The Chicagoist will be launching later but in the meantime please enjoy our archives.

Obamania Update

By Chuck Sudo in News on Jun 17, 2008 7:12PM

2008_06_obamania.jpg

  • Now he comes forward: Last night former Vice President Al Gore endorsed Senator Barack Obama in front of a raucous house of 20,000 in Detroit. Saying that "(a)fter eight years of incompetence, neglect and failure... eight years when our Constitution has been dishonored and disrespected, we need changes," Gore said that he will put everything he has into helping Obama get elected. Obama also poked at still-tender wounds when he recognized Gore as "the winner of the popular vote for President" in 2000.

  • Meanwhile, the Obama campaign is quickly adding former Hillary Clinton staffers. Yesterday they hired former Clinton campaign manager Patti Solis Doyle (sister of Alderman Danny Solis) as "chief of staff to the vice presidential candidate." The hiring has its advantages and drawbacks. By bringing Solis Doyle aboard, the Obama campaign hopes to make further inroads in shoring up its support among Hispanic voters. Some speculate that hiring Solis Doyle, however, further erodes Senator Clinton's slim chances of receiving the VP nod from Obama. Solis was fired for poor campaign and financial management (this months before Mark Penn, the architect of her ill-fated campaign, resigned).

  • The more things change: Politico states that Obama's decision to move essential DNC operations to his local campaign headquarters means that Chicago is the new home of the Democratic Party. Silly Politico. Read your history. It never really stopped being the capital.

  • "T" for "Texas": The folks at Republican Market, which is billed as "your premier source for infantile, xenophobic, racist and barely literate Republican and patriotic merchandise on the web" were selling buttons at last weekend's Texas Republican Convention that read, "If Obama is President... will we still call it the White House?" Showing that they were equal opportunity offenders they also sold buttons reading, "Press 1 for English. Press 2 for Deportation" and "I will hold my nose when I vote for McCain." These are the kind of people who could benefit from hearing this song in a constant loop.

Image of the Obamas via. It also reminds us of those old "Hey Love: The Classic Sounds of Sexy Soul" commercials.