On November 5th, 2008, journalists Bruce Kluger and David Tabatsky had a simple idea: to recapture the exhilarating spirit of the 2008 election from the perspective of our nation's children. They emailed a handful of friends. Those friends forwarded the email to their friends and relatives. In the end, the same infectious enthusiasm that fueled the Obama campaign itself produced the 200 letters and drawings collected here. From every region of the country, from ages four to 18, these kids talk about their hopes, fears, and dreams, and their unchecked excitement about the historic election that took place during their young lives. Kluger and Tabatsky also collaborated with the young contributors to create the vibrant visuals that accompany their remarkable letters.
BRUCE KLUGER is a writer, columnist and commentator whose work appears regularly in newspapers and magazines across the country, as well as on the Internet. A member of the Board of Contributors of USA Today, Bruce also frequently writes about fatherhood for Parenting magazine, and is a regular contributor to National Public Radio's All Things Considered, The Los Angeles Times, Psychology Today, Time Out New York and the Huffington Post.
Formerly an editor of Playboy magazine and a DVD reviewer for Us Weekly, Bruce has written about current events, family and the popular culture for, among others, The New York Times, The New York Post, The New York Daily News, The Chicago Tribune, The Chicago Sun-Times, The Baltimore Sun, The Boston Globe, Newsweek, Time.com, HuffingtonPost.com, Salon.com, Alternet.org, ForbesTraveler.com, Arrive (the Amtrak magazine), Time Out New York, Time Out New York Kids, NickJr.com and the Sesame Street Workshop. He is the co-author, with David Tabatsky, of "Dear President Obama: Letters of Hope from Children Across America" (Beckham Publications Group, Inc., 2009). Additionally, Bruce co-edited and/or contributed to the books "The Right Words at the Right Time" and "The Right Words at the Right Time, Vol. 2: Your Turn!" (Atria Books, 2002 and 2006) and "Thanks & Giving: All Year Long" (Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, 2004), all by Marlo Thomas. (The CD version of the latter book, for which Bruce served as Associate Producer, won the 2006 Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for Children.)
Since 2001, Bruce has also been writing satire with David Slavin. Their work is regularly featured on National Public Radio's All Things Considered and in The Los Angeles Times; in dozens of syndicated newspapers around the country; and on countless sites on the Internet, notably The Huffington Post. Their books include "Young Dick Cheney: Great American" (AlterNet Books, 2008) and "'Twas the Night Before Christmas: 21st Century Edition" (Andrews McMeel, 2010).
Formerly an actor, Bruce appeared in the films "The Burning," "The Chosen," "Diner and "Playing For Keeps," and on the TV show "Diff'rent Strokes." Television enthusiasts might also remember Bruce from his three-year assignment as an on- air correspondent for the E! Channel's "The Gossip Show."
