Tug of war In Florida

With Florida being one of the key battleground states for the race for the White House, voters are getting out and making their voices heard at local polling locations.

In Orlando, voters were waiting in excess of two hours to cast their votes.

When asked about the long lines, Bruce Miller, 56, a local artist at a theme park said, "It's never been this crowded at this precinct. Long lines are something you have to endure and talk to your neighbors in line and try to pass time."

With only one previous election under his belt, Jason Crawford, 22, an Orlando photographer will cast a vote in his second presidential election. Living in Florida there has been no shortage of campaigning and negative campaign advertisements on television, radio, and billboards.

"I think the young voters are very important because as young people, we will be shaping the future of the country," said Crawford.

The Hispanic vote in Florida will also play a key role in impacting the 2012 presidential election and 29 electoral votes that goes to the candidate who wins Florida. In Central Florida, Sandra Gonzalez, 51, a physical education teacher said,"The Hispanic vote is very important and with a growing Hispanic population, our voices have become louder and louder."

It dosen't appear that either candidate will run away with Florida. The winner will be decided by a small voter margin rather than a landslide.

—Kid Reporter Topanga Sena

Photo: Voters were met with long lines in Florida on Election Day. (AP Photo/The Miami Herald, Tim Chapman)

Ted Cruz goes to the Senate

NBC News just projected that Republican Ted Cruz will be the new Senator from Texas.

At the Republican National Convention in late August, Kid Reporter Topanga Sena interviewed Senator-elect Cruz about his campaign. Check out her interview below!

 

—Kid Reporter Editor Dante A. Ciampaglia

Mystery Guest Revealed!

Clint Eastwood just took the stage at the Republican National Convention in support of presidential candidate Mitt Romney. 

"Leave some of that for Mitt," he says as the crowd goes wild with applause and cheers.

A an actor, he began to put on a bit of a show. He pointed at an empty chair next to him and said it was President Obama, whom he supported in 2008. He began to ask the chair questions as if President Obama were actually sitting there.

The speech was short and certainly different than the others, coming from a man who has made his life on the silver screen. He brought that home with his final words: "Make My Day!" 

—Scholastic Kids Press Corps

 

Getting to Know Mitt Romney

A picture of Mitt Romney as a neighbor and citizen is beginning to emerge as his friends and business partners speak. First, we heard from a friend who served as his assistant when he was a pastor in the Mormon church. He talked about Gov. Romney's committment. He was always the last to leave the church he said, because he said to make sure everything was done. He challenged others in the church to lead by example.

Also speaking, were Ted and Pat Oparowsky, who talked about how Gov. Romney helped them through their son's death when the son was only 14 years old. He visited the son often throughout the illness, entertaining him with fireworks and helping him make a will.  

The Finalyson family then told how Gov. Romney visited them to welcome them as new members of his church. They had just moved into their new home and did not have a dryer. Gov. Romney helped them with their their laundry. When a baby was born to the Finlayson family who had a brain sickness, the young baby developed a connection to Gov. Romney who visited him often. The baby died at 18 months of age. Gov. Romney held a Thanksgiving feast for the family to help them out of their continuing depression. 

Other speakers included people who worked with Romney at Bain Capital, a private investment firm he helped found. They talked about Romney's commitment and integrity. 

Next up: The Olympians! 

—Topanga Sena and Shelby Fallin 

The Excitement Builds!

A parade of Olympians has the crowd here jumping! A mystery guest is expected next. The word is that it will be actor/director Clint Eastwood. 

—Topanga Sena and Shelby Fallin

Convention Update: Citizens Talk About Romney

So far, at the Republican National Convention several political figures such as Newt Gingrich and Jeb Bush have spoken.

The crowd is obviously excited this final night. It's 8:30 p.m. and still a few hours from the big speech, but the seats are filling up faster than the past two nights. The four of us (two kid reporters and two editors) are squeezed into three chairs, and more keep coming.

A live band keeps the crowd energized in between speakers. So far, the speeches have focused on education and the children of America.

The current speaker, Grant Bennet, worked as Mitt Romney's assistant when he was a pastor in the Mormon church. He is talking about all the things Gov. Romney has done to help others in need.

"Mitt is challenging us to find our lives by giving it in service to others," he said.

 Make sure you stay with us for more iupdates as the convention builds to the final event of the night: Gov. Romney's speech!

—Shelby Fallin and Topanga Sena

 

Radio Newt!

Hanging out on radio row at the Republican Convention is a good way to nab an interview. Wednesday afternoon, Kid Reporter Topanga Sena caught up with former Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich as he finished up a radio interview. It was only one question, but he took the time to answer before rushing off to to his next appointment.

Right on Radio Row

He describes himself as  “Common Sense for the Commonwealth.” He’s the star of the The John Fredericks Show on CBS AM radio in, yes, the Commonwealth of Virginia. Fredericks broadcasts live each morning, so when Kid Reporter Topanga Sena approached him in the afternoon, he had time to explain why he has so much fun covering political conventions. Even though he’s a conservative, we asked if he was going to the Democratic Convention next week in Charlotte, North Carolina.

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world!” he said with a big, happy grin.

Jon Voight Knows His Stuff

Surrounded by reporters shouting questions, actor Jon Voight puts his cell phone to his ear and says, “Hi, Angie, what’s going on?” After a short pause, he continues. “I’m really busy right now. How about I call you tomorrow morning?” As he repockets his phone, he smiles at one of the reporters he seems to know. “You believe that was really Angie?” he asks, referring to his daughter Angelina Jolie.

All kidding aside, Voight is a super star in his own right. Known (by kids) for his roles in the National Treasure and Transformer movies, Voight is a staunch—and knowledgeable Republican—who always stops to talk to the Scholastic Kid Reporters. Shelby Fallin interviewed him several times in 2008 when he was campaigning for former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Topanga Sena had a few questions ready for him about the 2012 election.

Beyond the Speeches

There’s more to a political convention than speeches. While high profile politicians loudly proclaim the party line in support of candidate Mitt Romney, hundreds of others are forming the party’s policies and rules. California Robert O’Brien is one of those rule makers. He talked to Kid Reporter Topanga Sena about his behind-the-scenes work to maintain the party structure.