Downtown Chicago
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Who will be appointed to Obama's Senate Seat?
This is the open question around the Chicagoland area.
We saw Obama with Illinois State Director of Veterans Affairs, Tammy Duckworth, yesterday. Her name is swirling around on the short list.
We have Jesse Jackson, Jr. who is on every television show ALLOWED, touting and pushing his interest in this senate seat, and privately stating it should be given to an African-American. Sigh. He even commissioned Zogby to poll citizens of Illinois and though he came out ahead, the poll is dubious. The poll only cites 21% in favor of Jackson, Jr., which means many are not paying attention, yet.
538 has rumor of Illinois State Senate Leader, Emil Jones, being assigned this seat for the last two years of the Obama term. The issue is his age. Mr. Jones is resigning in January, he is 73 years old, and if anyone know Illinois politics he is of the "old school pols" on the track of Daley. Would he be a good choice? Legislatively, yes, politically, I don't know. He would kill two stones. He is African-American, and those that want this seat will have to battle it out in the 2010 primairies.
Others being mentioned are Rep. Jan Schakowsky (IL-9), a good choice but her husband was indicted and convicted on federal charges of operating three check kiting schemes that defrauded banks of at least $2.3 million. He served 5 months in federal prison. Don't think this issue won't be brought up on the trail? It will.
Another name being touted is Dan Seals. He lost his second congressional battle against Mark Kirk (R-IL-10). He too, would fill the void of being African-American, mirrors Obama quite a bit, and is much younger. But, he is a dark horse candidate.
Governor Blagojevich (D-IL) will have the final call on who will replace Obama, but let us not think or believe that Obama will not have any input, he will.
Read more on Obama's replacement, here.
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This is why Joe Lieberman, should not retain his chairmanship.
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Minnesota, Alaska and Georgia Senate Update
I lived in Minnesota for 6 years, it is a state of independence. Remember, they voted Jesse Ventura for Governor.
Al Franken is poised to probably win this seat. Probably.
When Minnesotans woke up last Wednesday, Republican Senator Norm Coleman led Mr. Franken by 725 votes. By that evening, he was ahead by only 477. As of yesterday, Mr. Coleman's margin stood at 206. This lopsided bleeding of Republican votes is passing strange considering that the official recount hasn't even begun.
Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN) has twice announced that he was the winner. Even asking Al Franken to concede and not allow a recount, but that request is out of Coleman's hands. Minnesota's law is mandatory recount if under 1% and this race is under 1%.
Coleman even went to court to try to stop 32 ballots from being counted, the judge denied the request.
Coleman's real fear is the undervote that will be examined by the recount/canvass board starting next week. All ballots will go through a hand recount next week. Many of these undervote ballots are in Hennepin (Minneapolis), Ramsey (St. Paul) and St. Louis (Brooklyn Center) counties, all strong holds of Democratic voters.
But Coleman has other problems. A group in Minnesota is requesting an FBI investigation into allegations that Sen. Norm Coleman's family received $75,000 in potentially illegal payments from a friend and benefactor. This was cited in a debate in Minnesota in which Coleman targeted Franken for attacking his wife, but Franken stated that he was not attacking his wife, but Coleman's "political sugar daddy." Yes, only in Minnesota.
Both Coleman and Franken are getting lawyered up, expect this to go to court after the hand recount. Florida anyone?
As for Alaska.
We all know Senator Ted Stevens was convicted, and is now a felon. He could not even vote for himself. We also know, if he wins this seat the senate is talking about expulsion. And he should be kicked out. We can't have a senator walking around capitol hill who is convicted, what kind of message is that sending? He has already been called upon to resign by colleagues on both sides of the aisle.
Well, the Democratic Candidate, Mark Begich was 3500 votes behind. Alaska has NOW started to count the upwards of 100,000 early vote and absentee ballots,
Update: here
And Georgia.
Lastly, the Georgia Senate Seat is going for a December 2nd runoff. The law in Georgia is that the candidate must get 50% of the vote.
The tough part for the Democratic Candidate, Jim Martin, is to get everyone to vote again, in fact that may be an issue for Senator Saxby Chambliss.
The Obama Campaign are sending staff to Georgia and have their offices open. Will Obama make an appearance? I don't know. That could be a double edge sword, we are talking about Georgia.
It would rev up the black vote, but also rev up the voters who did not vote Obama.
This is stictly a GOTV runoff, whoever get their voters to the polls will win this thing.
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Memory Lane: Barack in Indiana, May 2008
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and.............
Christmas Shopping Season Looking Terrible
Biden picks his Chief of Staff
Future First Family People Magazine Spread
Thousands of Alaska Ballots Found
Obama Team Bans Lobbyists From Transition
Obama Barber Pays House Call
Biden and Cheney to meet tomorrow
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