Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Tot takes special interest in the news
Black Hills Pioneer/AP ^ | 2-11-04 | Donna Smith

Posted on 02/15/2004 1:07:52 PM PST by jwalburg

BOULDER CANYON -- Will Pearson has a nose for the news. He's a great fan of Wolf Blitzer and Bill O'Reilly. Will Pearson is 2-years-old.

Ask him who is running for president in 2004, and he blurts out a list, "Kucinich, Lieberman, Kerry, Clark, Dean, Edwards, Braun, Sharp, Gephardt... ha, ha," he giggled. He quickly added that some of those candidates (Braun, Gephardt and now Lieberman) are out of the race.

"I scream because I get so excited," Will said as he pointed to the television menu items corresponding to news programs coming up on several channels.

On Saturday mornings when other kids are watching cartoons, Will Pearson loves to run down the hall and catch the latest news. He keeps himself well-informed about the presidential race and candidates, but other news makes him happy too.

"Larry King and Greta Van Susteren are good," he said. "I like 'Business Block' too."

Since he was an infant, Will Pearson has loved watching the news on television, according to his parents, Bill and Jaci Pearson of Boulder Canyon. They began to notice his unusual knowledge of the news when he was about 18 months old.

A love of news is not new to the family. Will's mother Jaci Pearson has a college degree in journalism and his father is a self-confessed "news junkie."

It must have rubbed off.

Now Will Pearson is refining his news viewing tastes a bit as he shifts between various networks to view the shows he likes best. "Bulls and Bears" on Fox News and "Crossfire" on CNN are his current top picks, but he also finds time to watch MSNBC too.

He is so fascinated by the news that on his second birthday, his parents made sure he had a sheet cake emblazoned with the Fox news logo. His party pictures give testament to his joy when he saw the cake.

Among his favorite news personalities are Lou Dobbs, Wolf Blitzer and Anderson Cooper of CNN, plus Brit Hume, Sean Hannity, Alan Colmes and Bill O'Reilly of Fox News.

His father asked, "Will, is the stock market up or down today?"

"CNN, (channel) 202, Dad," said little Will,. as he instructed his dad to turn the channel to CNN. "It's up!" he exclaimed as he eyed the green arrow pointing upward in the corner of the screen.

If asked to fully identify himself, he says proudly, "William Conrad Pearson... I live in the Black Hills of South Dakota."

News keeps him thinking and asking questions, but Will also likes to play with his toys and his little sister, Alexandra, who is just 8 months old.

In between watching news shows, the little boy acts like a little boy. "I'm going to knock over the grocery store," he yelled as he ran toward the toy store set up in the corner of the living room. After his dad told him not to, he backed off the idea and decided to talk more news.

His mother said one of the shows Will is learning to enjoy is Dennis Miller's new program.

When visitors get ready to leave Will's home, he thanks them for coming and signs off much as one of his news heroes, Bill O'Reilly, might, "Bye, bye and write should you wish to opine."


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: boy; news; toddler; tot

1 posted on 02/15/2004 1:07:52 PM PST by jwalburg
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: jwalburg
Wow! I want to know if he adds, "Name and city, name and city."

:-)
2 posted on 02/15/2004 1:12:41 PM PST by bootless (Never Forget)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jwalburg
The kid isn't so smart. He didn't list President Bush among the candidates.
3 posted on 02/15/2004 1:15:58 PM PST by weegee (Election 2004: Re-elect President Bush... Don't feed the trolls.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jwalburg
"Kucinich, Lieberman, Kerry, Clark, Dean, Edwards, Braun, Sharp, Gephardt... ha, ha," he giggled.

Agreed.
4 posted on 02/15/2004 1:17:00 PM PST by non-anonymous
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ChrisCoolC
Haha, to you, ChrisCoolC!
5 posted on 02/15/2004 1:42:57 PM PST by bolobaby
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: weegee
"The kid isn't so smart. He didn't list President Bush among the candidates."

How would he know that if he gets all his information from the networks?

6 posted on 02/15/2004 2:47:00 PM PST by Neanderthal
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: bootless
Name and town, name and town.
7 posted on 02/15/2004 2:55:35 PM PST by sandlady
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

Comment #8 Removed by Moderator

To: jwalburg
I hope this isn't a little Rain Man in the making.
9 posted on 02/15/2004 3:01:53 PM PST by Nick Danger (Spotted owl tastes like chicken)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jwalburg
Since he was an infant, Will Pearson has loved watching the news on television

And now he has matured to the ripe old age of two! LOL!

10 posted on 02/15/2004 3:03:56 PM PST by Cold Heat ("It is easier for an ass to succeed in that trade than any other." [Samuel Clemens, on lawyers])
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sandlady
Oops! Got me! I realized my error AFTER I hit post.

Name and town, name and town. (Whoosh sound effect)
11 posted on 02/15/2004 3:04:22 PM PST by bootless (Never Forget)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: bootless
:)
12 posted on 02/15/2004 3:06:15 PM PST by sandlady
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: jwalburg
My oldest new who Monica Lewinsky was when he was two. I had the radio on all the time so the name was embedded in his brain. Thank goodness he didn't know what she was famous for.
13 posted on 02/15/2004 7:51:34 PM PST by beaversmom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson