Student Interrupts Obama While Moderating Talk, Was Trying To Wrap It Up In Time For Lunch

A sixth grade student moderator interrupted President Obama while the president was talking to students about the importance of reading and writing, but the boy said he had a good reason — students were hungry and ready for lunch to get started.

The incident took place at an event Thursday at Washington D.C.’s Anacostia Neighborhood Library. Student Osman Yahya was moderating the talk, and apparently decided that the president was getting a little long-winded when talking about writing a first draft.

“I think you’ve sort of covered everything about that question,” the student said, interrupting Obama.

“OK, Osman thinks I’ve been talking too long,” Obama joked.

“No, no,” the boy said, laughing.

“Let’s move it along,” Obama concluded.

Afterward, the student who interrupted President Obama offered a bit more of an explanation, telling Politico that he was just taking his duties as moderator seriously.

“I didn’t mean to cut him off. I was just nudging him to get on,” the sixth grader said, adding that his job was to keep Obama moving along. “Adults might have been diplomatic,” Osman concluded.

Osman Yahya was actually hand-picked to serve as moderator, and traveled from Maryland to Washington for the event.

USA Today had offered a preview of the event, and a bit of a bio on Osman.

“Osman Yahya, a sixth-grader at the school, traveled to Washington for the 10:40 a.m. interview at the Anacostia Neighborhood Library. Students attending Kramer Middle School and the Brightwood Education Campus in Washington will join a live audience and can submit questions for Osman to ask the president.

In the segment, ‘Read to Discover a World of Infinite Possibilities,’ Osman intends to ask the president about his favorite books and his love of reading, said Tracy Sahler, Wicomico County school district spokeswoman.”

While he may have been a strict moderator, the student who interrupted Obama is highly praised. In January, he participated in a Discovery Education event launching a math techbook, and attracted the attention of the event’s sponsors. That led to him being chosen to moderate the event this week with Obama.

“I am so incredibly proud of this amazing young man,” said his principal, Liza Hastings.

Though it seemed the president wasn’t too offended when his answer was cut off, the student offered another reason why he interrupted Obama. Osman noted that the talk was happening just before lunch time, and said that “most students were hungry.”

[Image via Telegraph]