IL: 2-22-06 Political News

Senator Barack Obama (D)

Barack Obama wins Grammy for Best Spoken World Album

Obama's Popularity Impresses Colleagues

Barack Obama appearance draws large crowds in Memphis

Obama wasted no time pointing out he, like Ford, was considered a big underdog in his U.S. Senate race.

It is now with humor that he remembers being told a black man couldn't win.

The first thing they'd ask is where'd you get that funny name. Barack Obama? Although they wouldn't always pronounce it right and they'd call me Alabama," said Obama.

Corker Writes Obama, Slams Ford

Senator Barack Obama popularity has helped him raise about $6.5 million for his political action committee, Democratic candidates and state parties across the nation.

Senator Dick Durbin (D)

Senator Durbin meets displaced workers in Galesburg

Honest pricing for prescriptions

Senator Dick Durbin will introduce the Medicare Drug Honest Pricing Act this week in the Senate. The new legislation will grant seniors an opportunity to opt out of their drug plans if the drug prices change. Durbin says the current legislation called "Medicare Part D" is a reward for drug companies, but the opposite for seniors.

"We ended up with a system that has disapointed a lot of people. Some people say the D in Part D stands for disappointment. Others say it stands for disaster," said Senator Dick Durbin.

Durbin: Spend more on mine safety

Rep. Dennis Hastert (R)

House Speaker asks moratorium on Dubai port deal

House cools on lobbying reform

"I believe that to regain the trust of the American people that this institution must go further than prosecuting the bad actors," House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., told a room full of reporters. "We need to reform the rules so it's clear beyond a shadow of a doubt what is ethically acceptable for members of Congress."

Just a few weeks later, the rush to reform has slowed significantly, particularly in the House. Since those days in mid-January, House leaders have heard a barrage of concerns from representatives about going too far, particularly those who don't want to give up privately funded travel and those anxious to continue the practice of "earmarking," setting aside money in spending bills for favored projects.

Republicans are all for reforms, but they are not willing to give up earmarks and lobbyist funded travels. Dennis Hastert and Republicans in Congress will try to pass a ethics reform bill without changing conservatives standard operating procedures of selling the themselves to the highest bidder.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D)

Governor fights back in day of campaigning

Blagojevich said Republicans would undo many of his administration’s gains, including an expansion of health care for children.

"They’d take us back," Blagojevich repeated throughout his speech. He said Republicans are already threatening to undo much of the good his administration has done in the past four years.

Aurora downtown in line for millions

Republican Candidates for Governor

Gidwitz touts qualifications

Judy's turn to cry: Time to slam insiders, right wing

Republicans criticize Blagojevich during Chicago debate

6th Congressional District of Illinois

In an Illinois Primary, Three’s a Crowd

Now Hyde is retiring, and on a Sunday afternoon in late January, three Democratic hopefuls made their case for support in the March primary to an audience of about 80 local party activists. With an open House seat, a hard-right Republican candidate, low ratings for Bush and an increasingly Democratic constituency, the district could help tip the balance of power in the House this fall.

This Democratic primary, however, is not just a contest among the three inexperienced but articulate and progressive individuals at the candidate forum. It also presents a choice among three competing strategies to revive the party’s prospects.

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