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Ten-year-old Nina鈥檚 visit to the Oval Office
Linda Feldmann
鈥淥n your last trip to Poland, what was your favorite thing there?鈥� 10-year-old Nina聽Wa艂kuska shouted to President Joe Biden as he headed into the White House.
The president stopped, peeked inside, then gestured to Nina. Would she like to see the Oval Office? Moments later, off she went, along with the son of a CNN cameraman, for a personal tour of the world鈥檚 most exclusive workspace.
Her dad, Polish Radio reporter Marek Wa艂kuski, had brought Nina with him Thursday for 鈥淭ake Your Child to Work Day鈥� at the White House. Nina was prepared with a question for press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre at the 鈥渒ids鈥� briefing鈥� that morning with offspring of White House reporters, but she wasn鈥檛 called on. Soon she found herself within earshot of the president himself and seized the opportunity.
Suffice it to say, the grown-ups who cover President Biden don鈥檛 get rewarded with a trip to the Oval when they shout a question. But off Nina went, her stunned dad left behind. He handed her his phone so she could take selfies, but it was confiscated for the duration of the visit.
I encountered the Wa艂kuskis on the White House grounds soon after, and Nina was in a crouch, her head in her hands.
鈥淚 think she鈥檚 in shock,鈥� Mr.聽Wa艂kuski said, gushing with pride. 鈥淚 want her to write about her experience, but she says she can鈥檛 remember anything.鈥�
With time, details began to emerge. Mr. Biden had shown the kids pictures of his family, including a photo of his grandson under the Resolute Desk, like聽聽of John F. Kennedy Jr. Nina got to sit in the president鈥檚 chair and pose for pictures under the desk. White House photographers snapped pix, which Mr.聽Wa艂kuski and his wife eagerly await.
Meanwhile, in Poland, Nina is聽, as the media have covered her adventure via Mr. Wa艂kuski鈥檚 tweets.聽聽got a lot of love.
Does Nina want to be a journalist when she grows up? Actually, her dad said Friday, 鈥渟he wants to be a theoretical physicist, like Sheldon on 鈥楾he Big Bang Theory.鈥欌��
I have no doubt this fourth grader at a local public Montessori school will succeed at whatever she sets her mind to. But maybe she鈥檒l turn her sights to journalism. We need her.
