Obama Wins Proxy War Versus McCain

Yesterday, little-known Democrat Bill Foster scored a major upset and won the congressional seat held for 20 years by former House Speaker Dennis Hastert, a Republican. The race was a proxy war between Barack Obama and John McCain. Obama cut an add for Foster -- watch it:





Meanwhile, McCain campaigned for the Republican candidate Jim Oberweis, and fundraised for his campaign. Watch the two of them (about 2 minutes in):





AP has more on the race:

The race between Foster and Oberweis spawned a contentious campaign that saw both men counting on high-profile supporters to sway voters. Oberweis had Hastert and McCain; Foster leaned on Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama who endorsed him in a TV ad.

"The people of Illinois have sent an unmistakable message that they're tired of business-as-usual in Washington," Obama said Saturday night in a written statement.

Keep reading here.

Comments

[Arawak]

The people have spoken.

[researcher]

there is nothing in life you cannot improve if you throw enough money at it. typical liberal approach to change.

must find a different approach then both have to offer. europe type socialism might be an answer but we americans are too self righteous to learn from other countries.

and the euro is worth what compared to the dollar?

give the folks in europe they are going to make a killing building our military airplanes by airbus.


there is dumb and dumber and we americans fit in the latter.

now yuppies dont forget to look for that socialist under you bed tonight like your parents looked for that commie. the industrial miltary complex like GE is even so smart t hey buy up the mass media.

please note keith does not talk about the industrial military complex on countdown.

[msirt]

Are you paying attention, superdelegates?

[fantagor]

I heard some of the Oberweis ads. They were chocked full of BS. Bill Foster will raise everyone's taxes $4,000 (lying with averages), claims of families decimated by taxes (Oberweis made them up) and other rightwing paranoia don't work anymore. That's the drawback of BS: like all fecal matter it eventually dries up. This was a litmus test for November. A Democrat won by 6% in a district that voted 55% in favor of Bush in 2004.

George Bush will go down in history as the killer of millions of Iraqis, thousands of Americans, and the Republican Party. One out of three ain't bad.

Randy

[whitegoldwielder]

You could be right. Of course, the disenfranchisement of millions of democratic voters in Florida and Michigan could destroy the democratic party so it may be a draw.

[akhinaten]

Randy your are forgetting if Monster.In­c (AKA hillzilla) steels the nomination one sure thing is that pantsuits have no Coattail

[donkee]

well stated Randy

and good news for us all

heh...

[mjaber123]

I think this congressional seat win for democrats brings up the all important question: how would concerns for congressional seats influence party leaders and super delegates in weighing in on either side. Which brings me to another question that I hope someone could answer for me: By many accounts, we'll be roughly at the same place where we are now by the end of June in terms of votes and delegates won by either candidate. Whatever criteria super delegates are going to apply in June is applicable now. There are no game changers between now and then. Why then should Democratic leaders and super delegates stand by and watch the candidates waste nearly $100 million in campaign money attacking one another only to get to where we started? Wouldn't it be wiser for them to rally around the one candidate they are going to choose based on whatever criteria they are going to apply in June, but do it now instead?

[asere]

Of course you're right, but think how many people you'll be depriving of their livelyhood ( advisors,spokes people,campaign workers,et­c.).
Having worked in 2 campaigns before, I was told that's how the game is played; it's someone else's money.
Sad,but true.

[StillAmused]

Gee... who'da' thunk? A GOP candidate, endorsed by Dennis Hastert and John McCain, actually LOST in the Year A.D. 2008?

Guess there's just no other explanatio­n... must be that Obama magic.

[ratmach]

Ok superdelegates. They say that one thing you're looking for is "coat tails", or which candidate can help get lower-level Dems elected. Well, this should be a BIG hint for you all. You need to start jumping over to Obama, so that Hillary stops her destructive campaigning tactics and we get this settled NOW.

[jsinclair]

One new representative = one new super delegate!

Thank you, Illinois!

[Amydan48]

This is huge and MSM will no doubt play this down; if they cover it at all-they probably got the memo from corporate headquarters not to run the story. Uhm, this great news coupled with Obama's victories in Vermont, Texas and Wyoming sounds like he is getting his momentum back. The DNC better realize the big picture. Obama & Co. are out there doing the hard work to make some changes...­..from the ground up and with the help of 'we the people' which is part of this movement.

[lobear00]

John McCain, is a tired ole man, his sense of knowing right from wrong has diminished, his mind is nothing but corruption, John you have taken so much in Bribes along with many others in the congress that it is time you go back to Arizona and settle down.
John you and Hillary should go out , rent a small VW Bug "which is just right for the two of you, and just drive and never look back.

[robotfog]

Yayyy! A good sign for everybody except republicans.

[Tyrione]

As an engineer I'm glad to see a Physicist win. However, that milktoast advertisement is not what would sway me for Mr. Foster. The simple fact we need actual Scientists in Washington D.C., alone does it for me.

Sorry Oberweis, the last person we need in Congress is another stooge who sounds just like the current administration. We need people in Congress who actually understand SCIENCE.

[copesthetics]

just goes to show barack's good for democrats down ticket. i have serious doubts about hillary's ability to to the same.
now i will be torn to bits by rabid, middle-aged women.

[zull2]

There goes one fifth of the RNC's budget. Over a million dollars were spent to hold onto that seat that the Republicans have held for decades.

And people out there still think Obama doesn't have a chance of beating John "W" McCain.

[bhenry112]

I hope this puts to rest the "unelectable Obama" meme. But I wouldn't count on it.

[rubicon101]

News Flash!!
Senator Barack Obama wins proxy nomination against HRC
President Obama has just won a proxy General Election against McCain
The highly confidant Barack Obama is leaning on a wafer thin resume and America will very soon want to know more about the junior Senator.
All it will take is for Senator to have a "moment" on the national stage and you'd hear a sigh across the collective masses.
I truly like Senator Obama but I feel like the good Senator comes up a little short for facing the GOP this November which is a long time in political life.
For those of you bloggers that don't quite remember the Clinton years, it was very good economically.
Senator Clinton welcomes everyone, as she wants to help america...­and she certainly is the toughest when it comes to facing the opposition!