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* Are the Obama’s cashing in? An admittedly biased source asks some tough questions.

* Rockford Register-Star’s editorial board grows weary of the debate over debates.

* Huntley: Lots to answer before schools get more money

* “An animal-protection group has criticized Illinois public health officials for being slow to implement a law approved last year that was intended to prevent dog attacks and reduce the number of stray animals.”

* Big box down — foie gras ban next?… Foie gras ban may be next

* Editorial: Mayor didn’t play race card in Council’s big-box dispute

* Hynes to Obama: Run for president

* Dems ‘confused,’ Obama writes in latest book

* State chamber chief laments apathy of voters in Illinois

* For all those predicting a national Dem sweep, there’s this to think about:

ut most Republican incumbents hold a cash advantage over challengers, and money for ads and direct mail in the final days of a campaign is a serious advantage. This week, for example, on the same day the Democratic National Committee announced it was committing $12 million to support congressional races, the chairman of the Republican National Committee sent out word he would spend five times that amount to defend GOP candidates — a record breaking $60 million in the next seven weeks.

The second pillar of Republican defense is turnout. Over the last two election cycles Republicans have proved to have a superior turnout effort to Democrats, using an intensive voter contact operation in the final days of the campaign called the “72-Hour Plan.” It helped produce a surprise victory for GOP candidates in the first midterm in 2002 and overwhelmed massive Democratic spending and voter registration drives in 2004 to carry Bush to a 3 million vote victory and expand the Republican majority in the Senate to 10 seats.

* Ray Hanania: Daley Kicks Off Campaign With Fire and Brimstones

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Sep 15, 06 @ 8:19 am

Comments

Rich

That link to the anti-hospital post has nothing to do with Michelle Obama. Sure, the U of C Hospital is promoting the fact that she’s on their management team, but there’s really nothing wrong with that. Your advertiser is simply using her as a hook to bash the hospital, they make no valid points about her or Senator Obama. She has a right to earn an income at any position she can attain by her own merits, and she has done that. I think that post is borderline bigotted and way too biased on the hospital issue to be considered worthwhile reading.

What does the last comment about liberals have to do with the entire subject? Nothing. Do you link to any raving lunatic who mentions Obama’s name or only paid sponsors of the blog? I don’t think that post asks any good questions, really.

GN

Comment by Goodbye Napoleon Friday, Sep 15, 06 @ 9:28 am
Goodbye Napoleon, that was just a stupid thing to say. You Obama supporters are way too full of yourselves. I hereby invite you to go screw yourself.

I mean, seriously, how many links to stories do you see that I’ve posted today? To say that I am favoring an advertiser (when that outfit advertised for like a month) is way over the top, even for here.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Sep 15, 06 @ 9:37 am
Okay, I apologize for saying that. But you have to admit that post is not good and is really reaching to involve Obama.

Comment by Goodbye Napoleon Friday, Sep 15, 06 @ 9:50 am
Here’s exactly what I posted:

===Are the Obamaâ€™s cashing in? An admittedly biased source asks some tough questions.====

I assume that should have been fair enough warning to anyone who read it.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Sep 15, 06 @ 10:00 am
GOP turnout good points about turnout, BUT that is a two edged sword.

First - Bush has not been stroking his base. He’s been suppressing it!

Too much spending, not enough judges being nominated, and above all amnesty.

Rs are very nervous for a reason. People go vote when they are happy with their Reps, or when they are angry. I am not sure they do when they are sullen.

And am I the only one wondering what the Govs race would be like if Oberweise had won? Seems like illegal aliens are a hot topic, and everyone knew where he was on that issue.

Comment by Pat collins Friday, Sep 15, 06 @ 10:23 am
Wife’s income

Well, never let it be said I pass a chance for a good cheap shot, esp at my favorite target.

But I do prefer a GOOD cheap shot. There is one there, but he doesn’t really take it. To me, the key issue isn’t “does that hospital play the same financial games 90% of hospitals do”.

It is “why her”? In these days of babysitters getting cushy jobs, qualifications are legitimate.

Does she have PR experience? Any previous work in communications?

What are her duties? Is she there 3, 4 days a week?

Not that he tells us, but those are the harder Qs.

Comment by Pat collins Friday, Sep 15, 06 @ 10:27 am
Rich,

Obama is a hell of guy; his wife is cashing in; does anyone think that UC would have hired Mrs. Obama after Bobby Rush handed Barack his butt? Hell, No! The U of C is a “Progressive” thought incubator and they put good progressive reality its full play. Great Post Rich!

Comment by Pat Hickey Friday, Sep 15, 06 @ 10:54 am
Rich, Goodbye Napoleon was too quick to apologize. I’m shocked that a journalist and publisher of your caliber would highlight and link such vile calumny. The carefully crafted “warning” does not excuse your choice to run this item. It raises more questions about you than it does about the Obamas. Shame on you. You’re better than this.

Comment by Sy Dudgeon Friday, Sep 15, 06 @ 11:20 am
lol

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Sep 15, 06 @ 11:29 am
Obama’s wife is cashing in. So what. Why aren’t y’all outraged at the mark-ups that hospital is charging?

The next question should be why would Obama’s wife work for an organuization that is so abusive to it’s customers.

Her job is to beat the bushed for folks to go to that hospital so the hospital can over charge them five or six or twn times their cost.

Scandolous. She should quit. This will be an issue when hubby runs for president!!!

Comment by It's the Fees Stupids Friday, Sep 15, 06 @ 11:37 am
Please, this is silly.

Michelle Obama would make ten times her salary at any of several blue chip law firms in town, she’s a hell of a lawyer. Second, she was promoted from within, having been at the U of C Hospital for several years before Barack even got into the US Senate race.

Cashing in? Hardly. Go ahead and spew your venom at Barack, but leave Michelle out of it unless you have something truly noteworthy to allege.

As Ditka would say, “get your mouth shut.”

Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Sep 15, 06 @ 12:02 pm
Question:

Seriouly, what has Barack Obama done for the citizens of the State of Illinois, except for the one bill that just passed?

What? What? made fancy appearances, showcases?

I see more appearances and speeches than action!

Comment by One Man Can Make A Difference Friday, Sep 15, 06 @ 12:58 pm
Cashing in? Hardly. Go ahead and spew your venom at Barack, but leave Michelle out of it unless you have something truly noteworthy to allege.

Cashing In? In Fact! If my spouse would not ‘cash in’ on a like opportunity she’d think a quickey divorce was a slow train in Mount Greenwood. ‘Not Cash in? You are no wife of mine! Hit the door sister!’

Comment by Pat Hickey Friday, Sep 15, 06 @ 1:42 pm
So the very liberals that are always spouting off about freedom of speech are now trying to control the content of what Rich puts out on his own website. Its truly amazing of how precious free speech is when it suits their purposes but if it leads to something that may show an opposing viewpoint then they’re ready to shut it down. Rich even prefaced the entire section with a warning but even that isn’t to the opponents liking.

Keep up the good work Rich. I surely don’t agree with everything you say and I am at odds with your viewpoints many times but you sure as heck have the right to express them.

Comment by Sound Reasoning Friday, Sep 15, 06 @ 1:47 pm
Seriously, you Obama supporters will all have heart attacks from the stress if he ever does run for president.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Sep 15, 06 @ 1:51 pm
Wow, there’s a mindset for you. If you wife doesn’t do exactly as you want her to do you respond with “You are no wife of mine! Hit the door sister!” Ah, true love. Ain’t it grand. Obama should be proud to have supports like that.

Comment by True Love Friday, Sep 15, 06 @ 1:52 pm
LOL, Rich. You are right. These guys ain’t seen nothin’ yet.

I was at a meeting earlier this week in DC where a handful of national pundits speculated about the ‘08 Prez race. Group included Chris Matthews, Norah O’Donnell (MSNBC) Gloria Borger (NBC/US News) and a couple others. Obama’s name came up-consensus of this group was that he “needed to go back to Illinois and be Governor before he could compete for the White House.”

It’s worth what you paid for it, but I found it interesting.

Comment by NumbersGuy Friday, Sep 15, 06 @ 2:23 pm
Steve Huntley! Great Column on the Great Bugaboo to education Reform - Vouchers and Tax Credits to parents of private school kids! Competition? Uglier word. Real Educational reform only happens when the IHSA cuts the legs off of Catholic school athletes - now that’s a level playing field they can all live with.

Comment by Pat Hickey Friday, Sep 15, 06 @ 2:38 pm
go back to Illinois and be Governor

The prince? You must be joking. He might get elected! Senators can look important without actually doing ANYTHING. either in Springfield or DC.

Governors have to actually do something. They have real problems and can’t duck them.

And does anyone think mark Warner is going to twiddle his thumbs and step aside?

There is a real reason I want Obama to run in 08. Its Mark Warner’s ambition and record. Obama has never had a real political fight in his life. Warner has had little but that.

Who do you think has an advantage in a national contest? *^^*.

wife Since when does being a lawyer make you good at PR?

Comment by Pat collins Friday, Sep 15, 06 @ 2:46 pm
“What does the last comment about liberals have to do with the entire subject?”

I think Novak was being…sarcastic? I got it. Surprised it wasn’t obvious.

Great blog, by the way. Have had experience in the healthcare field, and a lot of the powers-that-be are terribly arrogant. Any shots that can be taken at the hospitals or anyone being hypocritical is welcome.

I actually emailed Senator Obama once about the billing, collection, and charity care issue. All I got was a reply about him being “committed” to the issue, and yet we see that nothing is really getting done and that his wife just also happens to work for a major hospital. I mean, how “committed” is the guy to real reform, as in with some serious teeth, when his wife works over at U of C hospitals?

That ending about liberals seems to be dripping with sarcasm. That’s his writing style.

Comment by Angie Sunday, Sep 17, 06 @ 3:19 am
I forgot to add something about the hospital issue. Did everyone know that the big healthcare financial management trade association known as the HFMA (Healthcare Financial Management Association) has Directors at the Illinois chapter who run companies with collection agency divisions? More people should pick up on that little fact, as I believe that more people need to know what a conflict of interest that is.

HFMA testified in Washington last year at the House Ways and Means hearing on the tax exempt hospital sector, and if I recall it correctly, a Richard Clarke stated how HFMA was some type of “objective” source of information.

Now, head on over to the website of the First Illinois HFMA and take a peek at some of the Directors and various board members. They have ties to collections law firms left and right. How “objective” are these people when they head up to Washington to testify? They have members who make their money by getting as many reimbursement dollars as possible, some of it coming from self-pay patients (aka the uninsured).

The consultants and trade associations probably help their hospital clients figure out how to game the system legally to squeeze as much dough out of whoever they can get it from, and that (in my humble opinion) is legalized crime, because the taxpayers are completely subsidizing these hospitals. Maybe Rich can do some reporting on the folks over at the First Illinois HFMA sometime, huh? Shine some light on that whole crew, because I’m telling you, they are so NOT “objective” at all.

Comment by Angie Sunday, Sep 17, 06 @ 3:47 am