I am not sure what to think about this:

Obama’s next effort: a Children’s Crusade?

Drudge featured the breaking news story that Barack Obama would hold a nationwide speech for elementary-school children a week from today, touching off a flurry of e-mails wondering what Obama had in mind.  Will this be just an opportunity to learn more about government?  Or will Obama try pitching ObamaCare to the Sesame Street set?

The teaching guidelines don’t really give much of a hint:

President Obama’s Address to Students Across America September 8, 2009 -

Presidents often visit classrooms and talk to students. It usually makes a good photo op to put the President with children who obviously enjoy the attention, and there’s no harm in it. It can be a good teaching moment for civics instruction, which this nation does poorly at delivering. The timing can even be explained as the first week in which all children will return to school, and since for many of them it will be their first day, it won’t interrupt their normal curriculum.

Still, the nationwide speech aspect of this is unprecedented, and a little odd. Coming as it does on the heels of a disastrous summer, it’s not surprising that people are suspicious,

Including Michelle Malkin:

Will Obama be able to resist issuing a call to youth arms to marshal help in passing his legislative agenda?

General reaction is mixed.  Some see this as a fascist style children indoctrination, to try and encourage the kids to work on their parents for health care or climate change or who knows what else.

Others think it is a harmless attempt at diversion.

Venomous Kate from Electric Venom, says she’s sending her child to school instead of using a protest absence — and the coolness factor is one of the reasons. Be sure to read her take, and catch the implied lesson of parental involvement.

I am not ready to espouse total pessimism either way.  I am taking a wait and see approach.

But I admit I find it a bit uncomfortable, and I have to note that if Bush had tried this, the media would have BBQ-ed him.