are the democrats, now how about the republicans, what are they about?"

She didn't know anything about either of them. Couldn't tell me whether she liked them or not, any issues she's heard about them, or what they were about.

I found the whole conversation very interesting. Firstly, who a typical 4th grader thinks is running for president was intriguing to me. Secondly, It's obvious that there are two people in this race, as far as the news media is concerned, Barak and Hilary. She didn't readily know that there were more people running until prompted to think of some others for the other team who were running. And thirdly, see how important it is to talk to our children about who might be their next president? At this age, they will hear it from us, or overhear it on the news we watch. They may know a lot of words, but might not know what they mean. Sure, they can't actually vote right now, but one day they will be making the decisions, for us!

In talking about the different issues, and candidates last night, we tried to keep it pretty unbiased, and told her that she could choose whomever she wanted, that was the beauty of America. And just because we may like someone different than she does, or her mom does, or Aunty Angie does, doesn't make us wrong or right, or them wrong or right, it's just an opinion.

It was a good conversation, and made me wish we had her just all the time to have great dinner conversations just like that!