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Obama

* Finke: Another warning that the state’s financial situation is precarious and another response from the Blagojevich administration dismissing the warning as wrong. Deja vu all over again.

* Laney: It’s time to ask why state is $106 billion in red

* Editorial: Pension system for public workers needs an overhaul

* Schoenburg: Governor, publicity are like two peas in a podcast

* Trigg: Is Oak Forest serious?

* Vote does not compute - County logs 1,500 gripes on machines

* Long after snowstorm, sidewalks still perilous

* Legal flap brewing over ownership of noose used in Illinois’ last public hanging

* Obama heightens presidential prospects with first trip to N.H.

* Obama: “I think that people are very hungry for something new. I think they are interested in being called to be part of something larger than the kind of small, petty slash-and-burn politics that we have been seeing over the last several years, and to some degree I think I am a stand-in for that desire on the part of the country.”

* McQueary: Obama, Hynes now war buddies

* Klau has a very good piece about Obama and Google AdSense

* Political Insider: House Majority Leader John Boehner sent a five page memo to Republican lawmakers as the House wrapped up its business for the year and Republicans head to minority status in the next Congress. Key point: “If we want to reclaim our majority, we first have to reclaim our mantle as the party of hope, freedom and reform … the party of Reagan and Lincoln. As our Democratic counterparts may discover the hard way, having a majority is of limited value if you don’t have a vision and a plan for using it.”

* Great stuff happening in the Peoria blog world

* Primary looks likely for Elgin - Eight say they will be running for council

* Hereâ€™s how spring elections shape up - Schaumburg, Palatine and Hoffman Estates hopefuls announce their intentions

* Who might be running against three-term incumbent Mayor George Pradel? What will happen with the four Naperville council seats that will be on the April 17 ballot?

* Arlington’s $10 million bet

* Crunch Time for Squirrels

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Dec 11, 06 @ 8:46 am

Comments

Kristen McQueary does he usual excellent work on a piece that explains why Obama needs effective political pros in his campaign for the Presidency. Dan Hynes knows how to win and having gone tusk to tusk with Senator Obama knows how Obama can fend off his enemies - many of them are too close to him now.

The Senator needs to command a crcle of effective political operatives devoid of righteous zeal.

Comment by Pat Hickey Monday, Dec 11, 06 @ 8:52 am
Rich,
Excellent column today! Sheila and Lou are great choices and with a quieter approach may be able to get more accomplished. But it sure was fun alienating and irritating everyone from the Speaker to Doug Finke to Vanilla man. It made for great theater and as you wrote the list of policy achievments was long.
Lou has a very long cordial relationship with Pres. Jones and will be very helpful advancing administration initiatives in that chamber.

Comment by Bill Monday, Dec 11, 06 @ 11:36 am