海角大神

A mid-afternoon visit to a second-grade classroom must have brightened what was a tough day for President Obama.

Barack and Michelle Obama climbed into their limo Tuesday shortly after the news broke that presidential friend and political mentor Tom Daschle was dropping out of contention for the post of secretary of Health and Human Services due to tax troubles.

With police blocking every intersection, the 14-vehicle motorcade may its way down a busy Washington street to the Capital City Public Charter School in only 8 minutes.

School officials knew the president and first lady would visit, but the destination was kept secret from the press and public until the motorcade arrived at the school.

Tired of the White House

In explaining his visit to the class, the president said, 鈥淲e were just tired of being in the White House.鈥� Only the hardest of hearts could fail to sense the joy in the faces of the 25 admiring children who greeted the Obamas.

The first couple entered the white-walled, blue-carpeted classroom with the president saying, 鈥淗ello, everybody.鈥� Education Secretary Arne Duncan trailed them into the classroom.

Mr. Obama, dressed in a blue suit, white shirt, and blue tie, walked around the classroom shaking hands saying, 鈥淕ood to see you guys.鈥� After shaking a number of students鈥� hands, he asked, 鈥淒id I get everybody?鈥� No, was the reply. So more handshaking ensued.

Finally, the president and Mrs. Obama sat in green plastic chairs in front of the class. 鈥淭hank you for having us,鈥� Mr. Obama said. He then recognized various school officials. Mrs. Obama, dressed in a black outfit and tall black boots, led the applause for the school鈥檚 principal. When the kids faltered in giving their teacher鈥檚 name, Mrs. Obama jokingly chided that they were 鈥渇alling down on the job on that one.鈥�

A presidential quip

In helping explain their visit, Mrs. Obama pointed out that,鈥淪asha is our second-grader." The president quipped that it is 鈥渜uite a coincidence you are the same age.鈥� Mrs. Obama asked for each student to each give his or her name.

According to the White House, the charter school was founded in 2000 by a group of Washington public school parents working with teachers and other education professionals interested in reform. The building the Obamas visited serves 244 students in Grades Pre-K through 8. The student body is 39 percent African-American, 24 percent Latino, and 34 percent white. More than half the students qualify for reduced-price lunch. Student achievement in the school ranks in the top one-third of D.C. public schools.

A story about possibilities

After pleasantries, the president and Mrs. Obama began to read 鈥淭he Moon Over Star鈥� by Dianna Hutts Aston, illustrated by Jerry Pinkey. The book is about Neil Armstrong鈥檚 moon landing. A White House handout noted that 鈥渇or the young protagonist of this lyrical and hopeful picture book, that landing is something that inspires her to make one giant step toward all of the possibilities that life has to offer.鈥�

Mrs. Obama began reading, saying, 鈥� I will read first, but if you find my reading so compelling鈥� she would continue. The president sat on the left facing the class, Mrs. Obama on the right, and they held the book up together so the class could see the illustrations. After Mrs. Obama read for three minutes, the president began reading. The class sat quietly with little fidgeting. Three adults sat on the floor with the kids.

When the story was over, the president said, 鈥淭hat鈥檚 a nice book.鈥� Then he asked who wanted to be an astronaut. One student said yes. 鈥淲hat else do people want to be?鈥� he asked. The replies included doctor, football player, and sculptor. One boy wanted to be president. 鈥淚 think you might make it,鈥� the president said.

One student wanted to be a veterinarian. 鈥淲e had a fish. I鈥檝e got to admit the fish died,鈥� the president said. Mrs. Obama added, 鈥淭he girls say we keep killing them.鈥� One girl said she wanted to be first lady. Mrs. Obama said, 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 pay much.鈥�

Presidential superheroes

Then the president asked for questions. Why did he want to be president? 鈥淭o be able to help people,鈥� he said. Mrs. Obama added that 鈥渉e listened to his parents and teachers 鈥� most of the time.鈥�

A student asked the president who were his superheroes. 鈥淪pider-Man and Batman鈥� was the response.

He was asked when it was that he first wanted to be president. He replied, 鈥淲hen I was your age, I wanted to be an architect.鈥�

Mrs. Obama was asked about living in the White House. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a nice house,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t is one of the most important houses in the country.鈥� The president said, 鈥淭he people own it.鈥�

The president then thanked the class. 鈥淵ou have been terrific,鈥� he said. The school is 鈥渁n example of how all our schools should be.鈥� He said his administration wants to make sure we are 鈥渄uplicating that success all over the country.鈥� He noted the stimulus bill before the Senate would give the Education secretary 鈥渞esources to reward innovative schools.鈥�

A quick sales pitch

After delivering his sales pitch for the stimulus plan, the president had the class line up for a picture with him and Mrs. Obama. The class then presented the president with artwork they had made. 鈥淭hese are all beautiful, guys. Thank you so much,鈥� he said.

After briefly stepping out of the classroom, the Obamas returned, with the president saying, 鈥渨e brought some books鈥� for the library. Passing books out to the students, he added, 鈥淭hese are some outstanding books here.鈥� One was 鈥淢r. Peabody鈥檚 Apples.鈥�

About half an hour after they arrived, the president and Mrs. Obama left the classroom as he said, 鈥渢hank you guys.鈥�

When Obama returned to the White House, he was scheduled to give interviews to five television network reporters 鈥� an audience nowhere near as adoring as the one he had just left.