Sen. Barack Obama,is shown to a voting station by an poll worker at the Shoesmith Elementary School in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago, Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2008. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
by John McCormick
CHICAGO -- After campaigning from coast-to-coast in the past week, Sen. Barack Obama returned this afternoon to his Kenwood neighborhood to actually cast a presidential vote himself.
"It is wonderful to be home," the Illinois Democrat said. "You know, obviously, we've got a big race all across the country. But to be able to come back home, and to see all these wonderful friends and neighbors, people, many of whom I've known for years, is really gratifying. And it's nice to know I have so much support back home."
Michelle Obama, his wife, voted with him at Beulah Shoesmith Elementary School, the polling place for the 4th Ward's 23rd Precinct. As each received their ballots, she teased him about not messing up and voting for the wrong person.
"It was close, but in the end I went for Obama," the candidate said, after inserting his optical scan ballot into the counting machine at 1:57 p.m. central time. He also received a round of applause from several dozen voters who lingered in the polling place to watch Obama vote.
The school's mascot, a bumblebee, marked the center of the gymnasium floor, not far from where a temporary microphone stand was erected by Chicago television crews in hopes of capturing a few remarks from the senator.
Although there is not technically supposed to be politicking in polling places, Obama said he had time for two questions. One of them was for his predictions for tonight.
"I think everybody is flying blind at this point," he said. "When we were doing one state at a time, we could actually track and get a sense of how that election was going and how the turnout was going. Here, you've got 24 states. Nobody can keep track of it. What we know, though, is that the last week, last couple of weeks, we've seen enormous excitement on the ground. And, I think, the message that I have been delivering about changing how the economy is operating so that it's not tilted toward the wealthy, but working families are getting support.
"I think the debate that we had about Iraq on Tuesday in Los Angeles, obviously the support we've got from people like Sen. Kennedy. I think all of that has generated a lot of energy on the ground. I think that Sen. Clinton is the favorite. She had 20, 30-point leads in many of these states. We've been closing some ground. My guess is that we'll have a good night, and we'll probably end up having a split decision."
The Obamas used the special pens issued by the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners to mark their optical scan ballots. They avoided the option of a touch-screen voting machine, as most voters in Chicago and Cook County do.
After campaigning in three northeastern states on Monday, Obama returned to Chicago's Midway Airport about noon. He stopped at home to freshen up, before he and his wife, Michelle, made their way to the school to mark their ballots.
They were casting their ballots in the Illinois primary, which Obama is expected to easily win. It is one of the Democratic contests playing out today in 22 states from coast to coast.
Watching from the stage overlooking the gym floor was a media scrum that included national reporters as well a heavily contingent of Chicago television crews.
This evening, Obama is expected to rally with local supporters at the Hyatt Regency Chicago on East Wacker Drive, the same hotel where he held a major fundraiser nearly a year ago – on Feb. 11, 2007 – the day after announcing his presidential bid.
Although it will depend on how the results flow in, Obama is expected to speak no earlier than 10 p.m. central time.
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Comments
That headline makes it sound like it's a bad thing to vote for yourself. Who should he have voted for, his opponent??
Posted by: Paul | February 5, 2008 3:51 PM
I guess he fianlly learned how to vote ir did Oprah and Uncle Teddy help him with that too?Obama said he goofed on votes angered fellow Democrats in the Senate when he voted to strip millions of dollars from a child welfare office on Chicago's West Side. But Obama had a ready explanation: He goofed! Also announced he had fumbled an election-reform vote the day before, on a measure that passed 51 to 6. The next day, he acknowledged voting "present" on a key telecommunications vote. He stood on March 11, 1999, to take back his vote against legislation to end good-behavior credits for certain felons in county jails. "I pressed the wrong button on that," he said. Obama was the lone dissenter on Feb. 24, 2000, against 57 yeas for a ban on human cloning. "I pressed the wrong button by accident," he said.
But two of Obama's bumbles came on more-sensitive topics, he backed legislation to permit riverboat casinos to operate even when the boats were dockside.
The measure, pushed by the gambling industry and fought by church groups whose support Obama was seeking, passed with two "yeas" to spare -- including Obama's. Moments after its passage he rose to say, explaining that he had mistakenly voted for it.
Obama would later develop a reputation as a critic of the gambling industry, and he voted against a similar measure two years later. But he was clearly confused about how to handle the issue at the time of his first vote, telling a church group that he was "undecided" about whether he backed an expansion of riverboat gambling. And, months earlier, he had voted in favor of a version of the bill.
Obama's vote sparked a confrontation after he joined Republicans to block Democrats trying to override a veto by GOP Gov. George Ryan of a $2-million allotment for the west Chicago child welfare office. being responsible," said Sen. Rickey Hendon, accusing Obama of voting to close the child welfare office.Obama replied "I understand Sen. Hendon's anger, I was not aware that I had voted no on that piece of legislation.
Barack Obama and his fellow state senators considered more than 175 pieces of legislation on a frenetic day in March. Of those measures, Obama voted "present" 31 times! did not show up to vote in the senate often in his short time there, missed 130 votes! will not answer any reporter on how we would voted at the time. But his record after fact shows he supports the war, voted twice in 2006 against bringing America's troops back home. He votes for war appropriations giving our money to Halliburton and Blackwater. His latest bit of posturing S 433 allows the Bush Administration to suspend any troop withdrawal!!!!Which if not suspended, still keeps the troops in Iraq for a long time to come? Obama when faced with tough choices always gave in to pressure from the Bush administration or corporate lobbyists. Such as Obama voted for Bush's energy bill, sending more than $13 billion in subsidies and tax breaks to oil, coal, and nuclear companies. Obama voted with Republicans to allow credit card companies to raise interest rates over 30 percent, increasing hardship for families. Obama voted for one of Bush's top priorities - expanding Nafta to South America - even as President Bush obstructed all the top Democratic priorities. Obama voted with Bush to make it harder for ordinary people to hold big corporations accountable when they do things like sell toxic toys, poisonous pet food, or just plain rip you off. Obama was the Senate's biggest Democratic advocate of subsidies for liquid coal, even though liquid coal produces twice the global warming pollution of the crude oil it's meant to replace (Obama "backed off" this position after being pummeled by environmentalists for several months, but still voted for increased subsidies, albeit with conditions)Obama, a Hamiltonian believer in free trade and supporters of globalization has lent his support to the "Hamilton Project formed by corporate-neoliberal Citigroup chair Robert Rubin and other 'Wall Street Democrats' to counter populist rebellion against corporate tendencies within the Democratic Party. Obama provided assistance to pro-war candidates (such as Joe Lieberman). Obama voted for "business-friendly 'tort reform' bill that rolls back working peoples' ability to obtain reasonable redress and compensation...from corporations!!!
Posted by: James Andrews | February 5, 2008 3:55 PM
James, why don't you run as the "perfect" candidate? Think broadly, if you can. We're voting for a leader. Save your cynicism. It's tedious.
Posted by: Amy Ruch | February 5, 2008 4:50 PM
On Legislative Experience:
Senator Clinton, who has served only one full term (6yrs.), and another year campaigning, has managed to author and pass into law, (20) twenty pieces of legislation in her first six years.
These bills can be found on the website of the Library of Congress (www.thomas.loc.gov), but to save you trouble, I'll post them here for you.
1. Establish the Kate Mullany National Historic Site.
2. Support the goals and ideals of Better Hearing and Speech Month.
3. Recognize the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.
4. Name courthouse after Thurgood Marshall.
5. Name courthouse after James L. Watson.
6. Name post office after Jonn A. O'Shea.
7. Designate Aug. 7, 2003, as National Purple Heart Recognition Day.
8. Support the goals and ideals of National Purple Heart Recognition Day.
9. Honor the life and legacy of Alexander Hamilton on the bicentennial of his death.
10. Congratulate the Syracuse Univ. Orange Men's Lacrosse Team on winning the championship.
11. Congratulate the Le Moyne College Dolphins Men's Lacrosse Team on winning the championship.
12. Establish the 225th Anniversary of the American Revolution Commemorative Program.
13. Name post office after Sergeant Riayan A. Tejeda.
14. Honor Shirley Chisholm for her service to the nation and express condolences on her death.
15. Honor John J. Downing, Brian Fahey, and Harry Ford, firefighters who lost their lives on duty. Only five of Clinton's bills are, more substantive. 16. Extend period of unemployment assistance to victims of 9/11.
17. Pay for city projects in response to 9/11
18. Assist landmine victims in other countries.
19. Assist family caregivers in accessing affordable respite care.
20. Designate part of the National Forest System in Puerto Rico as protected in the wilderness preservation system.
There you have it, the facts straight from the Senate Record.
Now, I would post those of Obama's, but the list is too substantive, so I'll mainly categorize.
During the first (8) eight years of his elected service he sponsored over 820 bills. He introduced
233 regarding healthcare reform,
125 on poverty and public assistance,
112 crime fighting bills,
97 economic bills,
60 human rights and anti-discrimination bills,
21 ethics reform bills,
15 gun control,
6 veterans affairs and many others.
His first year in the U.S. Senate, he authored 152 bills and co-sponsored another 427. These included:
**the Coburn-Obama Government Transparency Act of 2006 (became law),
**The Lugar-Obama Nuclear Non-proliferation and Conventional Weapons Threat Reduction Act, (became law),
**The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act, passed the Senate,
**The 2007 Government Ethics Bill, (became law),
**The Protection Against Excessive Executive Compensation Bill, (In committee), and many more.
In all since entering the U.S. Senate, Senator Obama has written 890 bills and co-sponsored another 1096.
Posted by: Vote On Paper | February 5, 2008 5:02 PM
Barack knows he will be a better president than Billary and Michelle will be an excellent first lady.
Posted by: David | February 5, 2008 5:56 PM
If anyone wants to learn about Senator Obama's position on issues go to his website. All the important issues are delineated in detail. Barack Obama can not only make our spirits soar but he has detail upon detail of HOW he plans to make changes.
Posted by: Janine | February 5, 2008 7:17 PM