July 28, 2004

Interviewing Newsmakers at the Convention

TFK Kid Reporter Lily Wasserman talks with lawmakers and entertainers at the convention

Lily interviews former Senator Max Cleland.

By Lily Wasserman

There are so many events happening in and around Boston during the Democratic National Convention. I spent Tuesday attending a few of those events. It was definitely my most exciting day at the convention so far. I got to meet so many celebrities. I was able to ask Senate Minority leader Tom Daschle, former Senator Max Cleland (who will introduce John Kerry at the convention on Thursday) and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton a couple of questions. Fellow TFK Kid Reporter Avery Stone and I even got to talk with Andre 3000 from Outkast about his involvement in politics.

Lily interviews Senate Minority leader, Tom Daschle during a Democratic Convention event.

A Tribute to War Veterans
The day started out with an event for war veterans at the Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown, Massachusetts. There were all kinds of people there, including former Presidential candidate Wesley Clark, Daschle, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, and Cleland, a Vietnam veteran. Clark, a retired general, spoke about the importance of the military and respect for war veterans. “From their sacrifice was born the liberty that we enjoy today as Americans,” he said.

Daschle is an Air Force veteran who also spoke at the event. During his speech, he said: “(The armed forces) aren’t fighting to defend America. They are fighting to defend freedom.” After the event, I got the chance to ask him a few questions of my own. When asked if having been in the military has changed his views about John Kerry, he replied: “…He put his life on the line on several occasions…I think that once one is in the military, they have a greater appreciation for that sacrifice.”

I was fortunate enough to talk with Cleland, who lost both of his legs and his right arm while serving in Vietnam. Later, he became a U.S. senator representing Georgia. He stayed in the senate for six years. I asked him what he learned from his experiences in politics and in the military. “It’s a dangerous business,” he told me. When I asked him what he would like people to know about Kerry, he said: “He’s an authentic American hero…he doesn’t brag about it, so people like me have to.”

Lily and Avery interview Senator Hillary Clinton, the former First Lady.

Meeting Hillary Clinton
I attended an event called Revolutionary Women. There were a lot of different celebrities and politicians there including former senator and Presidential candidate Carol Moseley Braun, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Pelosi, Clinton and singer Liz Phair, who performed. Clinton gave a speech at a rally for women and afterwards, we got to ask her two questions as she was leaving. I asked her what difference she thinks a woman, such as herself, can make as President someday. “I think we’ve got very good people in our Party running for President, so I’m going to do everything I can to elect John Kerry,” she said.

A Conversation with Outkast’s Andre 3000

Outkast's Andre 3000 talks to Lily and Avery about the importance of voting.

I also had a chance to talk with Andre 3000 of the band Outkast about politics and voting. He just recently registered to vote for the first time and is producing a documentary about voting with Norman Lear. We talked with him as he waited to interview Hillary Clinton. He was waiting a long time and we got to talk to him for nearly half an hour! He said he recently registered to vote for the first time because he feels so much is at stake in this election. Stay tuned to timeforkids.com for mine and Avery Stone’s full interview with Andre 3000.

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