DU'ers should give Obama a few dollars. Here's the link

[AP]

This guy is really exciting. He has a great biography and seems to be the real deal. This guy could possibly be the most exciting person running for federal office this year.

I've heard really good things about him from people whose opinions I respect. I'm looking forward to learning more about him.

Check out his website and give him a few bucks if you like what you see.

http://www.obamaforillinois.com/contribute.shtml

[alcuno]

1. I will.

Thanks for the link.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

2. I don't lnow much about him but so far he sounds like the real thing.

[lastknowngood]

3. send the link to Dean's new org he can motivate a lot of

support fast.

[nicecakes]

4. Not until he takes a stand

http://www.obamaforillinois.com/artman/publish/article_214.shtml

He needs to vote up or down on important issues instead of "present".
Voting "present" doesn't give me much to go on.

[AP]

5. It's sounds like he was being smart. From that article:

Hull, who has seldom bothered to vote at all in his life, just sent out a mailing citing such votes to suggest they show Obama is weak on issues that his progressive base holds dear.

Do they?

"Anyone who says that a `present' vote necessarily reflects that someone is ducking an issue doesn't understand the first thing about legislative strategy," said Pam Sutherland, Planned Parenthood's chief lobbyist in Springfield. "People who work down here and know how things get done are hearing these accusations and saying, `huh?'"

In practical terms, a "present" vote is as good as a "no" vote because the law requires a bill to win the votes of a majority of the lawmakers in either body, not simply a majority of those voting.

If "present" sounds wimpy, that's because it sometimes is. In many cases, according to Paul Green, head of Roosevelt University's School of Public Policy and a longtime student of Illinois' byzantine legislative process, lawmakers who anticipate a tough re-election challenge will vote "present" on a controversial bill they oppose so as not to give their prospective opponents a good club to bash them with.

[AP]

6. Plus:

Sutherland just laughs. "We also had Emil Jones, Lisa Madigan, Miguel del Valle, Rickey Hendon and other very strong pro-choice legislators voting `present' on that one," she said. "It was all done to pull `present' votes off the fence."

Obama confirmed Sutherland's account of the legislative strategy and said, "No one was more active to beat back those bills than I was."

"Criticizing Obama on the basis of `present' votes indicates you don't have a great understanding of the process," said Thom Mannard, director of the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence.

Or you are willing to pretend you don't to score cheap political points.

There's dirt here all right. It's all over the hands of those pointing the finger.

[jpgray]

8. People at large (even some at this site) don't understand the process

And that will constantly be used against legislators when they run for office. The press, unless it is in their interest, will rarely make a peep about such things, and the delusion continues.

edit: A good example would be the blasting Kerry and Edwards routinely received about not showing up for the Medicare vote--it either betrayed ignorance of the process or pretended ignorance.

[davsand]

7. If he wasn't so upfront about his pro-choice views I might worry

When he speaks he is MOST upfront that it is a woman's right to choose. If Planned Parenthood in Springfield is OK with him--you can take it to the bank that he's good on choice. THOSE guys deal with the Illinois Legislature daily, and they know who they can count on.

Something else to think about- Hull was the guy who was on record in the unsealed divorce records as hitting his ex-wife and threatening to kill her. HULL sent out that mailing. I got it and promptly threw it away. It was a spin piece and nothing more.

The one I kept, however came from women in the Dem party complete with NOW quotes about Hull's awful attitudes about women. Evidently, he must think we are all dumb enough to listen to his expensive spin.

Laura

[WillyBrandt]

9. Excellent Call!

I'm emptying my wallet for Kerry, but this guy sounds great