* As I pointed out in today’s Capitol Fax, Sen. Barack Obama’s advice to the deadlocked Statehouse crowd looks very familiar…

“The problem, my sense is, is that everybody was trying to take too big a bite this year,” Obama said after marching with striking workers outside a downtown Chicago hotel. […]

“My advice would be to come together and recognize not everybody’s gonna get everything they want but it’s still possible to craft a budget that takes care of the basics - that transportation is adequately funded, that we are making some expansion of the health care system particularly when it comes to covering kids, that there … is an infusion of education dollars so that schools at least aren’t falling behind but are moving forward,” Obama said.

A former state senator from Chicago, Obama also questioned the wisdom of a major gambling expansion to fill budget gaps and pay for things that “we should be willing to pay for out of our tax dollars.

Obama’s observation that “everybody was trying to take too big a bite this year,” the modest compromises he suggests and the reticence to approve gaming expansion sure sounds more like Michael Madigan than Emil Jones, his self-described political mentor.

* Meanwhile, to illustrate my point, here’s the latest from the gaming talks…

House Speaker Michael Madigan said Monday that no gambling expansion will emerge from the General Assembly because of a disagreement over how the money should be used, a setback to lawmakers hoping gambling money would help resolve the budget impasse. […]

“Based on this meeting, there’s a lack of an agreement,” Madigan said. “That means there won’t be a gaming bill.” […]

The gambling meeting ended abruptly when Madigan, Cross and Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson (R-Greenville) made it clear that gambling revenues should be used only for capital projects, prompting Jones to say the meeting should be shut down if that restriction is put on the money, said Rep. Robert Molaro (D-Chicago).

* A few more session-related items, compiled by Paul…

* Illinois budget talks losing steam

* Duncan: CPS needs state funds

* Tax hike may be urged for Chicago schools

* Editorial: Governor in a different world

* Editorial: Let’s make money off state sideshow