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Ten-Year-Old Girl Running for President

If someone were to ask you who is running for President in 2008, lots of names would pop into your head, but have you heard of Susie Flynn? She has a single issue platform: America needs to offer health insurance to the 9 million children in this country who don't have it.

If someone were to ask you who is running for President in 2008, lots of names would pop into your head, but have you heard of Susie Flynn? She has a single issue platform: America needs to offer health insurance to the 9 million children in this country who don't have it.

"Susie" is actually a fictitious character created by the Children's Defense Fund's advertising agency. The campaign is aimed at focusing attention on the serious issue of children's health insurance.

In a nutshell, chronic budget shortfalls, often confusing enrollment processes and dramatic variation in eligibility and coverage from state to state have prevented millions of currently eligible children from getting access to insurance. The Children's Defense Fund is pressing Congress to offer a solution as they consider the reauthorization of the Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

"The purpose of this campaign is to raise awareness and get the dialog started by using a vehicle who will get people talking and acting now," says Char Roseblade of Fallon Worldwide, the Minneapolis-based advertising agency working with the Children's Defense Fund on a pro bono basis. "What better way to achieve this than by having a child act as the voice for the 9 million children that don't have one? Adults and politicians should feel embarrassed that it takes a child to drive awareness and encourage involvement to solve this problem."

So far, the campaign includes television, print ads and posters that all have the same call to action: log on to the Web site: Elect Susie and fill out a petition urging Congress to act now.

"Children cannot take care of themselves, and they have no power to influence change," says CDF spokesman Neel Lattimore. "We knew that by creating a child who will stand up for the 9 million uninsured children -- going so far as to run for President -- people may finally pay attention and start acting. ‘Susie' is the champion representing those 9 million voiceless children in desperate need of our help. She is the vehicle to help demand that our elected officials solve this crisis now."

Courtesy of ARAcontent