Getting it right
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Getting it right
The AP succeeds where the NY Times failed:
In Chicago politics, the traditional route to political success has gone through the office of a ward committeeman, whose clout makes or breaks careers. But when Obama first ran, he was a lone wolf — a Harvard-educated, former community organizer beholden to no one. He drew support with the same undramatic, commonsense stump style he showed on the presidential trail.
Throughout his political career in Illinois, Obama has racked up wins without big-name endorsements. He won the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate in 2004 without the support of many party power brokers. And he didn't get help from Mayor Richard Daley when he won his first election — his state Senate seat in 1996.
It's a balanced piece -- giving Tony "Another Fine Product From" Rezko his due -- but confirms my sense that of the various criticisms you can make about Obama, "machine hack" is one that doesn't hold much water.Throughout his political career in Illinois, Obama has racked up wins without big-name endorsements. He won the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate in 2004 without the support of many party power brokers. And he didn't get help from Mayor Richard Daley when he won his first election — his state Senate seat in 1996.
Comments (105)
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Actually, it is s pretty good picture. Shows the double-decker commuter trains there. Ever been on one? I have. Pulling out of the station on a curve I was able to count 22 cars before mine and a few afterwards. Going out to the suburbs. Now that is public transportation. Chicago is a pretty, clean city. No matter who is in charge, it is kept clean. Now, what the picture has to do with the article makes about as much sense as me writing about Chicago's commuter system.— mike l- Comment removed.
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- Well, sloboat's going 24/7 on the personal smears of Obama. Not that it's surprising, sloboat still get's his rocks off on smearing Kerry - but it does indicate just how desperate the far-right looooooonatics have become. A full 3/4 of Americans approve of how Obama has handled his transition, appointments to cabinet, etc. Must include a lot of Repubs and moderates. No wonder, Obama has been pretty centrist the whole way. But none of that stops the extended Whiner Family from squealing like schoolgirls about how UNFAIR!! everything is. They do seem to have dropped the whole "Marxist" whine, however. And I haven't heard any "empty suits" in a while. C'mon sloboat, give us an "empty suit." Just for ol' time's sake.— Talking point sleuth
- Well, sloboat's going 24/7 on the personal smears of Obama. Not that it's surprising, sloboat still get's his rocks off on smearing Kerry - but it does indicate just how desperate the far-right looooooonatics have become. A full 3/4 of Americans approve of how Obama has handled his transition, appointments to cabinet, etc. Must include a lot of Repubs and moderates. No wonder, Obama has been pretty centrist the whole way. But none of that stops the extended Whiner Family from squealing like schoolgirls about how UNFAIR!! everything is. They do seem to have dropped the whole "Marxist" whine, however. And I haven't heard any "empty suits" in a while. C'mon sloboat, give us an "empty suit." Just for ol' time's sake.— Talking point sleuth
- A serious question for the Attytood Republican toadies. You keep insisting, with great assurance, that Obama lied. He said he didn't meat with the gov. Axelrod said he did, and then later said he was mistaken. Just how, exactly, do you know that Axelrod wasn't mistaken? Any phone records? Anyone see Obama walk into a meeting? I mean it isn't like the press hasn't followed him everywhere he goes since the election. I mean you are just so absolutely sure of yourselves, you must have some proof, right? Oh. Wait. I forgot. Vast conspiracy. Everyone except you far-right loons are lying to protect Obama. Sorry. You did explain that earlier.— Talking point sleuth
Illinois politics is corrupt, especially in Chicago, but not all Illinois politicians get involved. I think Republican Ray Lahood evaded the curse of the Illinois trap that caught three Republican governors red-handed, for example, And--although I don't recommend it--coming from machine politics, as Harry Truman did, does not necessarily make one a bad guy. Still, it appears on the face of it that Obama was never part of the regular Chicago machine, and, as you say, AP gets it right. The Times simply fails to understand Chicago. What does the bankrupt Trib say? It ought to know what's going on.- Comment removed.
- On Tuesday, Axelrod said: "I was mistaken when I told an interviewer last month that the president-elect has spoken directly to Gov. Blagojevich about the Senate vacancy. They did not then or at any time discuss the subject."— Talking point sleuth
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- --snip-- The story housed in our website archive was on the morning of November 5, 2008. It suggested that a meeting was scheduled later that day between President Elect Obama and Illinois Governor Blagojevich. KHQA has no knowledge that any meeting ever took place. Governor Blagojevich did appear at a news conference in Chicago on that date.--snip-- Phone records? Charles Johnson fancy .gif files? Little ol' lady on the street corner that saw Obama going into a meeting with the gov? Intrepid Fox News reporter with the photos? Can't one of your Martian friends come up with some proof, sloboat?— Talking point sleuth
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- Uh. Oh. What's this? Yet another member of the vast conspiracy. Bush administration-appointed special prosecutor: "Patrick Fitzgerald, the chief federal prosecutor in Chicago, said repeatedly Tuesday that there are no allegations Obama knew the seat he relinquished on Nov. 16 was up for sale." Looks like pretty soon we'll be down to three people that aren't a part of this vast conspiracy: batboy, sloboat, and Sean Hannity.— Talking point sleuth
- "Not with the presidency at stake, right? ---}}} Uh, sloboat, the election is over. Obama won. His presidency isn't "at stake." Hate to break it to ya'. And btw, given the amount of energy you and your army of slimers put into the whole Wright kerfuffle, why couldn't any of you come up with any proof that Obama was there for one of those sermons? I guess none of you bothered trying to find any proof, right? Or maybe some people did find that proof, but were, uh, made an offer they couldn't refuse, to keep quiet. You know, that whole conspiracy thing, right?— Talking point sleuth
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