E-mail a friendDavid Gilbert-Pederson
airdate August 27, 2008
Full interview. (4:22)
David Gilbert-Pederson
Tavis: Tonight we wanted to introduce you to an impressive young man we came across here in Denver. His name is David Gilbert-Pederson, and at just 17 years of age he's the youngest delegate at this convention. Like many young people around the country he was inspired to make this journey to Denver by the candidacy of Barack Obama. So David, nice to have you on the program.
David Gilbert-Pederson: Good to be here, Tavis.
Tavis: You enjoying yourself so far?
Pederson: I am; I'm having a wonderful time.
Tavis: I am curious to know how you got turned on by politics obviously early enough to be a delegate at 17.
Pederson: In 2002 when the late Senator Paul Wellstone died I realized, looking at the wall on his office where the people had put signs and flowers, how much of an impact he had had on the community in Minnesota, how much he had gotten people who were generally uninvolved to become involved, and I thought that it was time to give back to a man who had given us so much, and I wanted to deliver that election for him. And it didn't come out the way I'd liked, but I stayed involved in politics and have been trying to change things ever since.
Tavis: So tell me the story of how you wound up here as a delegate.
Pederson: Well, I started out as a volunteer in January of '07 with Senator Obama's campaign, went on to be an intern in September, and then I realized that I wanted to see this journey from start to finish, and that the convention in Denver will be a big marking point, and I wanted to be there. It's also my first election, so I wanted to be able to say I was there to cast to vote for Senator Obama and also cast my vote to make him the nominee of the Democrat party.
Tavis: When is your birthday?
Pederson: October 8th.
Tavis: Okay, I was going to say, (laughs) unless they changed the rules in Minnesota, you still got to be 18 to vote on Election Day. You getting in just under the wire.
Pederson: Yes, sir.
Tavis: So you'll be just 18, just in time.
Pederson: Yup.
Tavis: Yeah. What do you like about Barack Obama? You started out talking about Paul Wellstone - I get that. A great man and we miss him dearly. But what was it about Obama that got your attention?
Pederson: I think part of the thing that got my attention was the fact that he's somebody who offers something so new. This idea of not taking money from PACs is just one example of how he offers a break from the past. The fact that he's willing to say things that may not be politically popular or politically smart, but that need to be said - taking a stand against the war before it was politically popular, coming out and going to the Detroit automakers and saying we need to increase fuel efficiency standards.
These are things that the American people need to know but don't necessarily want to hear, and it's the kind of candidness that we need in our candidate. The genuine nature and the honesty that I think we need in a president, because after the last seven and a half years under the Bush administration, it's something we're lacking.
Tavis: Did you tell me earlier that you're homeschooled?
Pederson: Yes.
Tavis: How do you like that and how's that - it's obviously - you're awfully bright and awfully articulate. How's that working out for you?
Pederson: It's going well. I actually started out in public school, went to a private school for middle school, then went back to a public school for high school. Ended up realizing that conventional classroom learning was not the thing for me. I was a very - a lot of the teachers all the time, every political - every student-teacher conference - Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert-Pederson, your son is very smart - he just talks too much. (Laughter)
Tavis: I had that problem.
Pederson: He can't concentrate, so politics was something that fed on my skill set.
Tavis: Let me ask the obvious question - politics in your future?
Pederson: Yes. I don't know when and/or what, but definitely do want to go on to become a politician and help - become that next generation that the torch will be passed on to as it was from Bobby Kennedy to his younger brother, and then Teddy said - Senator Kennedy said on stage yesterday that he was passing that torch to Obama. And I want to be able to be part of that generation that that torch is passed to in the future.
Tavis: I am honored to meet you, and I am certain - this conversation kind of reminds me of Tiger Woods. Everywhere you look on TV these days you see that tape of Tiger when he was just a kid hitting golf balls at the age of two. I am almost certain that it's just a matter of time that I'm going to have the opportunity to play this tape again when David came to see me on my TV show live from Denver for the 2008 Democrat convention. Mark my word, this tape will be seen again by the world. David, I'm honored to meet you.
Pederson: It's a pleasure.
Tavis: And I'm glad to have you on the program.
Pederson: Thank you so much.
Tavis: Have a great rest of the convention.
Pederson: You as well.
Tavis: All right.
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