The Kid Who Ran For President by Dan Gutman Read Free Book Online

microphone, “homework will go the way of the horse and buggy.”
    Fists were pumping in the air.
    â€œHomework will become a quaint reminder of what life was like back in our parents’ childhoods!”
    Kids were jumping up and down on their seats.
    â€œIn our childhood, the only place you’ll see homework will be in museums!”
    It was pandemonium. I paused to allow them to calm down a little. I didn’t want to incite a riot or anything.
    I noticed a boy standing in the middle of the auditorium, raising his hand and shouting insistently, “Excuse me!” Peering at him, I could see it was that jerk Arthur Krantz.
    â€œYes, Mr. Krantz,” I called out. “You have a comment?”
    â€œFirst of all, the president of the United States has no power to abolish homework. None. Zero. Second, we need homework. Doing homework is how students reinforce what we learn at school! Homework is a good thing.”
    I glanced over to Lane at the side of the stage for some advice. He was mouthing some words to me, but I couldn’t make them out. I was never any good at reading lips. But watching him gave me an idea.
    â€œREAD MY LIPS, BOOGER BOY!” I bellowed. “NO … MORE … HOMEWORK!”
    â€œNO MORE HOMEWORK! NO MORE HOMEWORK! NO MORE HOMEWORK!” chanted the school as one. The kids around Krantz told him to shut up and sit down.
    â€œYou’re just making empty promises to get votes!” Krantz shouted at me. “Your candidacy is a joke! Your running mate is a grown-up, you hypocrite! You don’t know anything about anything . You’re going to make all kids look bad!”
    A group of boys jumped on Krantz and started punching him. Some teachers rushed over to pull the boys off him. Krantz was taken out of the auditorium holding his hand over his eye.
    I glanced at my speech and saw I was almost at the bottom.
    â€œFellow students, our grandparents had their chance to save America. They blew it! Our parents had their chance to save America. They blew it! Now it’s a new millennium and our generation is going to get our chance. Let’s not blow it! The time has come to pass the torch to a new generation. Ask not what your parents can do for you. Ask what you can do for yourselves! Kids are the only hope for America. Thank you.”
    â€œNO MORE HOMEWORK!” the kids chanted as I left the podium. “NO MORE HOMEWORK!”
    As I came off the stage, Principal Berlin looked at me like I was an insect. The teachers looked like they were in shock.
    The kids, of course, looked thrilled. The dumbest guys seemed particularly happy, fist bumping me and saying stuff like, “Awesome, dude.”
    â€œLooks as if you’ve got the kids’ vote,” Lane said, giving me a hug.
    â€œDon’t you think that went a little too far, Lane?” I asked. “Krantz was right, you know. I can’t promise to get rid of homework! That’s crazy!”
    â€œIt’s the first rule of politics, Judd. Give the people what they want.”
    Â 
    Lane led me over to a guy waiting backstage. “Judson,” he said, “I want to introduce you to Ben Davis. He’s with the AP.”
    â€œPleased to meet you,” I said as I shook the guy’s hand. “My mom does her grocery shopping at your store.”
    â€œNot the A&P, Judd,” Lane said, chuckling. “The A-P. Associated Press.”
    â€œWhich paper is that?” I asked.
    â€œAll of them,” Davis replied. “When I write a story, the AP puts it in hundreds of newspapers. Sometimes thousands. And we blast it out to every news web site on the net.”
    â€œWow!” I marveled. “And they haven’t been caught?”
    He thought that was funny.
    â€œNot every newspaper and web site creates their own content,” Davis said. “They pay a guy like me to write something once, and then they run it every where. That’s