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Primary Lesson: Start Them Young

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By WALT BELCHER, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 13, 2008

Updated: 01/12/2008 09:17 pm

TAMPA - Linda Ellerbee has some advice for parents who want their children to be good citizens:

Don't grow your own little cynic by saying things such as "my vote doesn't count" or "all politicians are liars" or "special interests control everything."

That sort of negative vibe can kill interest in the political process, says Ellerbee, host and executive producer of three kid-friendly "Nick News" election specials on Nickelodeon.

She says it's better to encourage rather than discourage.

The first special, "Nick News With Linda Ellerbee: The Kids' Primary," debuts at 9 tonight, and among the kids interviewed are four fresh-faced, articulate youngsters from the Tampa Bay area who have already picked their favorite candidates.

Tampa Bay Speaks Out

Clay Cottrill, 12, from St. Petersburg, shares his views on Mitt Romney. "He shows leadership skills because he was governor of Massachusetts; and he cares about kids because he has five kids of his own. He would keep the troops in Iraq until Iraq has a strong enough government to defend itself. And he would build a literal fence along the border with Mexico to stop illegal immigration."

Carson Brock, 14, of Dade City, explains why he supports Rudy Guiliani. "He did a great job as the mayor of New York. He lowered the crime rate, lowered the murder rate, and he was there during 9/11 and ran the city wonderfully. He would finish the job in Iraq and finish it good. He would slowly withdraw troops but still get the job done.

"I am very aligned with him on gun policy. He thinks there should be regulations on the guns. If you are a good gun owner, you should not be afraid to take a simple quiz, which will test you on how safe you are and what you are going to do with this gun."

Valrico resident Glory McClure, 14, is a Fred Thompson supporter. "America needs a president who knows that our freedom comes from God and not from government. If Fred Thompson was president, laws would be laws. It would be a lot more strict, and that's important because we've slacked off on stuff like that. ... Gun control is a big issue for me, and Fred Thompson believes that everyone has the right to have one unless they have a criminal record."

Gabrielle Mitchell, 13, of Dade City, is in Hillary Clinton's camp. "The things that she wants to get done are things that I would like to see getting done. She wants universal health care for everyone. She wants to make it so that you get tax credits and only have to pay a limited amount so it will be cutting costs for people who can't afford it.

"Within two months of her being president, she wants to set up a plan for the soldiers in Iraq to come home. ... She wants every car after a certain period of time to become a green car."

In a recent interview, Ellerbee said, "We managed to find a child to represent every candidate.

"It's always refreshing and invigorating for me to see this through the eyes of kids. I don't have to deal with the cynicism and pundits that you find in the coverage that's put on television for adults."

For the past 16 years, Ellerbee and Nick News have explained the election process to Nickelodeon's kid audience (aimed at ages 9 to 13) and held mock online elections.

The kids' vote has mirrored the national vote four out of five times. The only time there was a difference was in 2004, when John Kerry won the kids' vote and lost the election to George W. Bush.

This year, "The Kids Pick the President" initiative has expanded to include the first "Kids' Primary Vote."

Ellerbee says the special tonight explains how presidents are elected in the United States, the primary system, the current candidates and what it means to be a Democrat or a Republican.

Web Site Offers Profiles And More

The young viewers can log on to www.nick.com/kpp/ to learn about each candidate. The Web site has explanations of the election process, photographs and nonpartisan information about each candidate and a calendar of the major election events.

Beginning tonight and running through Jan. 18, kids can vote online for their choice.

A second special, "Kids Pick the Issues," will premiere in March. In October, a "Kids Pick the President" special will encourage viewers to participate in the online election.

"Every year, the number of kids involved keeps growing, which is encouraging for the future," says Ellerbee, who says too many adults are disengaged and don't vote.

Only 64 percent of eligible voters cast ballots in the last presidential election. In the Nick election, nearly 400,000 kids voted.

Ellerbee says it's interesting to see and hear kids talking about issues such as immigration, gun control, the environment, the war, health care and even the national debt.

"Some children will reflect the views of their parents, and others will go their own way," she says. "For some who make a choice based on studying the candidates and their positions, this is the first step toward original thinking."

Ellerbee says her favorite quote in the special comes from the boy who says, "Politics is asinteresting as celebrities, only without the pretty faces. ... But unlike celebrities, this really affects our lives."

Local Youngsters Get Involved

Mitchell says she was interested in Clinton even before a history class assignment at Pasco Middle School had her looking up information on the candidate.

"I have always been interested in politics," she says. "And after the assignment, I listened to her speech and went to her Web site. ... I liked the way she explained how we could implement health care and how we could get the troops out of Iraq."

Mitchell, who wants to be a lawyer and one day serve on the Supreme Court, says not many of her friends or classmates share her choice of candidate, but she's standing firm.

Cottrill says he got interested in Romney because his mother is working on the candidate's campaign in Pinellas County. He and his sister have been handing out fliers and helping their mother, Mandy Hand, canvass the neighborhood.

"This is the first time I have been involved in any political activity," Hand says. "I decided to get the children involved, and we've all learned a lot.

"I think what Nickelodeon is doing is good for children, good for families and good for the country. I don't think enough children or parents are knowledgeable about the issues or the candidates."

ON TELEVISION

Nick News With Linda Ellerbee: The Kids' Primary

WHAT: A primer on the primaries

WHEN: 9 tonight

WHERE: Nickelodeon

Reporter Walt Belcher can be reached at (813 259-7654 or wbelcher@tampatrib.com.

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