Stanislaw Gunkel started blogging in Kindergarten, offering his views on typical kids’ stuff such as Legos and Star Wars.

Since then, he has taken an interest in alternative energy, joined the ranks of Arianna Huffington and Andrew Sullivan as a political blogger, received a personalized letter from President-elect Barack Obama and had his story told on several Chicago media outlets.

He’s in second grade.

“It really began as a way for him to write,” said Communication Professor David Gunkel of his son’s blog, which can be found at planetstas.blogspot.com.

The 7-year-old kicked off his blogging career in early 2007. He became interested in politics after taking a class this past summer.

“I think his main point of interest is alternative energy,” David said. “He took a class about global warming. As the campaigns got under way, he heard a lot about it from NPR and elsewhere. He decided he was going to ally himself to the Obama campaign.”

Stanislaw liked Obama’s policy on alternative energy, and from there the Kids for OBAMA portion of his blog was under way. He commented on such topics as the policies he agrees with Obama on and why John McCain isn’t fit to be president.

He repeatedly urged “grown-ups to vote for Barack Obama,” as he won’t be able to vote for president until the 2020 general election.

While others might be, David isn’t surprised by the high level of political thought and writing ability his son has displayed.

“He’s a pretty loquacious little guy,” David said. “But I’ve grown up with him. It’s not your typical 7-year-old discourse.”

A few weeks ago Gunkel’s wife, not expecting a response, sent a letter to the Obama campaign informing them of Stanislaw’s blog.

“It came in five days before the election,” David said of the personalized letter from Obama thanking Stanislaw for his support; a “little piece of history,” Gunkel called it. “When he got the letter, he was thrilled.” Or as Stanislaw described his emotions that day: “Excited, proud and surprised.”

Soon, Chicago media outlets picked up on the story. The story was featured in local newspapers, TV and radio stations.

“Today I am being interviewed about my blog. I like being interviewed. I will be on TV tonight,” Stanislaw said in a blog entry the day his story was aired on WLS-Channel 7.

However, Stanislaw may not be done writing about subjects outside the political realm.

“I like to tell about my life,” Stanislaw said when asked why he enjoys blogging. “I especially like writing about Legos because I really like building and playing with them.”

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