The Obama Factor

Obama and the KKK's Byrd both issue racist vote on Brown...

2005-06-08T14:24:00.000-07:00

Barack Obama and Robert Byrd both excercised their right to vote as United States Senators late Wednesday afternoon in the vote to confirm Janice Rogers Brown to the U.S. District Court of Appeals.

And even though there was a day when the former Grand Kleagle of the Ku Klux Klan would have spit on Obama as much as look at him - heck he might have even wanted to burn across on his lawn or drag him behind a truck.

But there was Obama, arm in arm, with Senator Klan Grandpa casting a vote that would attempt to prevent one of the most inspiring Americans to rise from the ashes of prejudice and racism and eventually come to serve her nation in the California Supreme Court.

She would be prevented from going further if Byrd and Obama had their way. Fortunately they got no where near it. Janice Rogers Brown has just been confirmed by a vote of 56 to 43.

Obama: A rightful part of Black History Month

2005-02-13T16:38:00.000-08:00

The Houston Chronicle's Gregory Clay has a healthy attempt for Black History this year. Actually make it about legitimate Black History. No rappers no athletes need apply.

The Obama Factor thought it nice to recognize that Clay actually did have a good reason for putting Barack Obama on the list.(Two actually) He is only the 5th black senator in the history of the U.S. Senate, and equally impressive he was the first black president of the Harvard Law Review.

Whatever Obama's failings in consistency in his public policy, the Obama Factor has no problem acknowledging these legitimate and impressieve accomplishments from the freshman Senator from Illinois.

Bush reaches out, Obama shows up...

2005-02-10T06:46:00.000-08:00

Yesterday President Bush continued his outreach to African Americans hosting the East Wing event that honored Black History and established a thoughtful new exhibit at the Smithsonian.

According to the Washington Times, Senator Obama was in attendance as the President was interrupted some 17 times for applause (from leader's in the African American community) in his speech to honor Black History, and to announce the opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

To that end, the president yesterday used the occasion of Black History Month to talk about the Smithsonian's new National Museum of African
American History and Culture.
"It's important that our children know that there was a time in their nation's history when one in every seven human beings was the property of another," said Mr. Bush, who in 2003 signed the law creating the new museum. "They need to know how families were separated, denied even the comfort of suffering together. It's an important lesson of a shameful period that the young must never forget."

Barack Obama: The Reason Black History Month Must Continue.

2005-02-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

A bit overblown maybe? This op-ed from Newsday points to Barack Obama in nearly Messianic terms. Sure - we believe he will make a serious run for VP in 2008 alongside Hillary. And we believe he will eventually seek to be the top of the ticket at some point...

But to label Obama as: "the exception..." as to why "we still need Black History month". Not only overstates Obama's importance (he has yet to sign his name to any accomplishment thus far), but also diminishes the true value of truly important African Americans...like that cute size 6 who has most Europe tied around her pinky right now.

Good grief Newsday...get a life.

Obama: On Social Security?

2005-02-05T19:19:00.000-08:00

In the Morris Daily Herald Owen R. Brugh reported that Illinois Senators are opposed to the President's plan to save Social Security.

Though Brugh reported that Obama said he would work with the President to fix Social Security, Obama quickly clarified.

“The question is whether the president and the Congressional Republican leadership are open to an honest exchange of ideas ... rather than pursuing a partisan political agenda.”

Evidently the Democrat's definition of "working together" or "an honest exchange of ideas" is for President Bush to propose an idea, democrats yell out "no" during the state of the union, and give no alternative plan of their own.

And for what its worth - it shouldn't be considered a "partisan agenda" to try and fix the Social Security system which will run a deficit in 2018 and be more than 250 billion in the hole by 2042. How 'bout some ideas Senator?

Obama: "Gonzales failed to show moral clarity..."

2005-02-05T18:43:00.000-08:00

On Friday in the Chicago Sun Times, Lynn Sweet observed some thing about Dick Durbin's and Barack Obama's recent votes on Cabinet nominees.

Senator Dufus (Durbin) of course sided with the KKK's Robert Byrd in voting against the only African American woman ever to be nominated to the position of Secretary of State. Durbin has made a living in recent years doing all he can to keep well qualified nominees for federal judiciary positions locked out through his use of filibusters. Durbin has slammed African Americans, Hispanics, and some of the most qualified women ever to be nominated.

Senator Obama on the other hand DID vote for Secretary Rice. At least on some level Senator Obama recognized that it would reflect incredibly poor on his judgement to side with the former Grand Kleagal of the KKK.

Gonzales however was a different matter. Towards the end of the Lynn Sweet column the Sun-Times columnist relates this interaction.

We talked Thursday morning in his windowless temporary office in the basement of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. A big file was on his desk,
labeled transcripts from Gonzales' confirmation hearing. Those transcripts only increased his concerns, he said.

Earlier, Gonzales met privately with Obama in a quest for his vote. It was, Obama told me, a "vigorous discussion.'' Gonzales was not persuasive. The nation does not need an "attorney general who can't say no to the president.''

In a floor speech, Obama said the job of an attorney general is to be the "people's lawyer'' and not the "president's lawyer,'' finding narrow legal arguments to justify a policy the White House wants to execute.

Said Obama, who is charting his course in his early days in the Senate, Gonzales did not "show an ability to speak with responsible moral clarity.''

An inability "to speak with moral clarity"? He's kidding right?

This is the same Senator who as a State Senator in Illinois voted in the minority to protect a procedure that would allow a baby born alive to be left to die in a soiled utility room. Senator Obama would allow the passive taking of this innocent and vulnerable life through neglect - simply because the mother who gave the child birth would not want him/her.

In addition to this the Senator is on record as supporting the right of the doctor to deliver a child to within two inches of birth, thrusting a pair of scissors into the child's cranium, crushing the brain of the child, allowing it to be suctioned out, and then deliver the body of the now dead baby. This procedure is commonly referred to as "partial birth abortion" and the American Medical Association is on record as stating that this procedure is never medically necessary to save the life of the mother.

If Senator Obama can not see the lack of moral clarity in his own immoral beliefs it gives one cause for great doubt in him having any ability to see moral clarity in other's beliefs.

As to the issue of Gonzales, the War On Terror, and even the methods used to extract information that will save us from future terror attacks...Obama apparently does not believe that there is a true War On Terror at all. Therefore any discussions beyond that point becomes mute.

Senator "Purple States" has no voice in SOTU...

2005-02-02T20:10:00.000-08:00

Even though Hugh Hewitt now has said that Obama will infact be Hillary's running mate on his own blog in recent day, evidently talent is something that alone could not fit him into the State of the Union goings on.

The only shot that the camera put on Obama came in the midst of one of the most important parts of the speech, and his sour, glum, look - coupled with that blank bored stare did little to improve his image

Barack Obama hated the State of the Union.

Obama Factor: Does he or does he not support the War on Terror?

2005-02-02T19:57:00.000-08:00

It seems a funny thing to most...if you say one thing and then do another, most of the time, you are not taken seriously.

Throughout Barack Obama's campaign he repeatedly asserted his opposition to the War On Terror. He constantly appeased the lefties who bank-rolled him that he would in fact oppose the War and would work vigorously to end the effort in Iraq.

So far he is zip for zip on those promises...

But today this news report found him doing something I'm sure none of us ever thought we would see him doing...defending the existence of a military base? Two of them?

Illinois' two senators are hoping no military installations in the
state will make it on the Pentagon's next list of cuts.Senators Dick Durbin and Barack Obama today sent letters to the nominees to the Base Realignment and Closure or BRAC Commission. In the letters, the senators stress the importance of the bases to the state's economy and the nation's military readiness.All U.S. military bases are up for consideration during the BRAC process, including five in Illinois, the Air National Guard Bases in Peoria and Springfield, Scott Air Force Base, the Rock Island Arsenal and Great Lakes Naval Training Center.The 182nd Airlift Wing updated its fleet last week with the addition of eight C-130's.The aircraft built in the 1990's replace a fleet of 40-year-old models.The federal government plans to close another round of military bases it considers 'surplus' this year.Illinois lost 5 military bases in 3 previous base losing rounds.

So let's review - when he is running for the position of Senator on behalf of the decmoratic nut wing of his party - he runs to the Howard Dean crowd and says, "Yes sir, I'm your man!"

After he's elected, "oh - its a moral outrage to not have so many military bases in Illinois."

I know that having Senator Dufus be your partner and mentor is not a good training ground. But really shouldn't he be allowed to speak and act without giving evidence of the mindless self-serving nature that Dick Durbin possesses in such abundance.

A forgetable response to an unforgettable day...

2005-01-30T19:54:00.000-08:00

We at the Obama Factor understand why Barack Obama did not release a press statement this today. Most likely he does not deem the events as they unfolded in Iraq today to be of consequence. In fact most likely he was following the lead of the failed Presidential candidate John Kerry in believing and telling folks that more or less the world doesn't care about this election and that the U.S. "should be careful" not to "overhype" the overwhelming results in Iraq (early estimates put the outcome at near 10,000,000 ballots cast and 72% turnout).

But what DID Obama use this historic weekend to do...?

Believe it or not - THIS is how lame things get for these anti-American, anti-freedom, anti-war types.

That's right...reduced to discussing - the "availability of fake airline pilot uniforms".

Hmm let's see Bush's idea of fighting terrorism: 'Dethrone terrorist regimes. Kill known terrorists. Plant democracies throughout the region so that citizens grow up in freedom and not oppression."

Obama's idea of fighting terror: "Hold lame press conference with Dick Durbin. Hope that nobody notices that you don't acknowledge the single most important day in the middle east in YEARS!"

Gee - I wonder who history will say was more effective in winning the war on terror...?

Obama Factor: Weekend Newswatch...Obama's Recent Headlines

2005-01-23T17:53:00.000-08:00

A very busy week for the freshman Senator from Illinois and the Obama Factor has observed it all...

He promised to pump up the disability pay benefits for Illinois veterans...after meeting with disabled vets he believed he could then promise that he could up Illinois' standing with the Federal Government. (Illinois currently ranks 50 of 52 in getting disability payment from Federal coffers...)

He attempted to be the Eddie Haskell of the Condaleeza Rice hearings...

"I guess the comment that I'd like to make is that in the activist proactive strategies that you pursue, it seems to me that this administration often asks that we simply go along and have faith that you're making the right decisions.
But I think that from the perspective of my constituents in Illinois, at least, a number of people did vote for George Bush and do trust him. But my job as a senator is to make sure that we're basing these decisions on facts and that I probe and not simply take it on faith that good decisions are being made."

By comparison to many on the panel Obama came off as hesitant to attack Rice. Probably a wise decision given the probability that he will named the VP running mate to Hillary Clinton in 2008. He also just went ahead and voted to recommend her nomination to the Senate for a vote. He has not however broken the KKK's Robert Byrd's "spiking" of Condi's nomination on the floor.

Today in a Memphis newspaper, former Congressman J.C. Watts weighed in on what African American lawmakers have the potential to really impact the legislative process. Watts named two democrats - Congressman Harold Ford of Tennessee and Illinois' Obama.

Chicago Sun Times: Obama as Eddie Haskell

2005-01-19T20:25:00.000-08:00

His first serious committee hearings have come and gone and Barrack Obama seemed to not really make a name for himself. The Obama Factor believes that to be a good thing.

In allowing the rabidly insane and poisonous dwarf from California to be the main embarrassment for the Democrats, (Boxer) Obama avoided any PR related issues in the first visible assignment of the young legislative year.

He did impress the sad little Chicago Sun Times. He also did find a way to try to make concerted digs at Dr. Rice's record - which he pretty much flailed at.

Dr. Rice is out of Obama's league - and he knew it. And in refusing to get engaged in the game of "pout and screech" that Boxer and failed Presidential candidate (we love saying that) Kerry got in to he gets by with a passing grade.

Some points removed for the silly attempt to corner Dr. Rice. But some added for recognizing her accomplishments and competency and in the end voting to recommend her to the full Senate.

Obama Express campaigns in Rockford...

2005-01-17T23:40:00.000-08:00

The Obama Factor noted yesterday that the new U.S. Senator from Illinois still appears to be in campaign mode. Today completed the third rally/speaking engagement Obama has conducted in one week in outlying areas of Illinois.

The occassion today was to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr...

"Despite all our differences, we can come together as one people, I believe those things, you believe those things, in the end, that's Dr. King's greatest legacy." Obama connected that legacy to current events affecting all Americans, "I have to remind myself that we're in the mist of a war that Dr.
King probably would have objected to." Obama also put special attention on the young men of society. He reminded them that both Dr. King and Jesus Christ were very young when they had already accomplished so much: "He was at the peak of his powers at 32, 33. Someone else was also at the peak of his powers at 33. Young men!" Obama modernized Dr. Kings teachings. He says "its not about if you can eat at the lunch counter but if you've got a job, can afford the burger at the lunch counter."

Of course Senator Obama - neither Jesus nor Dr. King would embrace your position on Abortion or Gay Marriage - but go ahead and draw as many false analogies as you want...

Dr. King Remembered...

2005-01-17T06:14:00.000-08:00

The Obama Factor pauses today to pay homage to one of the greatest of Americans...

We stand grateful for all the Dr. King's life brought to every man, woman, and child in our nation today.

We also echo these sentiments from Kevin McCullough...

And we also believe that this day should mean more than any other holiday...and join with the "service" idea for today.

Obama gets confused for Osama?

2005-01-17T06:06:00.000-08:00

Why oh why do I suspect that this won't be the last time Sen. Kennedy makes this mistake?

FROM ABC NEWS: Kennedy also mangled the name of the Democrats' new star, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, calling him "Osama bin … Osama … Obama."

Thanks to Ramblings Journal for pointing it out.

Obama Factor: Weekend Newswatch...Obama's Recent Headlines

2005-01-16T19:42:00.000-08:00

The New York Post chats up the idea of an Obama Vice-Presidency in 2008. The idea is as running mate with present New York Attorney General - Eliot Spitzer. The idea is ridiculous because we all know Hillary Clinton will be the candidate.

The Obama Factor does believe that Obama makes the most sense for a Hillary candidacy as a named VP.

Not surprisingly this silly idea stemmed from the "Eliot Spitzer for Governor" website...

The (Chicago) Daily Herald is also pointing out that Obama is still behaving as though he is still running for office. Though we guess now would not be too early a time to begin working donors and crowds for 2008 VP votes... He held a very similar townhall style gathering just days before and the Chicago Tribune loved it... But what can you expect from the parent company of the L.A. Times?

It turned out to be a bit of a busy week for him - he opened yet another patronage clearing house...er we mean "office" in Springfield.

(Paranthetical thought here: why does every "news story" written about Obama in Illinois press seem to be written like a love sonnet. This doesn't even include flat out opinion pieces from other parts of the nation. So much fawning, so little actual antagonistic reporting. How silly!)

Barack Obama put on "Watch List" for 2005

2005-01-04T05:44:00.000-08:00

No its not the terror watch list. Although his positions on the War On Terror almost make him a sympathizer of the "other side".

But the Daily Standard has put him on the "5 in 2005" predicting he will be a major player, shaker, mover, all in his freshman term.

"BARACK OBAMA. Has any politician ever entered Congress to such ubiquitous fanfare as Barack Obama? Probably not. Will he measure up to the hype? We'll soon find out. No question Obama gave a wonderful speech at the Democratic convention. It's hard to imagine another liberal Democrat, let alone Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton, delivering it. But make no mistake: Obama is indeed a liberal. Consider his record as an Illinois state senator. Obama has supported strict anti-gun measures, promoted universal health care, defended racial preferences, opposed tough-on-crime legislation designed to thwart gang violence, and voted "present" on an Illinois partial-birth abortion ban. He also spoke out against President Bush's tax cuts and the Iraq war. (At an October 2002 antiwar rally, Obama called the anti-Saddam buildup a cynical ploy cooked up by Karl Rove to "distract us" from domestic problems.) Obama's lofty, unconventional rhetoric made him a star at the convention. But he'll need more than words to distinguish himself in the U.S. Senate."

Everything they mention - he did in fact do in the State Senate so we at the Obama Factor tend to believe the Daily Standard on this one. Great Oratory he's got - but how will he vote? Will he defend America in the age of terrorism? Will he continue with his radical attacks on the unborn? Will he fight to protect marriage? His State Senate voting record says none of these are likely...but we too will wait and see where the votes go.

Obama raking in "Year End Recognition"

2005-01-02T17:21:00.000-08:00

This week multiple news organizations honored Obama.

In his hometown the Chicago Sun Times named him on of the "Year's Biggest" local stories...
"Obama charged onto the national stage at the Democratic National Convention in July with an acclaimed keynote speech declaring "in no other country on earth is my story even possible.''
When his campaign to get to Washington was beginning, Obama himself joked about his name, which he received from his Kenyan father, calling it a possible political liability.
But behind the jokes, Obama ran a serious, textbook-perfect campaign. And on the campaign trail, he appealed to everyone across the state, from the inner city to the cornfields.
In recent weeks, he has been on the cover of Newsweek and signed a $1.9 million three-book contract. Obama's also already being touted as a likely future presidential or vice presidential candidate."

His neighbors and friends to the north in Madison, Wisconsin and The Capital Times named him their person of the year...
"Obama beat more prominent Democrats for his party's Senate nomination because he was more courageous politically - opposing the war in Iraq, criticizing the Patriot Act and promising to battle corporate special interests. And he wowed the convention, and the nation, by eschewing standard rhetoric in favor of an uplifting and unifying message that was in stark contrast to the dispiriting politics of 2004. If he carries that courage and vision into the Senate, he may well succeed in setting a different, and better, tone."

And CNN listed him as one of the top "political plays of the year"...
"Did the Democrats produce a star? They sure did.
'The hope of a skinny kid with a funny name who believes that America has a place for him, too,' said Barack Obama in his speech at the Democratic National Convention on July 27.
Obama won a stunning 43-point victory after wowing Democrats with his spellbinding oratory at the Boston convention."

All and all - a ton of recognition for someone who has yet to accomplish anything in his position - but with the left it often is symbolism that beats out substance...

Obama Factor: Kenya sending celebratory delegation...

2005-01-02T17:09:00.000-08:00

On Monday, a celebration of a Senator's swearing in will have some international representation. Kenya is planning on sending a delegation of politicians and relatives to the ceremony. Obama will be visiting Nairobi in May of 2005 and speak at an international media conference.

Even though the Senator has never lived there, Kenyans consider Obama a local and celebrated as he easily won his first election and became the only African American in the 2005 Senate...

Obama says hello, Fitzgerald - goodbye...

2004-11-19T17:18:00.000-08:00

For what it is worth...some of us had almost forgotten about Peter Fitzgerald. Someone who served his state with honor - even if his corrupt state party never quite warmed to him.

Nevertheless the left lunies in Illinois are all GaGa for the new guy and so it goes...

Today in the St. Louis Dispatch the paper ran a full page article on the exit of Fitzgerald and the incoming "rock star" Obama.

The article documents "how much" Obama is winning over - democrats - to sing his praises and then proclaim to the world (er the press) what a studly revolutionary he is...

Emerging from one of his first meetings with Obama, Sen. Frank Lautenberg, a four-term Democrat from New Jersey, had one word to describe the newly elected Illinois Democrat. "Wow!"

"... He's so bright and inspiring," Lautenberg said. "We're all excited about him." In the afterglow of his charismatic performance at the Democratic National Convention, there's already buzz about Obama as presidential material.

And in the wake of their own disappointing election results, Senate Democrats are looking to Obama to take on a high-profile role in their caucus as a spokesman and campaign-money magnet. "Barack Obama comes to the United States Senate with a lot of friends," said Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill. "We're going to be counting on him to help us raise funds, recruit candidates and deliver our message."

Well of course you are Tricky Dicky Durbin...

What is interesting is that it could easily be argued that Obama is the ONLY Democratic Senator that has ANY momentum moving in his direction.

The Dems continued to get pounded in the last round of elections. Obama was the only BIG winner. But let's be honest - he lacked considerably less than impressive competition and until the Illinois Republican Party ever gets its act together - he may not for quite some time.

Obama will be a player - the Dems will cower to him partly because he's African American - and this will cause the myth of his prowess to grow...

I mean - if they are falling all over themselves trying to get on his good side now - how much more will they dance when Hillary names Obama as her running mate in 2008.

He hasn't even cast one vote in the Senate yet - and he appeared on the "possible 2008 Presidential Candidates" list by Gallup earlier this week.

But don't worry - The Obama Factor will be watching every vote he makes in his Freshman Senate term, every act of obstruction, every filibuster he favors, every justice he attempts to spike.

We will need no cameras to demonstrate how far left of center is - we will simply let his votes speak for themselves... SEMPER FI Truthseekers!

"Messianic Obama"

2004-11-14T19:30:00.000-08:00

For all the grief that has been given President Bush in running a "Messianic" type of administration, it appears as though others are beginning to cast themselves into "Messianic" roles.

Sometimes others do it for them...

In this Sunday article in the San Diego Tribune the reporter follows the Senator Elect from Illinois to a local town hall style meeting in Rockford Illinois.

An admirer from the neighboring state of Wisconsin drove an hour and a half to get there...proclaiming this to the new 43 year old "rock star" of the Democratic Party.

"With all this talk of mandates, you have my mandate and the mandate of people way beyond Rockford or even the state of Illinois," Fox said. "We are people who are divided as a country, and we need your presence ... to bring our states back together and to bring us back
together as an American people."

"That's a pretty big job you just gave me," Obama said, prompting laughter from the library crowd. Someone shouted back, "You can do it!"

There is more to this "aura of invincability" than what Obama often plays down. In fact it is his boyish charm that makes him so potent.

As we will be able to point out in the days ahead Obama is a radical idealogue. (As his votes prove) But since he is so adept at playing the "aw shucks" card, we firmly believe that the Presidency is what he is ultimately after.

Could he be a running mate to Hillary Clinton in 2008? He makes the most sense and the Democrats are believing that they need a Clinton on the ticket with the other half being someone who will energize and bring the "aw shucks" element that Bill had but that Hillary sorely lacks.

It also helps Obama that he belongs to a church on the southside of Chicago. He doesn't believe in the same things the great "values voters" of 2004 - but he can speak a language that will make some of them think he does. This is something that John Kerry would have given his right arm for. (Or maybe his second spot on the ticket looking back on things now...)

Barack Obama: Teaching keeps him sharp?

2004-11-14T15:06:00.000-08:00

I don't quite know what to make of a central assertion given by Barack Obama in the context of this pretty flattering profile by the BBC. Barack's lengthy and somewhat complicated background is summed up pretty neatly in the piece.

Towards the end though - this little nugget comes popping out at you:

Mr Obama still practises law, and also does some teaching at the University of Chicago Law School which he says keeps him sharp when it comes to issues like abortion, gay rights and affirmative action.
This is a pretty startling statement when you look at its intended meaning - and Obama's actual record.

By "staying sharp" Obama has voted:
1. To allow newborn infants to die from neglect in a Suburban Chicago Hospital's soiled utility room.
2. To legally protect the practice of delvering a near term baby to within two inches of a normal delivery, have the doctor insert a pair of scissors into the base of the baby's cranium and use them to crush the child's newly formed brain, then suctioning out the effects the baby's now dead body is delivered the final two inches - the practice known as partial birth abortion. 3. To advance the causes of the most progressive gay-activists in the nation and to c0-sponsor on multiple occassions a bill which would seek to add the term of sexual orientation to the State of Illinois' Civil Rights Act. Thus allowing someone to gain preference in getting a home or a job - because they desire to have sex with someone just like them.
4. To adamantly seek the advancement of Same-Sex marriage into the mainstream of American life - despite the fact that in most states the voters have spoken and said that they do not wish it to take place in overwhelming margins (60-88%).

If these are the issues that Obama cites as to what teaching law school helps him stay "sharp" on - heaven help his students...

Welcome to The Obama Factor

2004-11-13T20:23:00.000-08:00

We are glad you could stop by what will be the equivalent of FactCheck.org on the new Senator from Illinois. Expect this to be the premiere outlet to follow Obama's every move.

We should have plenty to keep us busy...