The top stories on CBS4.com
Jan 21, 2009 11:11 am US/Eastern
Little Journalist's Inauguration Plans Got Pinched
A Fifth Grader Uses YouTube Videos To Change The Journalism Industry
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
-
-
Damon Weaver
Jim Robinson/CBS
Damon Weaver, the ten-year-old fifth grader from Palm Beach County, was aiming at the big scoop, an interview with Pres. Barack Obama.
He was in Washington with his VIP tickets to watch the inauguration. Brian Zimmerman, a teacher at Weaver's elementary school, said the group had "very good tickets" to see Tuesday's swearing-in at the U.S. Capitol, but the security line stalled and they missed the inauguration.
At least 1,000 people who held inauguration tickets could not get in.
The K.E. Cunningham/Canal Point Elementary School student and YouTube sensation told CBS4 Mobile Journalist Jim Robinson before he left for Washington that he was trying to hook up with the president-elect.
He had his press credentials to cover some of the events for the historic swearing in of the 44th president.
He reported on a concert, and he met celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey and Spike Lee, among others.
But for his strategy to try to get next to the newly elected president, Damon added, "He might say, 'Hi young man', and I can ask him, 'President Obama, can I interview you?' and he might say yes".
He explained how he got his training and guidance from Zimmerman, a speech and language counselor who oversees the school's KC-TV.
"It makes me proud to see how Damon has grown as a journalist and how he's grown as a person, and how his grades have improved," Zimmerman said.
"It has been my dream to interview Barack Obama," said Weaver, and he explained that one of his supporters in this quest was Miami Heat's Dwayne Wade.
And he is perhaps one of the only kids in America who might just succeed in this quest.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Haiti Miracle: Man Found 4 Weeks Later
Click to enlarge
Broward Housing Values Take A Beating In '09 24 mins ago 
Stumble It!
Comments