The Kid Who Ran for President

The next day, Guerra’s article is in the paper. It describes Judson’s presidential run as an Independent with the “Lemonade Party.” At school, people treat Judson differently—shaking his hand, asking for his autograph, and going out of their way to make room for him in the halls. The principal asks Judson to give a speech at the assembly the next day. Judson agrees, panicking because he doesn’t know how to give a speech. Lane tells Judson not to worry, that he will write the speech for him, but Judson doesn’t calm down. He laments that he started this entire presidential campaign as a joke and that, like most jokes, it got “less funny the more I heard it” (66).

The next day, Judson takes the stage at the school assembly to thunderous applause. He reads the speech Lane wrote, which blames grown-ups for all the problems facing America and the world. The only way to fix these problems is for kids to be in charge because adults won’t fix the problems they caused. If Judson is elected, he promises his first act as President “will be to abolish homework, now and forever” (73), making the kids cheer even louder.

Arthur argues from the

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