By REBECCA SHALOMOFF
Like pulling a rabbit from a hat, students at Hewlett Elementary School made "The Amazing Kreskin," a long-time prognosticator, appear at their school on Wednesday morning, Nov. 8.
"The Amazing Kreskin," who describes himself as a "thought-reader" and not as a psychic or occult follower, had heard on the radio that the students at Hewlett Elementary have been right on target in picking the president since 1968, and knew he had to meet them right away.
It's a four-year tradition for the second through fifth graders to be immersed in the electoral process and candidate information for a month before election day. They watch commercials, read newspapers and study the candidates during television debates, as well as being assigned to discuss the issues with their parents. Finally, students go to the polls and cast their votes -- in a mock election in a real voting booth set up at the school-- for the best candidate for president. This year, Al Gore was the landslide winner of their election, by a vote of 368-117. As of presstime, with the real ballots being recounted in Florida, it was not yet known whether their prediction was right on the money.
Kreskin, a mentalist who has been performing for more than four decades on stage and television, at the White House and for royalty, was so impressed with the students' sharp intuitive abilities and extensive political knowledge that he rushed over to the school after a morning stint on the Howard Stern Radio Show.
Like the students, Kreskin made a prediction for this year's presidential election in August which is sealed in a safe at Stern's office. Everyone has to wait until the final result of the election before Kreskin's prediction is revealed. If he's wrong, he promises to donate $100,000 to a charitable organization.
Kreskin showed his amazing abilities nationwide, which he attributes to "a very intuitive feeling," when he predicted that Hillary Clinton would run for Senate well before she made her announcement. Last January, he caused turmoil by announcing that Microsoft's Bill Gates would have to step down from his position of power. Sure enough, 13 days later the court trials began against Gates and Microsoft. During news coverage, CNN broadcasted a thanks to Kreskin.
Last Wednesday morning, the Amazing Kreskin stood before a group of 60 students outside Hewlett Elementary, and yet again, demonstrated his incredible thinking skills. Two students were selected and each given a book. The first had to turn to a page and have the number in mind. Kreskin got it immediately. The second student had to turn to the same page in a different book and concentrate on the first line. The Amazing Kreskin was able to zero in on what the student was thinking, and recited the line almost exactly as it was written.
Kreskin said, "On many occasions I can perceive a single thought or a series of simple thoughts if the subjects are tuned to me and willing to open their imaginations to receive or project. I am totally helpless if they refuse. It has to do with concentration of people. I can't just walk into a room and know what everyone else is thinking. Gosh, people wouldn't want to be around me."
Children, he asserts, are great to practice with because they can be so focused in their imaginations. Kreskin said that he would have liked to spend the entire day at Hewlett Elementary, just going from class to class having telepathic exchanges with students.
"They were very excited [to meet the Amazing Kreskin]. He was interested in how they made the prediction," said Dr. Mildred David, principal of Hewlett Elementary.
Sammi Feldman, a fifth grader, said, " He could do things that I had never seen before. The Amazing Kreskin is exactly what he calls himself: amazing!"
