From the Chicago Tribune's Eric Zorn:
Democrats:
The Journal-Star , Post-Dispatch and Champaign News-Gazette endorsed State Sen. Barack Obama in the Democratic primary.
The J-S wrote:
(Obama's) positions are nuanced; he demagogues nothing, and that is rare....Obama would bring to the Senate the wisdom and knowledge of America gained from being a community organizer, civil rights lawyer and head of a statewide voter registration drive. If elected to the U.S. Senate, he would be its only African-American, a welcome, if token, representation of America's diversity.
He would also bring a proven ability to pass legislation that meets broad needs and a willingness to say no to laws intended to protect special interests..... His was among the few principled votes against two of the most reprehensible pieces of legislation to make their way through Springfield recently - the Wirtz bill to protect liquor distributors from competition and the effort to do something similar for SBC Communications.
The P-D added that Obama "has a deeper, more nuanced grasp of the issues than (Ill. Comptroller) Dan Hynes," who was their No. 2 choice.
The Daily Herald also put Obama just ahead of Hynes, saying "both have a gift for public service," but---
when you talk with Obama, you can't help but admire his intellect, confidence, ease in accepting challenges and compassion. Very few candidates for public office have impressed us in this way. Paul Simon comes to mind.
Obama has a solid state legislative track record..... He knows how the political system works; how to cajole but yet compromise. That's senatorial stuff....We also find refreshing his evident sense of decency and justice when so many phonies and fools - if not felons - are giving governing a bad name.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/ericzorn/chi-zornlog.story