I was just listening to the news and heard President-Elect Obama's nomination of Arne Duncan for Secretary of Education. We get asked a lot, living so close to the Obamas, if we ever see the president-elect, and the answer is always no. No, we really don't see him, just his house and his security. We do see the Duncans, though, almost every day.
One of Mr. Duncan's kids is in EJ's preschool class, and I can say with no hesitation that they are quite a lovely family. EJ had a brief conversation with Arne once---usually, his wife, Karen, does the drop-off and pick-up, but about a month into school this fall, Arne came in with her. He is a very tall man---he was a basketball player---and when he came out on the playground, EJ walked right up to him to ask him, "Who are you? What are you doing here?" I guess she was struck by the sight of this tall guy she had never seen, and had to get the info. Karen and a few other parents told me about the interaction the next day, saying how cute it had been. She wasn't worried, just curious, and not afraid to go right up to him and ask him what he was up to on their playground. That's our kid in a nutshell.
I still cannot believe that we live in a place where all of this is happening around us---it is absolutely surreal. We'll miss the Duncans, but it sounds like they are in for quite a wonderful adventure, and I'm so pleased for them.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
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1 comments:
Obviously you have a future Senator or Congresswoman on your hands -- she just started the confirmation hearings a little early.
Guess I won't ask you to weigh in on whether CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS should be a model for the nation. Could be a little awkward, heh. But given the current national reputation Illinois has earned itself, I hope this is the last nominee from these parts. I think the nation's had enough Illinois for awhile.
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