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Kids say the darndest things

Posted by Foon Rhee, deputy national political editor December 16, 2008 02:43 PM

President-elect Barack Obama took more questions from elementary school kids than from reporters today.

He and Vice President-elect Joe Biden met with the students after announcing Chicago schools chief Arne Duncan as his education secretary and answering a handful of queries from the assembled press.

According to the press pool report, one student said they were studying decimals. "Decimals! Wow, Joe doesn't even know his decimals!" Obama joked.

Asked about Iraq, he said he plans to have the troops home in a year and a half. Asked about visiting other countries, he said he expects to meet some kings and queens.

Asked what he plans to do as president, he said he wants to make sure all kids get a good education, and he mentioned he's thinking about longer school days, which made the children frown.

Obama volunteered that he's getting a puppy for his daughters. "I want to make sure my daughters take care of this dog, and if they do their business, and you've got some poop, you don't just leave it there," he said, according to the pool report.

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