GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips - March 15, 2008

MARCH 15 ELMHURST ST. PATRICK'S DAY PARADE
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Roskam to serve as Grand Marshall! Noon kickoff at Spring Road and Wilson Street. The following entries will be staged on Spring Road at the addresses indicated: Addison Township-750, Dan Cronin-763, Yolanda Campuzano-754, Joe Cantore-777, Paul Fichtner-781, Bob Grogan-781, Chris Kachiroubas-728, Marhsa Murphy-756, Carole Pankau-928, Donald Puchalski-756, Dennis Reboletti-754, Jeff Redick-777, Peter Roskam-751, and York Township-777
http://www.elmhurststpatsparade.com

CBS2
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: The McCain campaign told GOPUSA ILLINOIS that McCain would have absolutely no time to speak with any member of the news media during his Chicago visit on Friday, March 14. But then, the McCain campaign lets CBS2 ask McCain soft questions for 6 minutes.
http://cbs2chicago.com/politics (Includes 6-minute video clip)

FOX NEWS CHICAGO
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: The McCain campaign told GOPUSA ILLINOIS that McCain would have absolutely no time to speak with any member of the news media during his Chicago visit on Friday, March 14. But then, the McCain campaign lets Fox News Chicago ask McCain soft questions.
http://www.myfoxchicago.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=6036206&version=2&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=1.1.1 (Includes video clip)
(THE ARTICLE: Chicago -- Republican Presidential Candidate John McCain was in Chicago Friday raising money for his campaign. Earlier in the day, he spoke with Political Editor Jack Conaty about the war in Iraq, the economy and his chances here in Illinois.)

NBC5
-- McCain Visits Chicago To Raise Big Money GOP Presidential Nominee Shares Concern For Economy
http://www.nbc5.com/news/15600927/detail.html (Includes video clip)
(THE ARTICLE: Sen. John McCain visited Chicago on Friday, where he planned to raise more than $1 million for his campaign. The GOP presidential nominee had more than campaign money on his mind. McCain voiced his concern for the condition of the economy and was worried for homeowners facing foreclosure. There is a huge number of Americans, a couple million of them, that are in danger of losing their homes," said McCain. "So if someone says, 'no, we're not technically in a recession,' they certainly aren't in great difficulty." He has the advantage right now as he watches the Democratic candidates struggle for the nominee. "I respect both of the candidates, and I will have respect for a vigorous debate with stark differences between either one of the two, who are liberal Democrats and I'm a conservative Republican," McCain said. "So we'll give the voters a real choice." McCain was only in the city for a few hours before he headed back to Washington.)
-- Obama Rejects Minister's Fiery Words Jeremiah Wright Retired From Church More Than 1 Year Ago
http://www.nbc5.com/politics/15599606/detail.html?dl=mainclick (Includes video clip)

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
-- Family matters -- a correspondence with Jim Oberweis' daughter - Eric Zorn
http://blogs.chicagotribune.com/news_columnists_ezorn/2008/03/family-matters.html
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Evanston backs away from becoming a full blown sanctuary city, but sadly, still "appeals to the federal government to provide a road to legalization for undocumented immigrants." Ald. Lionel Jean-Baptiste says those who oppose illegal immigration and amnesty are "haters."
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-evanston-bothmar15,0,129001.story
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: How much will the Illinois Republican Party convention be like the Alaskan Republican Party convention?
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/sns-ap-alaska-gop-rift,0,226852.story

DAILY HERALD
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Ron Petrucci of St. Charles, who voted for Foster, wants Oberweis to withdraw and Lauzen to fill the vacancy
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=153953&src=
(THE LETTER: If GOP wants seat back, pick Lauzen - Ron Petrucci, St. Charles Many of those with political experience in the Fox Valley are working to analyze the results from our March 8 special election to fill the U.S. House seat left vacant by Dennis Hastert. One thought offered, that GOP voters thought it was a done deal and stayed home, is wrong! Many who voted crossed the aisle. I did. Jim Oberweis set the tone with his negative material. Many voters were put off by the aggressive ads. Bill Foster addressed people with some respect. Look at election results from the February primary. State Sen. Chris Lauzen won Aurora districts by a 3 to 2 margin over Oberweis. This is the area where both candidates were best known. Lauzen has a record of "service to constituents," while Oberweis is well-known (by his own admission) for dealing in the stock market. He has said, "I have 50,000 clients." Jim deals heavily in off-shore investing. In effect, he sells our jobs to other countries and does very well for himself in doing so. I do not see Oberweis as a winner in November. There's just not enough respect for constituents coming from his camp. If the GOP has any thoughts of regaining the 14th District seat, it had better draft Chris Lauzen for the race. He knows how to work for constituents and his record proves it.)

BEACON NEWS
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY SAD: Just like the Beacon news promotes Obama, the Beacon News promotes Foster. How soon will the Beacon News change its name to the Obama/Foster News?
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/news/844282,2_1_AU15_FOSTER_S1.article

CRAIN'S CHICAGO BUSINESS
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY SAD: Democrats give Foster Hastert’s "spacious former office" and assign him to the House Financial Services Committee
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=28590

ROBERT NOVAK
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Novak promotes urgings from "important Illinois Republicans" for Oberweis to withdraw. Who are these "important Illinois Republicans?" Who do they want to run?
http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Robert+D.+Novak%3A+Gov.+Bloomberg%3F&articleId=7b00ecc9-a873-4073-a4e5-1f4de39ffd43
(THE COMMENTARY: REPUBLICAN LOSER Important Illinois Republicans are urging dairy mogul Jim Oberweis, who last Saturday lost the district previously held by Speaker Dennis Hastert, to drop out of the competition for a full term. However, it is unlikely Oberweis would consider stepping aside. Oberweis, who had lost three previous bids for statewide office, won nominations both to fill the unexpired term of the resigned Hastert and for the two-year term. After losing his self-financed campaign to businessman-scientist Bill Foster for the short term, Oberweis is given little chance in a November rerun. Losing Hastert’s predominantly Republican district means the Democrats can gain two to four additional congressional seats from Illinois in this year’s elections.)

WASHINGTON POST
-- Obama renounces fiery pastor's comments - Andrew Stern
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/14/AR2008031403650.html

WALL STREET JOURNAL
-- Obama Repudiates Preacher’s Statements - Nick Timiraos
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/03/14/obama-repudiates-preachers-statements/?mod=googlenews_wsj

ATLANTA JOURNAL CONSTITUTION
-- Victimhood skirmish aids only McCain
http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/tucker/stories/2008/03/15/tucked_0316.html

QUINCY HERALD WHIG
-- Republicans applaud Sauerberg and other candidates at Lincoln Day event - Doug Wilson
http://www.whig.com/Lincoln-Day--FRI

TELEGRAPH HERALD
-- Illinois practice smacks of politics as usual Party leaders get to pick Sieben replacement after resignation - Editorial
http://www.thonline.com/article.cfm?id=194303

CONGRESSIONAL QUARTERLY
-- VERY SAD: House Newcomers Foster and Carson Get Quick Assist from Dems’ Campaign Unit - Greg Giroux
http://cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?parm1=5&docID=news-000002688665

NEWSMAX
-- Obama's Earmarks: $1 Million for Wife's Hospital - Jim Meyers
http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/obama_earmark_wife/2008/03/14/80393.html?s=al&promo_code=4736-1

ILLINOIS REVIEW
-- Obama gives special recognition to Wright in 2004 - Fran Eaton
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2008/03/obama-gives-spe.html
(THE ARTICLE: November 2004 . . . the night Obama was elected U.S. Senator from Illinois, he thought very highly of Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright, his pastor and spiritual advisor. Here's the first few paragraphs of his victory speech that night -- verbatim: Thank you, Illinois. Let me begin by thanking all of the people who have been involved in this effort. From downstate to upstate, city, suburb, from every community throughout the state. Let me say how grateful I am to all of you for the extraordinary privilege of standing here this evening. Let me thank, because I will forget later on, it is a thankless task, let me thank the best political staff that there has been put together in this state. They are wonderful. You know who you are. You guys have been outstanding. I appreciate all of you. Let me thank my pastor Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. of Trinity United church of Christ. Fellow Trinitarians out there. Let me thank all the elected officials that stood by me through thick and thin. But most of all let me thank my family. . . He goes on to name family members. That was THEN. Post below is NOW.)

CHAMPION NEWS
-- Oberweis Loss - A Shot Across GOP Bow? - Don Castella
http://www.championnews.net/article.php?sid=865
-- NTUI's letter to taxpayers regarding SB2288 - Jim Tobin
http://www.championnews.net/article.php?sid=864

REPUBLICANS FOR FAIR MEDIA
-- What would you think: Some Questions of Dan Proft Style Politics: Good For GOP Locally or Nationally? - John McNeal
http://rffm.typepad.com/republicans_for_fair_medi/2008/03/what-would-you.html