The Kid Who Ran for President

Do you agree that the minimum age for United States president should be 35 years? Why or why not? If you agree, what about age 35 makes someone eligible? If you disagree, why might someone younger be best for the position?

The Kid Who Ran for President makes no secret of the flaws in the election system. How might these flaws be addressed for a fairer and more streamlined election process? Do you think the Electoral College is outdated? Why or why not? If so, how might it be updated for today’s America?

Do you agree that the presidential race is a media show? Do you think it’s always, at least in part, been this way? If not, when do you think it became as much about the show as the election itself? Why then, and what does this change say about America and its history?

The Kid Who Ran for President was originally published in 1996, soon after the Internet became a household commodity. The 2012 edition of the book includes social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) and its impact on the campaign/election. Did including these more modern sites add anything to the book? If so, what? If not, why not, and what aspects of the book render the addition of social media irrelevant?

Do you agree with Judson’s perspective that both sides of an issue have merit? Do you think adhering to Judson’s tactic of forming an opinion, rather than bowing to what the people want, would be more effective? Why or why not? Consider both your views and the opposing views of an issue facing the world today. What are the positive and negative aspects of both sides of the issue? Can you understand the negatives of your side and the positives of the other? If not, explore what keeps you from doing so.

Arthur Krantz is one of Judson’s antagonists in The Kid Who Ran for President. Why do you think Arthur opposes Judson so much? How might Judson’s campaign have gone differently if Arthur was its manager rather than Lane? Support your position with evidence from the text.

In Chapter 8, June reflects that the president is the worst job in the world because of the pressure and mass disapproval. Do you agree or disagree with this assessment? Why? What about taking public office changes the public’s view of someone from a person to a scapegoat and someone to blame?

Do you agree or disagree with June’s observation that there are no good old days? Why or why not? Looking back on your life, do you see where the good old days ended? How did you change during that time?