GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips - March 8, 2008

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
-- BEYOND OUTRAGEOUS: Combine directives to the Illinois news media: 1. Promote Foster's charges against Oberweis. 2. Downplay, if not cover up, anything negative about Foster. - Dave Diersen
www.gopillinois.com
(DIERSEN QUESTIONS: What percentage of 14th Congressional District voters learned from the Illinois news media about Foster's charges against Oberweis? What percentage of 14th Congressional District voters learned from the Illinois news media that during divorce proceedings, Foster's former wife charged that he "pushed, shoved, and caused physical abuse and emotional harm . . . putting her in fear for herself (and the couple's) minor children?")

ABC7
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: BEYOND OUTRAGEOUS: The Combine a) stops ABC7 from reporting that during divorce proceedings, Foster's former wife charged that he "pushed, shoved, and caused physical abuse and emotional harm . . . putting her in fear for herself (and the couple's) minor children" and b) forces ABC7 to trumpet Foster's false and outrageous charges against Oberweis
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=6006572 (Includes video clip)
(THE ARTICLE: Negative ads, lawsuits mark end of 14th district race - Andy Shaw Complaints about negative ads and a lawsuit are issues in a special election Saturday in the west suburban 14th congressional district. Democrat Bill Foster and Republican Jim Oberweis are running to fill the term of retired House Speaker Dennis Hastert. The outcome of the contest doesn't appear to be the end of the battle between the two candidates. Oberweis is probably best known for the popular dairy that bears his name and the less-than-popular way that he's handled the issue of illegal immigration in past campaigns. So it is probably fitting that this down-and-dirty race in the far west suburban congressional district that Hastert represented for 21 years is ending with a dispute between the dairy and Foster's Democratic friends in Washington D.C. The Oberweis Dairy is now run by Oberweis' son Joe, who is suing the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee for allegedly maligning the family business in a series of mailers and TV ads that accuse the dairy of hiring undocumented immigrants. "The DCCC is trying to get the public to believe that Oberweis Dairy is hiring illegal aliens, and we don't. We haven't. That's just simply not true," said Joe Oberweis, dairy president. "The lawsuit is completely frivolous," said Jennifer Cirder, DCCC. "The DCCC ad is completely true and accurate." The ads and the mailers are based on videotape provided by an immigrant rights group three years ago of undocumented workers who cleaned Oberweis Dairy stores for only half of the minimum wage. "There were in fact illegal immigrants that were working at Oberweis Dairy stores," said Crider. The dairy denied responsibility at the time because the workers were hired and paid by a cleaning sub-contractor that operated independently. "I'm sure all of your viewers have seen the ads, all gotten mailers, heard radio ads, and it's just patently false, so it goes too far. At some point, Oberweis Dairy has to stand up and say, has to stand up and defend our own interests, said Joe Oberweis. But the immigrant rights group still doesn't buy that, claiming that Oberweis has been fanning the flames of anti-immigration sentiment for years. "Jim Oberweis has made a career of bashing illegal immigrants, but at the same time, undocumented workers were helping to build his fortune by cleaning his stores," said Josh Hoyt, Coalition for Immigrant Rights. On Friday, the DCCC answered the Oberweis lawsuit by filing a complaint with federal election officials accusing the Oberweis Dairy of helping his campaign, which is illegal. The FEC fined Oberweis $21,000 for the same offense in his 2003 race for the U.S. Senate. But Joe Oberwes says the lawsuit was his idea, not his dad's, and it's about business not politics.)

NBC5
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: BEYOND OUTRAGEOUS: The Combine a) stops NBC5 from reporting that during divorce proceedings, Foster's former wife charged that he "pushed, shoved, and caused physical abuse and emotional harm . . . putting her in fear for herself (and the couple's) minor children" and b) forces NBC5 to trumpet Foster's false and outrageous charges against Oberweis
http://www.nbc5.com/politics/15528082/detail.html?dl=mainclick (Includes video clips)

BEACON NEWS AND COURIER NEWS
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: BEYOND OUTRAGEOUS: The Combine a) stops Beacon News and Courier News from reporting that during divorce proceedings, Foster's former wife charged that he "pushed, shoved, and caused physical abuse and emotional harm . . . putting her in fear for herself (and the couple's) minor children" and b) forces Beacon News and Courier News to trumpet Foster's false and outrageous charges against Oberweis
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/news/832315,2_1_AU08_14THDIST_S1.article
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/couriernews/news/832328,3_1_EL08_A1CONGRESS_S1.article

KANE COUNTY CHRONICLE
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: BEYOND OUTRAGEOUS: The Combine a) stops Kane County Chronicle from reporting that during divorce proceedings, Foster's former wife charged that he "pushed, shoved, and caused physical abuse and emotional harm . . . putting her in fear for herself (and the couple's) minor children" and b) forces Kane County Chronicle to trumpet Foster's false and outrageous charges against Oberweis
http://www.kcchronicle.com/articles/2008/03/08/news/local/doc47d272f59a75a246398413.txt

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
-- Special election to replace Dennis Hastert could have national implications Republican Jim Oberweis, Democrat Bill Foster vie to take over in longtime GOP district - James Kimberly
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-14th-specialelection-webmar08,1,3984239.story
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/chi-14th-specialelection-webmar08,0,5382398.story

BEACON NEWS
-- ONE MORE REASON TO NOT SEND YOUR CHILDREN TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS: 'Vagina Monologues' to be performed at Waubonsee College - Christine Moyer
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/news/832180,2_1_AU08_WCC_S1.article

SOUTHTOWN STAR
-- Pot proposal a painful one - Fran Eaton
http://www.southtownstar.com/news/eaton/831942,030808eaton.article

CHICAGO DAILY OBSERVER
-- Call Him Congressman Oberweis - Charlie Johnston
http://cdobs.com/archive/our-columns/call-him-congressman-oberweis843/
-- Saturday with Foster and Oberweis - Dennis Byrne
http://cdobs.com/archive/our-columns/saturday-with-foster-and-oberweis845/

WASHINGTON POST
-- Race for Hastert's Seat Is Unexpectedly Close - Ben Pershing
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/07/AR2008030703062.html?hpid=topnews

CONGRESSIONAL QUARTERLY
-- Your Spin Guide to the Illinois Special Election - Greg Giroux
http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?parm1=5&docID=news-000002684092

CNN
-- Cronin saw little 'bold' about Obama - Dan Lothian
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/03/07/obama.fact.check/
(THE ARTICLE: Barack Obama started early in trying to carve out a reputation as an eager, hard-working Illinois state senator when he was elected in 1996. He once told state Democratic leader Emil Jones -- the man Obama considers his "political godfather" -- to throw him into the fire. "He said, 'Feel free to give me any tough assignments. You know I like to work hard,' " said Jones, the current state Senate president and a member of the Illinois General Assembly since 1973. That work, his critics say, resulted in one of the most liberal voting records during his eight years in the Legislature, from pushing for abortion rights to raising taxes. But former Republican colleague Dan Cronin said the presidential candidate's campaign of bold change doesn't square with his past. "There were no bold solutions; there were no creative approaches; there were no efforts to stand up to the establishment," said Cronin, a member of the Illinois General Assembly since 1990. Cronin says he still respects Obama and his political skills. Supporters, meanwhile, said Obama wasn't able to offer any bold legislation because Republicans controlled the Legislature during most of the time he was in office. And what about criticism that, as a state senator, Obama voted "present" instead of for or against a measure 130 times? It's an oddity of Illinois politics that presidential rival Hillary Clinton says illustrates Obama's refusal to take responsibility, essentially taking the easy way out on controversial issues. But Obama's mentor, who says the senator cast thousands of votes, disagrees. "She's totally wrong on that," Jones said of Clinton. Chicago political analyst Paul Green says other lawmakers -- Republicans and Democrats alike -- routinely vote "present." Green said that such a vote is a strategy, a way to force the majority party to negotiate or to protest parts of a bill. Obama sponsored more than 800 bills. One resulted in highly touted ethics reforms that ban fundraisers at the state Capitol in Springfield and nearly all gifts from lobbyists. Another of his bills requires police in Illinois to videotape interrogations of suspects. One thing everyone did seem to agree on: Obama appeared comfortable reaching across party lines to get what he wanted.)

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
Cronin holds outstanding St. Paddy's Day fundraiser at Drury Lane; Ditka speaks; 1,100 attend including Biggins, Bryne, Campuzano, Carlson, Connelly, Curran, Cuzzone, Dabrowski, Dillard, Dorgan, Durante, Eckhoff, Edwards, Falbo, Fichtner, Fitzpatrick, Formento, French, Gidwitz, Guerin, Henry, Hinds, Jorgensen, Kachiroubas, Khan, Kinsella, Lofgren, Martinez, McCarthy, McCulloch, McNeal, Muehlfelt, Murphy, Pankau, Ossyra, Prueter, Puchalski, Reboletti, Redick, Ruscitti, Sanchez, Sandack, Sauerberg, Schillerstrom, Smith, Thomas, Topinka, Valle, and Wozniak - Dave Diersen
www.gopillinois.com
(THE ARTICLE: State Senator Dan Cronin held an outstanding St. Paddy's Day fundraiser Friday evening, March 7, at Drury Lane. Speakers included Mike Ditka. The program included the Shannon Rovers Bagpipers and the Mullane-Healy-O'Brien Irish Dancers. The approximate 1,100 attendees included Bob Biggins, Robert Bryne, Yolando Campuzano, Lori Carlson, Mike Connelly, Tina Connelly, John Curran, Tony Cuzzone, John Dabrowski, Kirk Dillard, Jack Dorgan, Pat Durante, Grant Eckhoff, Chris Edwards, Sal Falbo, Paul Fichtner, Laura Fitzpatrick, Mike Formento, Dorothy French, Ron Gidwitz, Dan Guerin, Gwen Henry, Paul Hinds, Ann Jorgensen, Chris Kachiroubas, Moon Khan, John Kinsella, Dagmar and Carl Lofgren, Liz Martinez, Vern McCarthy, Rod McCulloch, John McNeal, Gary Muehlfelt, Barb Murphy, Marsha Murphy, Carol Pankau, Rachel Ossyra, Mike Prueter, Don Puchalski, Dennis Reboletti, Jeff Redick, Darlene Ruscitti, Leonard Sanchez, Ron Sandack, Steve Sauerberg, Bob Schillerstrom, Ron Smith, Bob Thomas, Judy Baar Topinka, John Valle, and Joe Wozniak, Jr. & Sr.)