Democratic National Convention: 'Time For Kids' Reporter Talks About Politics From Younger Perspective
CAROL LIN, ANCHOR: We're coming to you live now from the floor of the Staples Center, where the Democratic National Convention will get under way tomorrow. But we are looking to the future as well, and to the young reporters and maybe even the young politicians of tomorrow. Joining me now is 10-year-old Alexandra Tatarsky, who won the contest for the TimeforKids.com magazine. It's sort of an Internet magazine, right, for "Time" magazine? And you won the contest, and you get to actually report on the convention, don't you?</s>ALEXANDRA TATARSKY, "TIME FOR KIDS" REPORTER: Yes, totally, right here.</s>LIN: And I understand that Al Gore and Joe Lieberman are your heroes?</s>TATARSKY: Well, more -- yes, I guess both of them, Joe Lieberman because I myself am Jewish, and I really think it's such a big step that he is a candidate for vice president, because I really wish that more types of different types of people could be in politics, as opposed to what we have now, which is, you know, pretty much all men. You know, it's a really big step.</s>LIN: So you're looking for some new faces. What are some of the issues that you're going to be covering? Do you cover only issues related to kids, or can you cover anything you want?</s>TATARSKY: I can cover pretty much anything I want, what I find interesting and what I think everybody else would find it too...</s>LIN: Like what?</s>TATARSKY: Well, I would cover things -- I would try and talk to politicians about maybe messages they have for kids, things that are poss -- you know, they want to have happen.</s>LIN: Al Gore gives his big speech...</s>TATARSKY: Right, right, that's news.</s>LIN: ... this week. What do you want to hear from him?</s>TATARSKY: Well, let's see. I hope that -- I know that he's very big on the environment, which is a really good thing, because we really need to take action on that before it's way too late. I hope that -- see, I think something that a president has to have is a type of charisma, which makes the audience love him, and, you know, makes them at ease that he would really be able to do the job well. So, I mean, he definitely has to have good opinions and good points, but also a type of, you know, character that makes people like him.</s>LIN: Well, you know, he's been called stiff in the past.</s>TATARSKY: I've heard that, I've heard that.</s>LIN: Do you think he -- does he appear spontaneous to you, or do you think he needs to loosen up a little bit?</s>TATARSKY: I think he needs to loosen up. Actually I was watching him with Joe Lieberman when he officially announced Joe Lieberman as his running mate. And Lieberman seems so much more calm and relaxed than Al Gore, who was, like, sitting there sweating in the background.</s>LIN: So what would you tell him? Give him some campaign advice.</s>TATARSKY: I would say just totally -- I mean, try and make some jokes, try and get the audience laughing. Yes, and use language that everybody can understand, definitely.</s>LIN: Yes, it's hard, so much is at stake. What are the kinds of questions that you want to ask him?</s>TATARSKY: I would want to ask him what he would definitely focus on, like, what are his promises, what he has to say to kids, like, what are his messages to kids? Also I wanted to ask him what his favorite type of ice cream was. I thought that would be...</s>LIN: Why?</s>TATARSKY: I just think that's -- like, it's something that makes the president more real to you, the vice -- possible president more real to you, to know something like that, which, you know, it just...</s>LIN: You've asked for an interview with Al Gore. What did his staff tell you?</s>TATARSKY: I didn't actually talk to his staff, but people who I've talked to about it have said that very many reporters have asked for this, and it's really hard to arrange it. So I'm hoping, but I don't know.</s>LIN: Well, maybe he thinks your questions are going to be a little too tough, Alexandra. All right, where can we find your reporting?</s>TATARSKY: I -- you can find my reporting on TimeforKids.com.</s>LIN: The Web site.</s>TATARSKY: The Web site, right online.</s>LIN: And you plan to run for president yourself, don't you?</s>TATARSKY: Yes, I do, definitely.</s>LIN: All right. Lots of lessons to be learned at this convention. Congratulations on winning the contest as the reporter.</s>TATARSKY: Thank you very, very much.