I told you a couple of weeks ago that my experiences with Senator Reid couldn't possibly get any better.
Well, I was wrong.
New opportunities just keep presenting themselves and on Wednesday, I found myself at the KRNV Channel 4 studio in Reno speaking to both Senator Reid and Senator Ensign.
Once again, I joined Mr. Reedy, his video production students, fellow AP Government students, Mr. Larson and reporters from the school newspaper for an afternoon of fun.
The 15 of us were treated to a personal interview with both senators via satellite. And for 20 minutes, our two senators catered to our every need and answered our every question.
Here's a brief recap of the issues we covered:
-- No Child Left Behind Act: As one of the more gutsy (or more stupid) members of the group, I volunteered to go first. After attending both of the senators' State of the State addresses at the Legislature two weeks ago, I found myself in a dilemma about the act.
Precisely, is this mandate funded or isn't it?
To my dismay, Senator Reid and Senator Ensign agreed to disagree on this one. Each thought himself to be right, Reid believing the mandate to be unfunded and Ensign believing it to be funded and further commenting that if it wasn't funded it couldn't be legally enforced.
-- Yucca Mountain: Katie Mauldin addressed the issue of accepting compensation for nuclear waste to be stored at Yucca Mountain. This led to Senator Reid making the argument that nuclear waste coming to Nevada is not yet a done deal. In fact, I think he may have a winning case, for the senator related the issue back to terrorism, asking how we could possibly transport the waste without the possibility of an accident, or even worse, an act of terrorism.
-- War Protesters: Katie threw one more idea out to the senators for debate, asking for their opinions on war protesters, especially those in the Northern Nevada area. Both came back with similar political responses: they don't agree with the protesters, but they feel war is necessary to protect their freedom to protest.
-- Iraq: Kelly Bridegum gave the Senators a tough one, asking if they believed the result would outweigh the cost of a war in Iraq. They said that while we can't predict the future, war seems like America's best option at this point. Senator Ensign went even further, comparing Saddam Hussein to Adolf Hitler.
-- Military Draft: Ian Anderson eloquently asked their opinions on reinstating the military draft. I'm happy to report that neither thought a military draft would be necessary. Frighteningly though, Reid predicted war is only seven to 10 days away.
-- Title IX: On a slightly more positive note, I was thrilled that Anna Fast chose to ask the senators about the recent Title IX developments. Reid began by telling a story about how the only athletic opportunity for his wife in high school was cheerleading. He went on to say that participating in sports builds character and confidence and are necessary for men and women alike. Ensign responded that he certainly wants his 7-year-old daughter to have the same opportunities as her male classmates.
Then our 20 minutes of fame came to a close.
Yeah right! Afterwards, I practically felt like a celebrity.
I was pulled in all directions, mobbed like Christina Aguilera in a seedy bar. At first, two girls from the school newspaper wanted to interview me. Just as I began to answer their questions, though, I was pulled away to be interviewed by a reporter from Channel 4!
Unfortunately, a game of guess the number went awry and Ian snatched that opportunity away from me. I didn't dwell on it long, however, because a reporter from another local newspaper appeared before me, pen poised to jot down my responses to the experience.
By the time I finally made it back to the school newspaper reporters, I had long abandoned the Christina comparison, but I was a bit exhausted.
One thing's for sure, though. I can look back on my week and say I had an exciting, memorable experience.
And that's what it's all about.
