Rising Star

by David J. Garrow

  14. Raymond W. Ewell, “Memorandum of Law in Support of Plaintiff’s Standing to Bring Instant Action,” James M. Scanlon, “Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment,” and Thomas E. Johnson, “Intervening Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment,” Ewell v. Board of Election Commissioners, #96-C-0823, N. D. Ill., 26 February 1996, TEJP; Knapp, “Court Rules Candidate Off Ballot,” HPH, 28 February 1996, pp. 1–2; Ewell, “Plaintiff’s Response to Defendants’ and Intervenor’s Motion for Summary Judgment,” and Scanlon, “Defendant’s Response to Plaintiff’s Memorandum of Law in Support of Plaintiff’s Standing to Bring Instant Action,” Ewell v. Board of Election Commissioners, #96-C-0823, N. D. Ill., 29 February 1996, Ewell v. Board of Election Commissioners, #96-C-0823, N. D. Ill., 4 March 1996, Johnson to Obama, 4 March 1996, Ulmer D. Lynch, “Plaintiffs’ Second Amended Complaint,” Lynch v. State Board of Elections, #96-C-0270, N. D. Ill., 26 February 1996, Charles R. Norgle Sr., “Minute Order,” Lynch v. State Board of Elections, #96-C-0270, N. D. Ill., 11 March 1996, Johnson to Obama, “Ewell and Lynch,” 11 March 1996, all TEJP; “The Unzip” and “South Street Journal Endorsements,” South Street Journal, 14–27 March 1996, pp. 2, 13; Kennedy Communications, “State Senator Barack Obama, Candidate for U.S. Senate: Background Report,” April 2003, RRP; Chinta Strausberg, “Several Candidates Run Unopposed,” CD, 18 March 1996, p. 19; Illinois State Board of Elections, Official Vote Cast at the Primary Election, General Primary, March 19, 1996, p. 109; Knapp, “Election Day Yields a Few Surprises,” HPH, 27 March 1996, pp. 1–2; “Senate Hopeful Still Has Plenty to Spend,” HPH, 3 April 1996, pp. 1–2; Friends of Barack Obama, Report of Campaign Contributions and Expenditures, 1 January 1996–30 June 1996, 31 July 1996; DJG interviews with Tom Johnson, Janis Robinson, and Carol Harwell.

  15. UCLS Announcements 1995–96, p. 38; UCLS Directory 1995–96; UCLS Course Evaluations, Current Issues in Racism and the Law, Spring 1996; Maya in Emme Tomimbang, “Barack Obama: Hawaii Roots,” 8 February 2008, DVD; Delanney in Yann Masson, “Presidentielle Amercaine: Avec Barack, on Regardait Les Matchs de Basket,” Nice Matin, 6 November 2008; Tyus v. Schoemehl, 93 F.3d 449 (8th Cir.), 16 August 1996 (argued 9 April 1996), cert. denied, 520 U.S. 1166 (1997); ACORN v. Edgar, 75 F.3d 304 (7th Cir.), 26 January 1996; ACORN v. Edgar, 1996 WL 284959, N. D. Ill., 28 May 1996; David [Plotkin] to Staff, “Re: Legal,” 29 May 1996, HSP Box 35 Fld. 1494; ACORN v. Edgar, 1996 WL 406652, N. D. Ill., 17 July 1996; ACORN v. Edgar, 1996 WL 447256, N. D. Ill., 1 August 1996; ACORN v. Edgar, 99 F. 3d 261, 262 (7th Cir.), 31 October 1996 (Illinois’s behavior in the case “borders on the frivolous”); Paul Jaskunas, “EEOC v. Mistubishi,” American Lawyer, July–August 1996, pp. 95–96; Phil Vettel, “Park Avenue Cafe Deserves Attention,” CT, 19 July 1996; Baird in Alexandra Starr, “Case Study,” NYT Magazine, 21 September 2008, on “Obama: Professor President,” BBC Radio 4, 6 January 2009, and on CNBC video interview, 12 January 2009; DJG interviews with Mary Ellen Callahan, Hisham Amin, Triste Lieteau Smith, Bob Bennett, Judd Miner, George Galland, Paul Strauss, Jeff Cummings, Laura Tilly, John Belcaster, Douglas Baird, Geof Stone, David Strauss, and Dennis Hutchinson.

  16. Public Allies Chicago, Check-In, Fall 1995; “Obama Appointed to New University of Chicago Job,” HPH, 5 June 1996, p. 5; “Obama Named First Associate Dean of Student Services,” University of Chicago Chronicle, 6 June 1996; “Any Volunteers?,” University of Chicago Magazine, August 1996; Hilary F. Ryder, “New Faculty Arrive at U of C,” Chicago Maroon, 23 September 1995, p. B15; Public Allies Chicago, Check-In, Fall 1996 and Spring 1997; Maudlyne Ihejirika, “Program Turning Xers Into Leaders,” CST, 27 May 1997, p. 46; Michelle in Holly Yeager, “The Heart and Mind of Michelle Obama,” O Magazine, November 2007, pp. 286ff., in Geraldine Brooks, “Michelle Obama: Camelot 2.0?,” More, October 2008, and in Michael Scherer and Nancy Gibbs, “Interview with the First Lady,” Time, 21 May 2009; Paul Schmitz, Everyone Leads (Jossey-Bass, 2012), pp. 51–53, 243–45; Carl A. and Shelby J. Grant, The Moment (Rowman & Littlefield, 2013), p. 150; Mariana Cook, “A Couple in Chicago,” New Yorker, 19 January 2009; Slevin, Michelle Obama, pp. 162, 171; DJG interviews with Pat Graham, Julian Posada, Bethann Hester, Jan Anne Dubin, Ian Larkin, Sunny Fischer, Craig Huffman, Chuck Supple, Leif Elsmo, Paul Schmitz, Kathy Stell, Kevin Tyson, Carlton Guthrie, and Deloris Burnam.

  17. David Moberg, “Last Train Out: GM’s Electro-Motive Plant Has Assembled Its Final Locomotive,” CT, 24 January 1993; Jon Anderson “Weathering Change,” CT, 8 July 1993, p. T1; Tara Gruzen, “’60s Radicals Try to Activate Students,” CT, 17 April 1996; Scott Turow, “The New Face of the Democratic Party—and America,” Salon, 30 March 2004; Peter Wallsten, “Allies of Palestinians See a Friend in Barack Obama,” LAT, 10 April 2008; Marc Santora and Elissa Gootman, “Political Storm Finds a Columbia Professor,” NYT, 31 October 2008; Scott Turow’s 2009 interview with Robert Draper; Carol Felsenthal, “Bill Ayers Talks Obama,” Chicago Magazine, December 2013; DJG interviews with Bill Ayers, Bernardine Dohrn, Mona Khalidi, Carole Travis, John Ayers, Scott Turow, and Tom Geoghegan. On Rebecca Jumper Coleman Shields, who died 24 January 1988, see Rachel L. Swarns, American Tapestry (Amistad, 2012), esp. pp. 87–109.

  18. Minutes, CAC Board of Directors, 2 May 1996, Ken Rolling to Vartan Gregorian et al., “Chicago Annenberg Challenge Program Report,” 8 May 1996, Gregorian to Obama, 28 May 1996, Box 114 Fld. 765, Minutes, CAC Board of Directors, 18 June 1996, CAC, “Program Report for the Period Ending December 31, 1996,” CACP; Shipps and Sconzert, The Chicago Annenberg Challenge: The First Three Years, March 1996, esp. p. 19; Joyce Foundation, Work in Progress, January, May, and September 1996; Kenneth P. Vogel, “Obama Linked to Gun Control Efforts,” Politico, 20 April 2008; Abramsky, Inside Obama’s Brain, p. 235; Adrian Butler, “Barack’s British Background,” Sunday Mirror, 13 January 2008; Paul Burnell, “Why Obama Came to My Stag Do,” The One Show, BBC, 29 January 2008; Martin Fricker and Graham Brough, “Barack Obama’s Stepmother Is a Bingo Lover from Bracknell,” Daily Mirror, 9 February 2008; Oliver Harvey, “Obama’s Brother Is in Bracknell,” The Sun, 26 July 2008; Auma Obama, And Then Life Happens, p. 233; DJG interviews with Ken Rolling, Pat Graham, Carin Clauss, Paula Wolff, Carlton Guthrie, Jack Anderson, Chuck Daly, Debbie Leff, Margaret O’Dell, Unmi Song, Rob and Lisa Fisher, Mark Kozlowski, John Charles, Jill Rock, Cynthia Miller, Carole Travis, Michael McGann, Jeff Stauter, Pat Welch, Carol Harwell, and Malik Nevels. At some point in the 1990s, “Michelle and I . . . decided we were going to lease a car,” Barack later told Elizabeth Warren. “When I returned the car four years later . . . it was the first time I realized how expensive that car was.” Ron Suskind, Confidence Men (HarperCollins, 2011), p. 445.

  19. Tracy P. Leary to Rev. Vincent McCutcheon, 12 February 1996, “Hope Center Profiles Spring Session 1996,” n.d., TLP; “Hope Institute Receives Grant to Organize Local School Election,” South Street Journal, 14–27 March 1996, p. 2; “Hope Center Spring Session Practicums,” n.d., “Hope Center Spring Session Overview of Participation,” n.d., Tracy P. Leary to Mrs. Nicholson, 24 May 1996, Leary, “Weekly Report (June 11th–June 18th),” 19 June 1996, “The Lugenia Burns Hope Center Presents a Community Forum Guest Speaker: Robert ‘Bob’ Moses,” [14 June 1996], Leary, “Weekly Report (June 19th–25th),” TLP; [Sandy O’Donnell], “The Lugenia Burns Hope Center: Purposes, Description, First Year Progress, Second Year Plans,” n.d. [ca. late June 1996], SOP; Tracy Leary 1996 appointments book, esp. 2 July and 23 August 1996, Leary, “Weekly Report (June 26th–July 2nd),” 3 July 1996, Leary, “Weekly Report (July 3rd–9th),” 16 July 1996, Leary to “Dear ____” Form Letter, 11 July 1996, Leary, “Weekly Report (July 10th–16th),” 17 July 1996, TLP; [Sandy O’Donnell], “Hope Center Planning Group Notes,” 18 July [1996], SOP; Leary, “Weekly Report (July 31st–August 6th),” 7 August 1996, Leary, “4120 [S. Prairie] Weekly Report (August 21st–26th),” Leary, “Weekly Report (August 21st–28th),” 28 August 1996, The Lugenia Burns Hope Center for the Study and Development of New World Communit
y, “Building a Collective Organizing Strategy for Grand Boulevard,” 29 August 1996 (draft agenda?), Leary, “Weekly Report (August 28th–September 3rd),” 4 September 1996, TLP; Joe Frolik, “A Newcomer to the Business of Politics,” Plain Dealer, 3 August 1996, p. A1; Beverly Reed, “Senator Obama’s Bronzeville Connection,” South Street Journal, 17 January 2008, p. 14; DJG interviews with Tracy Leary, Paul Scully, Sokoni Karanja, and Mike Kruglik.

  20. Dreams From My Father (Kodansha Globe), 1996; Tim Engles, Magill Book Reviews, March 1997; Janny Scott, “Obama’s Story, Written by Obama,” NYT, 18 May 2008, p. A1; Philip Turner, “‘Dreams From My Father’ and Kodansha Globe, 1995–96,” philipsturner.com, 11 March 2012; DJG interviews with Philip Turner, Deborah Baker, and Rob and Lisa Fisher. Two subsequent reviews are Dorothy S. Latiak, “Reflections on the Life of Obama,” HPH, 23 June 1999, p. 4, and E. J. Graff, “Being Black and White,” American Prospect, 10 September 2001, pp. 42ff. (dismissing Obama’s narrative as “unfocused meandering” and “boring writing”).

  21. “IMPACT Questionnaire,” 3 September 1996, in Baim, Obama and the Gays, pp. 9–11; Tracy Ring, “Elections Set for Illinois House, Senate,” Outlines, November 1996; “IVI-IPO General Candidate Questionnaire,” Dobry Papers and DWP; IVI-IPO, “Candidate Report Sheet for Interviews, Barack Obama,” 9 September 1996, DWP; “Two Candidates to Challenge Obama for State Senate Seat,” HPH, 25 September 1996, p. 2; Mike Allen and Ben Smith, “Liberal Views Could Haunt Obama,” Politico, 11 December 2007; Lynn Sweet, “The Past Haunts Obama?,” CST, 12 December 2007, p. 26; Smith, “Chicago Activists Doubt Obama’s Explanation on Questionnaire,” Politico, 19 December 2007; Kenneth P. Vogel, “Obama Had Greater Role on Liberal Survey,” Politico, 31 March 2008; DJG interviews with Alan and Lois Dobry and Don Wiener. The existence of incomplete versions of the IVI-IPO questionnaire on the Web has in the past led to confusion.

  22. UCLS Directory 1996–1997, esp. p. 20; UCLS Announcements, 1996–1997, esp. pp. 37 and 40; Chapin Cimino, “Class-Based Preferences in Affirmative Action Programs After Miller v. Johnson: A Race-Neutral Option, or Subterfuge?,” University of Chicago Law Review 64 (Fall 1997): 1289–1310; Geoffrey R. Stone et al., Constitutional Law, 3rd ed. (Little Brown, 1996); UCLS Course Evaluations, Autumn 1996; “Candidates as Academics: I Got a Professor Named Obama,” 8 February 2008, and “U of C ’97” comment, 2:28 P.M., 11 February 2008, AbovetheLaw.com; John K. Wilson, Barack Obama: The Improbable Quest (Paradigm, 2008), pp. iv, 80; DJG interviews with Barack Echols, David Strauss, Felton Newell, Chapin Cimino, Dennis Hutchinson, Trieste Lieteau Smith, and Hisham Amin.

  23. “Please Join Us for an Evening of Art, Jazz & Politics with Barack Obama,” 3 October 1996, DTKP; Friends of Barack Obama, Report of Campaign Contributions and Expenditures, 1 July 1996–31 December 1996, 31 January 1997; Harvard Law School, Class of 1991 Fifth Anniversary Report, 1996, p. 73 (Obama entry dated 3 October 1996); Tracy Leary 1996 appointments book, esp. 24 September 1996; Leary to “Dear Friend,” 27 September 1996, Leary, “Weekly Report (Nov. 6th–12th),” 12 November 1996, Leary to “Dear Friend,” 13 November 1996, TLP; Regina McGraw, “Loud Way Sometimes the Best Way,” CT, 1 October 1996; Woods Fund of Chicago, 1995 and 1996 Annual Reports; DJG interviews with David Kindler, Sokoni Karanja, Tracy Leary, Sandy O’Donnell, John Eason, Jean Rudd, Todd Dietterle, and Josh Hoyt. As Hoyt rightly states, “church-based organizing was incredibly successful” and “became the basis of a huge amount of empowerment in the Latino community, and it never really took root in the black community.”

  24. “Chance to Learn About Volunteer Opportunities,” UCC, 10 October 1996; Brenda Warner Rotzoll, “Lessons in Volunteerism,” CST, 13 October 1996, p. 30; Kevin Knapp, “Volunteering Becomes a Full-Time Job for Obama,” HPH, 8 January 1997, p. 2; “Public-Service Internships Available Through Summer Links,” UCC, 20 March 1997; Lisa Fingeret, “University to Fund Volunteerism,” HPH, 2 April 1997, p. 2; “Volunteerism Thriving Among Students,” UCC, 12 June 1997; Charlotte Snow, “Connecting Communities: New Campus Volunteer Efforts Show Promise of Broadening Undergraduate Perspectives and Improving Town-Gown Relations,” UCM, June 1998; Snow, “Student Activists Raise Signs Over Sweatshops,” UCM, June 2000; Russ Stewart, “The Future of the Republican Senate,” Illinois Politics, October 1995, pp. 9, 14; Stewart, “Big Democratic ‘Wave’ Needed to Win State Senate,” Illinois Politics, October 1996, pp. 11–12; Jennifer Halperin, “On Target: State Senate Democrats Count on Shifts in the South Suburbs,” II, October 1996, pp. 22–25; “Illinois Senate Endorsements,” CT, 16 October 1996; Kevin Knapp, “Two ‘Stealth Candidates’ on Ballot in State Senate Race,” HPH, 23 October 1996, p. 3; “Our Endorsements for Illinois Senate,” CST, 27 October 1996, p. 39 (and repeated 3 and 5 November); Paul Krawzak, “Two Candidates, One Senator,” SJ-R, 27 October 1996, p. 1; John Drumwright, “U of C Professor Closes In on Illinois State Senate Seat,” The Phoenix, 4 November 1996, p. 1; Illinois State Board of Elections, Official Vote Cast at the General Election, 5 November 1996, p. 32 (Barack 48,592, David Whitehead 7,461, Rosette Caldwell Peyton 3,091); Michael Tackett, “Except in Illinois,” CT, 10 November 1996; Judy Hevrdejs and Mike Conklin, “Devine’s Key Asset in Victory,” CT, 12 November 1996; “House Changes Hands in Election,” Cook-Witter Report 12, #10, 22 November 1996; CF, 9 April 1999 (Halvorson’s victory was “the single greatest political accomplishment by the Senate Democrats” during the 1990s); “Rosette Caldwell Peyton, 78,” HPH, 2 May 2007, p. 19; Dan Shomon’s 2008 interview with CNN’s Jen Christensen; Debbie Halvorson, Playing Ball with the Big Boys (Solutions Unlimited, 2012), p. 26; DJG interviews with Dan Shomon, Debbie Halvorson, Terry Link, Tom Walsh, Denny Jacobs, Cindi Canary, Glenn Hodas, John Charles, Linda Hawker, Lori Joyce Cullen, and Cindy Huebner Davidsmeyer.

  25. Maudlyne Ihejirika, “Black Officials Push for State-Level Activism,” CST, 10 November 1996, p. 6; Kevin Knapp, “Election Holds No Surprises for Local Candidates,” HPH, 13 November 1996, p. 2; Craig A. Roberts, Paul Kleppner, et al., Almanac of Illinois Politics—1996 (University of Illinois at Springfield, 1996), pp. 76–77 (13th District); Melanie Carr, “Law School Professor Barack Obama Wins State Senate Seat,” The Phoenix, 18 November 1996, p. 2; Minutes, CAC Board of Directors, 2 December 1996 (Obama absent); Kennedy Communications, “State Senator Barack Obama, Candidate for U.S. Senate: Background Report,” April 2003, RRP; “Tentative Legislative Schedule for 1997 Spring Session,” CWR 12 #11, 18 December 1996; UCLS Announcements 1996–97, p. 65; King v. State Board of Elections, 979 F. Supp. 582 (N. D. Ill.), 7 March 1996, remanded, 519 U.S. 978, 12 November 1996; Sarah Nordgren (AP), “Lower Court Ordered to Take Another Look at Hispanic District,” 12 November 1996; King v. State Board of Elections, 979 F. Supp. 619 (N. D. Ill.), 1 August 1997, affirmed 522 U.S. 1087, 26 January 1998; Samuel Issachaoff, Pamela S. Karlan, and Richard H. Pildes, The Law of Democracy: Legal Structure of the Political Process (Foundation Press, 1998), esp. p. viii; Obama, Constitutional Law III Final Examination, 12 December 1996; Obama to Students in Con Law III, “The Exam,” n.d., lawprofessors.typepad.com; Pildes in Jeffrey Toobin, “Bench Press,” New Yorker, 21 September 2009; John R. Lott Jr. and David B. Mustard, “Crime, Deterrence, and Right-to-Carry Concealed Handguns,” UCLS Law and Economics Working Paper #41, August 1996; “Concealed Weapons Deter Crime, Study Says,” CT, 10 August 1996; Stephen Chapman, “Taking Aim,” CT, 15 August 1996; Lott, “More Guns, Less Violent Crime,” WSJ, 28 August 1996; Lott, “Obama and Guns: Two Different Views,” FoxNews.com, 7 April 2008; Grover G. Norquist and Lott, Debacle (John Wiley, 2012), pp. 1–2; Jamie Weinstein, “Gun Rights Advocate and Former Obama Colleague: President Used to Treat Him as ‘Evil,’” Daily Caller, 8 April 2012; Lott, At the Brink (Regnery Publishing, 2013), pp. xv, 126; Adam Bonin, “Professor Obama and Me,” DailyKos.com, 20 December 2007; Bonin in Lydialyle Gibson, “Elemental Obama,” University of Chicago Magazine, September–October 2008, p. 45; Alexandra Starr, “Case Study,” NYT Magazine, 21 September 2008; D
avid Franklin in Jodi Kantor, “As a Professor, Obama Held Pragmatic Views on Court,” NYT, 3 May 2009, and in Jeffrey Rosen, “Race to the Top,” TNR, 6 May 2009; UCLS Course Evaluations, Voting Rights, Winter 1997; DJG interviews with Rick Pildes, John Lott, Molly Garhart, Carl Patten, and Adam Bonin.

  26. Senate Transcript, 90th General Assembly, 8 January 1997, pp. 3–4, 18; Doug Finke and Bill Bush, “Power Sharing Begins,” SJ-R, 9 January 1997, p. 1; Jean Latz Griffin, “Senate Rookies Soon Learn to Go with the Flow,” CT, 26 January 1995; Michael Madigan’s richly revealing 2009 interview with Robert V. Remini, p. 13; Paul Simon (as told to Alfred Balk), “The Illinois Legislature: A Study in Corruption,” Harper’s, September 1964, pp. 74–78; Simon, “Cleaning Up the Illinois Legislature: A Follow-Up Report,” Harper’s, September 1965, p. 125; Paul Simon, P.S.: The Autobiography of Paul Simon (Bonus Books, 1999), pp. 41, 62–69, 104–5, 232, 307; Robert E. Hartley, Paul Powell of Illinois: A Lifelong Democrat (Southern Illinois University Press, 1999), esp. pp. xi, 19, 34, 134, 140, 143, 149, 185, 193; Margaret Ramirez, “Lawrence N. Hansen, 1940–2010,” CT, 16 November 2010; Joyce Foundation, Work in Progress, January 1997; Kent D. Redfield, Cash Clout: Political Money in Illinois Legislative Elections (University of Illinois at Springfield, 1995), esp. pp. 5, 11, 150–51; Doug Finke et al., Illinois for Sale: Do Campaign Contributions Buy Influence? (University of Illinois at Springfield, 1997), esp. pp. 121, 188; Redfield and Paul J. Quick, Reforming Campaign Finance in Illinois: Issues and Prospects (University of Illinois, July 1998), pp. 2, 6–7; Redfield, Money Counts (University of Illinois, 2001), pp. vii–xi; James L. Merriner, “The Four Tops,” Illinois Issues, November 1996, pp. 16–20; Michael Caldwell, “The New Pattern of Power in Illinois: Effective Government, Deadlock, or Tyranny?,” (IGPA) Policy Forum 11 (1997): 1–6; Redfield, “What Keeps the Four Tops on Top,” in David A. Joens and Paul Kleppner et al., Almanac of Illinois Politics—1998 (University of Illinois at Springfield, 1998), pp. 1–8; Gary MacDougal, Make a Difference (St. Martin’s Press, 2000), p. 235 (“Springfield is full of people who care a lot more about making money from government one way or another than they care about good government”); Obama phone number card, 1997, Timuel Black Papers Box 129 Fld. 1 (listing Cynthia’s hours as M–Th 12:30–4:30 P.M., Fridays 9 A.M. to noon, and Saturdays 10 A.M. to 2 P.M.); David Kidwell and John Chase, “Favorable Legislation Flows to Private Clients of House Speaker Madigan,” CT, 3 June 2012; Chase, Kidwell, and Ray Long, “Madigan Consolidates Power by Holding Sway in Legislative Races,” CT, 5 June 2012; Will Caskey, “Why Are Illinois Democrats So Awful?,” CCB, 31 January 2013 (“we suck because of strong party leadership”); DJG interviews with Jim Collins, Carole Travis, Dave Joens, Mike Ragen, Boro Reljic, Jan Schakowsky, Barbara Flynn Currie, Willie Delgado, Tom Dart, Donne Trotter, Lisa Madigan, and Cynthia Miller.