The Kid Who Ran for President

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 1996

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Summary

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Prologue-Chapter 2

Chapters 3-6

Chapters 7-10

Chapters 11-12

Chapters 13-14

Chapters 15-16

Chapters 17-18

Chapters 19-22

Chapters 23-24

Chapters 25-26

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Tools

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Discussion Questions

Chapters 7-10Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapter 7 Summary: “The First Babe”

The next day, after introducing himself to Chelsea (who isn’t sure who he is), Judson asks her if she’ll be his First Lady. She’s skeptical until Judson says she wouldn’t have to actually date him, only attend events and parties every so often. The idea of parties where photographers would see her dressed up sells her on the idea, and she agrees by asking Judson if she “would look better in a blue or a pink silk dress at the inauguration” (39).

Chapter 8 Summary: “Vice President Syers”

Later, Judson stops by June’s house to ask her about being his running mate. She refuses at first, saying Judson is crazy for wanting to get mixed up in politics. When she finally asks why Judson wants her as a running mate, Judson replies, “Because you’re the only grown-up I know who isn’t stupid” (42). June can’t argue with that and agrees because “somebody’s gotta keep an eye on you, Judson Moon” (42).

Chapter 9 Summary: “Twenty Million Dollars? No Problem”

At their next strategy session, Lane tells Judson they need $20 million to get the campaign started and buy things like airtime on television and promotional materials (posters, bumper stickers, and the like). Judson has no idea how he’ll get that much money and resolves not to run. A frustrated Lane says Judson gives up too easily and that he knows “how we can raise twenty million dollars with two phone calls” (46).

Chapter 10 Summary: “I’d Say It Sounds Like a Fake”

Lane calls the Capital Times, the local newspaper, and speaks to a reporter named Pete Guerra. Lane pitches Judson’s run for president by asking what Guerra would say to a 12-year-old boy in the presidential race, to which Guerra says, “I’d say it sounds like a fake” (49).

Despite this reaction, Lane doesn’t give up. He smoothly replies to all Guerra’s rebuttals until Guerra grudgingly agrees to meet with Judson the next day for an exclusive interview. Judson is impressed but still isn’t sure how this will get them $20 million.

Chapters 7-10 Analysis

Judson’s conversations with Chelsea and June in Chapters 7 and 8 parody how other presidential candidates make these decisions. As the First Lady is a title historically given to the president’s wife rather than an appointed position, presidential candidates don’t usually ask someone to fill the position. The fact that Chelsea doesn’t even know Judson’s name until he asks her shows the lengths he is willing to go to construct the ideal image crafted by Lane. After Judson mentions parties with pretty clothes, Chelsea accepts the position, foreshadowing her focus in the campaign. Rather than seeing herself as a partner, Chelsea uses the exposure to further her modeling career.

June’s involvement with the campaign more accurately resembles the relationship between presidential and vice-presidential running mates. Judson admits that he picked June because she’s an adult who isn’t stupid. While a mark of Judson’s personality, the statement also holds some weight for adult presidential candidates who choose running mates they believe will bring something to the campaign and the presidency. Most candidates also want running mates who aren’t “stupid.”

Chapters 9 and 10 demonstrate Lane’s knowledge of the election system and show him in action. Unlike Judson, Lane understands the obstacles facing them and has strategies for overcoming them. The mention of airtime and promotional materials builds on the idea of the election as a show. Candidates need to put themselves where voters are watching (television). Giveaways like posters and bumper stickers improve name visibility and recognition, increasing the likelihood that voters will remember and vote for them. The phone call in Chapter 10 shows that Lane knows how to work the system. Up until now, he has presented vast theoretical knowledge on the campaign process. Here, he translates knowledge into action by convincing a reporter to interview Judson, a first step in getting needed publicity.