* Democratic Congressman Bobby Rush stepped all over Alexi Giannoulias’ positive message about the president’s trip to town today. Rush told ABC7 that he’s “not sold” on Giannoulias. Watch…
Quote…
“I’m not sold on him. I don’t want just the same old stuff. We want a Senator who is willing to work hard on the real issues that this state is confronted with.”
* ADDED: Raw video of president’s speech at Ford plant.
* Obama on Giannoulias: ‘You can count on him’: “I’m sure a lot of you have heard what he did for Hartmarx,” Obama said. “This is a clothing company that has employed people in this state for more than a century. By the way, I’m a customer,” the president said, to laughter and applause. “When they fell on hard times, the big bank tried to pull their credit and destroy 600 jobs. Alexi stepped in,” Obama said. “He told the bank that if they did that, they would no longer be managing the money of Illinois taxpayers. Because of what he did, Alexi helped save that company and save those jobs. That’s the kind of person you want in the United States Senate.”
* Obama Stumps for Giannoulias in Chicago: During his remarks, Giannoulias repeatedly sought to link Kirk to former President George W. Bush. “Are we going to send people to Washington to get things done, or will we elect those whose only objective is to obstruct and deny the achievements of the other party?” Giannoulias said, according to the pool report. “That’s what this race is all about.”
* Obama bets prestige on Senate seat he once held: Giannoulias may welcome the in-person support from the nation’s top Democrat, but it could come with a price: Obama has a losing track record when it comes to candidates he has personally campaigned for. Democrats lost governor’s races in Virginia and New Jersey last year, and the party suffered a stunning defeat this year when Republicans flipped a Senate seat in liberal Massachusetts long held by the late Edward M. Kennedy.
* Durbin: Alexi will ’surge forward’ with Obama’s backing: Durbin deflected a question about the records that emerged this week which show jailed developer Tony Rezko held an ownership stake in a development project that received a previously undisclosed loan from the Giannoulias family’s Broadway Bank. “The Rezko contribution to [Republican Senate candidate] Mark Kirk?,” Durbin asked coyly. “I only know about the Rezko contribution to Mark Kirk.”
* President Gives Impassioned Speech At Ford Plant