[Peace-discuss] Vote Green for Senate in Illinois

[C. G. Estabrook]

  [Awful as the Republican candidate is, it's clear from the following that a 
vote for the Democrat is an affirmation of the domestic and foreign policies of 
the Obama administration. --CGE]

Obama raises nearly $1 million for Giannoulias
At fundraiser, president vouches for Senate candidate's character
By Rick Pearson and John Byrne, Tribune Reporters
6:03 p.m. CDT, August 5, 2010

President Barack Obama sought to help U.S. Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias on 
two fronts Thursday, raising much-needed campaign cash and reassuring voters 
that the Democrat is a trusted ally who can be counted on to help advance a 
progressive agenda.

The nearly $1 million fundraising event at the Palmer House Hilton highlighted a 
quick visit by Obama back home to Chicago that also included a tour of a 
Southeast Side Ford plant and a 49th birthday dinner Wednesday night with 
friends including Oprah Winfrey.

Speaking Thursday afternoon to more than 400 donors, Obama and Giannoulias each 
sought to label November's mid-term elections as a stark choice for the public 
between the economic policies of the previous Bush administration and efforts by 
the Democratic White House — admittedly not always popular — to reverse the 
recession.

"Alexi is my friend. I know his character. I know how much he loves this 
country. I know how committed he is to public service for all the right 
reasons," the president said. "I appreciate his strong sense of advocacy for 
ordinary Americans. He's not doing this to help the lobbyists. He's not doing it 
to help special interests."

Though Obama and Giannoulias have a long history, their relationship had been 
strained over the Senate contest. In 2004, Giannoulias helped introduce Obama to 
the city's Greek community and donors when Obama won the U.S. Senate seat 
Giannoulias is now seeking. Two years later, Obama repaid the favor by endorsing 
Giannoulias for state treasurer over the Democratic organization-backed 
candidate. But last year, the White House was actively trying to recruit a 
sure-win Senate candidate despite Giannoulias' early entry into the contest.

Obama's fundraising appearance came at a critical time for Giannoulias. The 
treasurer's political viability had been questioned until his Republican Senate 
opponent, five-term North Shore U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk, stumbled badly when it came 
out that he had embellished and misstated his Naval Reserve record and personal 
history. Even with those problems, Kirk entered the final months of the campaign 
with nearly $4 million to spend while Giannoulias had about $1 million.

Obama didn't refer to Kirk by name, but contended it was Republicans who 
preferred to posture politically than try to reverse the effects of the 
recession. Obama cited the case of a Texas Republican congressman who apologized 
to BP over the administration's efforts to get the company to create a $20 
billion fund to help stem business losses due to the Gulf Coast oil spill.

"That's the choice in this election: the choice between folks who apologize to 
BP and folks who are looking out for the small-business owners and fishermen; 
policies that are helping our economy growing again and policies that are going 
to make America more competitive or the middle class more secure, or more of the 
same," the president said.

Giannoulias had no hesitation about criticizing Kirk, saying that while "the 
fictions and untruths" of the Republican's record are troubling, "even more 
troubling" is his support of spending policies under the Bush administration. 
Giannoulias referred frequently to failed "Bush-Kirk" economic policies.

Republicans tried to counter the Obama fundraising appearance by staging a 
protest outside the hotel. And, in some instances, Republicans wrongly claimed 
that taxpayers were stuck with the $394 million tab for the federal takeover of 
Giannoulias' family bank in April.

Giannoulias' role as senior loan officer at Broadway Bank before becoming 
treasurer has been subject to questions over loans to felons with ties to 
organized crime and whether risky loans during his tenure placed the bank at 
risk. But the funds used by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. to take over 
failing banks come from fees paid by banks, and not from taxpayer funds.

Obama also raised an estimated $1.5 million for the Democratic National 
Committee with appearances at a $250-a-ticket event at the Chicago Cultural 
Center and a $30,400-per-person gathering at the home of wealthy Democrat Neil 
Bluhm.

The fundraising focus came after Obama told autoworkers at a Southeast Side Ford 
plant that his bailout push helped save an "industry on the brink."

Obama also announced a $250 million import-export loan guarantee for Ford that 
he said will help the company export hundreds of thousands of vehicles.

"We're tired of buying from everybody else," Obama said.

rap30 at aol.com

jebyrne at tribune.com