Rising Star

by David J. Garrow

  89. Mendell, Obama, pp. 76–77; Jeffrey S. Siker, “President Obama, the Bible, and Political Rhetoric,” Political Theology 13 (September 2012): 586–609; Claire Martin, “Dems’ Rising Star Shines for Salazar,” DP, 17 October 2004, p. C1; Obama on American Morning, CNN, 19 October 2004; John Chase, “Obama, Keyes Concur on Little,” CT, 18 October 2004; Kevin McDermott, “Unlikely Competitors: Years as Outsider Gave Obama the Ability to Relate, Friends Say,” SLPD, 24 October 2004, p. A1; “Look Past the Race Issue,” SJR, 18 July 2004, p. 20; Benjamin Wallace-Wells, “The Great Black Hope: What’s Riding on Barack Obama?,” Washington Monthly, November 2004, pp. 30–36; Amos N. Jones, “Obama’s Oversimplified Identity,” NYAN, 5–11 August 2004, p. 13; Jones, “Black Like Obama,” Thurgood Marshall Law Review 31 (2005–2006) 79–100, esp. 80, 95; Don Terry, “The Skin Game—Do White Voters Like Barack Obama Because ‘He’s Not Really Black?,’” CT Magazine, 24 October 2004, pp. 14ff.; Joy Bennett Kinnon, “Barack Obama,” Ebony, November 2004, pp. 196ff. That fall, University of Chicago political scientist Melissa Harris-Lacewell surveyed some 567 Illinoisans, presenting Barack as multiracial to one half of them and black to the other. There was no difference in how white Illinoisans evaluated him, yet among African American respondents, “when Obama was framed as a multiracial candidate, he was assessed more positively than when he was framed as black.” Harris-Lacewell and graduate student Jane Junn rightly observed that “most black respondents understand themselves as being multiracial in some sense.” Harris-Lacewell and Junn, “Old Friends and New Alliances,” Journal of Black Studies 38 (September 2007): 30–50, esp. 41; see also David J. Anderson and Junn, “Deracializing Obama: White Voters and the 2004 Illinois U.S. Senate Race,” American Politics Research 38 (May 2010): 443–70.

  90. “Obama Still Looks Like a Winner to Us,” CST, 15 October 2004, p. 45; “Obama Shines Through Senate Circus,” JHN, 17 October 2004; “For U.S. Senate: Barack Obama,” CNG, 18 October 2004; John Patterson, “Foreign Policy Also Splits Keyes, Obama,” CDH, 18 October 2004, p. 1; Steve Edwards, “Health Care,” Eight Forty-Eight, WBEZ, 18 October 2004; “Obama Can Best Serve Illinois in U.S. Senate,” BP, 19 October 2004; Scott Fornek, “Is Obama Overconfident?,” CST, 20 October 2004, p. 22; Jay Field, “Barack Obama Profile,” Eight Forty-Eight, WBEZ, 20 October 2004; John Chase and Liam Ford, “GOP Leaves Keyes Off Its Team Ad,” CT, 21 October 2004; “An Easy Decision,” QCT, 21 October 2004; “Obama Certain to Glide to Nov. 2 Victory,” SI, 21 October 2004; Obama-Keyes debate transcript, 21 October 2004; Chase and Ford, “Senate Debate Gets Personal,” and Mendell, “Barack Obama,” CT, 22 October 2004; Fornek, “Rivals Take Gloves Off in First Televised Senate Debate,” CST, 22 October 2004, p. 12; Eric Krol, “Fire and Brimstone Keyes, Obama Hit on Spiritual Issues in Heated Debate,” CDH, 22 October 2004, p. 1; CF, 22 October 2004; Christopher Wills, “Obama’s Wife Takes Big Role in Campaign,” AP, 22 October 2004; Bernard Schoenburg, “Obama Speaks at Local Rally, Endorses Auditor Candidate,” SJR, 23 October 2004, p. 13; Rick Pearson and Chase, “Democrats Grip on State Firm,” and “Obama for U.S. Senate,” CT, 24 October 2004; “Obama for Illinois,” SLPD, 24 October 2004, p. B2; “Senate Hopeful Obama to Rally Voters,” DBNJ, 24 October 2004, p. C7; Obama on Off Topic with Carlos Watson, CNN, 24 October 2004; Marc Lacey, “Illinois Democrat Wins Kenyan Hearts,” NYT, 25 October 2004; Chase, “The Issues: Taxes/Education,” CT, 25 October 2004; Krol, “‘Politics of Hope’ Appeals to Wide Range of Supporters,” CDH, 25 October 2004, p. 1; “U.S. Senate: Barack Obama,” PJS, 25 October 2004; “Obama Is the Better Candidate to Represent Ill.,” CCB, 25 October 2004; Thomas Brown, “Ill. Senate Hopeful Rouses S.C. Voters,” Orangeburg Times & Democrat, 25 October 2004; Virginia Smith, “Religious Zeal Flows During Obama Visit,” DBNJ, 25 October 2004, p. C1; Steve Edwards, “Jobs and the Economy,” Eight Forty-Eight, WBEZ, 25 October 2004; Suzanne Bell, “Michelle Obama Speaks at ISU,” DV, 26 October 2004; “Obama for U.S. Senate,” SJR, 29 October 2004, p. 8; “Obama Will Do Us Proud in U.S. Senate,” CD, 29–31 October 2004, p. 15.

  91. John Chase, “Senate Hopefuls Far Apart on War,” CT, 26 October 2004; Obama-Keyes debate, 26 October 2004, WTTW; Obama on Hannity & Colmes, Fox News, 26 October 2004; Monica Davey, “Where to Catch a Rising Political Star?,” NYT, 27 October 2004; Chase and Courtney Flynn, “Keyes, Obama Disagree Sharply,” CT, 27 October 2004; Scott Fornek, “Final Debate Offers Spirit, Substance,” CST, 27 October 2004, p. 6; Eric Krol, “Last Shots at Each Other,” CDH, 27 October 2004, p. 1; Mike Ramsey, “Keyes, Obama Trade Jabs Over Moral Issues,” SJR, 27 October 2004, p. 13; Liam Ford and Aamer Madhani, “Keyes Commercial Has Plenty of Praise,” CT, 28 October 2004; Fornek, “Keyes’ First Ad Focuses on Positive Spin,” CST, 28 October 2004, p. 18; Kevin McDermott, “Obama Keeps Huge Lead over Keyes in Senate Race,” SLPD, 28 October 2004, p. A1; Kari Allen, “Obama Impresses Naperville Students,” CDH, 28 October 2004, p. 1; Bernard Schoenburg, “U.S. Senate: Obama, Keyes Offer Clear Choices,” SJR, 28 October 2004, p. B2; CF, 28 October 2004; Ted McClelland, “Keyes and Friends Wind Up Down at the Pokey,” CR, 29 October 2004; David Mendell and Ford, “Obama, Daley Enjoy Lunch,” CT, 30 October 2004; Rudolph Bush and Liam Ford, “Hopefuls Making Last Dash for Votes,” and Chase, “Obama’s Message Has Edge on Keyes,” CT, 31 October 2004; Krol, “Keyes, Obama Sound Off About Bin Laden Tape,” CDH, 31 October 2004, p. 17; Kristyna C. Ryan, “Illinois State Senator Barack Obama,” Chicago Bar Association Record 18 (November 2004): 46–48; Chase and Ford, “Keyes Presses Catholic Voters,” CT, 1 November 2004; Fornek, “Keyes Rips Obama,” CST, 1 November 2004, p. 3; Rick Pearson and Chase, “Unusual Match Nears Wire,” CT, 2 November 2004; Bernard Schoenburg, “A Final Scramble for Votes in Illinois,” SJR, 2 November 2004, p. 1; Kevin McDermott, “A Tale of Two Campaigns,” SLPD, 2 November 2004; Christopher Benson, “Camelot Rising,” Savoy, February 2005, pp. 60–69, 103–6; Marc Solomon, Winning Marriage (ForeEdge, 2014), pp. 271–73. David Airne and William L. Benoit’s vapid “2004 Illinois U.S. Senate Debates,” American Behavioral Scientist 49 (October 2005): 343–52, can be ignored.

  92. OFI, Obama victory remarks, 2 November 2004; John Chase and David Mendell, “Obama Sails to Senate Win,” Mendell and Chase, “Huge Victory Sets Stage for National Role,” and Mendell, “Obama to Arrive with Status,” CT, 3 November 2004; Scott Fornek, “Obama Takes Senate Seat in a Landslide,” CST, 3 November 2004, p. 6; Eric Krol, “Obama Wins Landslide,” and “The Election That Wasn’t,” CDH, 3 November 2004, pp. 1, 10; Karen E. Pride, “Barack Supporters Gather to Watch History Come Alive,” CD, 3 November 2004, p. 16; Kevin McDermott, “Democrats’ Rising Star Has Rousing Victory,” SLPD, 3 November 2004, p. A1; Cindy Wojdyla Cain, “Walsh Wins County Exec Job,” JHN, 3 November 2004; CF, 3 November 2004; Obama on Today, NBC, on Good Morning America, ABC, and on The Early Show, CBS, 3 November 2004; Obama on The Tavis Smiley Show, 3 November 2004; Sharon Cohen, “Obama’s Incredible Year,” AP, 3 November 2004; Todd Spivak, “Rising Son,” IT, 4 November 2004; Mendell, “After Reaching Heights, Obama Lowering His Sites,” CT, 4 November 2004; Fornek, “Obama for President? That’s ‘Silly,’” CST, 4 November 2004, p. 17; Krol, “Obama Silences Presidential Talk,” CDH, 4 November 2004, p. 7; Mike Ramsey, “‘I Am Not Running for President in 2008,’ Obama Says,” SJR, 4 November 2004, p. 1; Christopher Wills (AP), “Obama Wants to Start by Learning,” BP, 4 November 2004; Liam Ford, “From Keyes, No Congratulations,” CT, 5 November 2004; William Lamb, “Don’t Expect Too Much at First, Obama Tells Belleville Backers,” SLPD, 13 November 2004, p. 10; Obama on The Leonard Lopate Show, NPR, 22 November 2004; Christopher Benson, “Camelot Rising,” Savoy, February 2005, pp. 60–69, 103–6; Wills, “Obama Puts Rural Illinois Experience to Work in Effort to Win Iowa,” AP, 13 October 2007.

  CHAPTER TEN: DISAPPOINTMENT AND DESTINY

  1. “Drew” to Cassandra [Butts], “Possible Committee Assignments,” n.d., JKP; Eric Krol, “Obama Can Hit the Ground Running,” CDH, 3 Novemb
er 2004, p. 10; John Chase, “8 Vie for Obama’s Legislature Seat,” CT, 6 November 2004; Jodi S. Cohen, “Obama’s Springfield Seat Goes to Lawyer,” CT, 7 November 2004; Cheryl L. Reed, “Dems Name Obama Replacement,” CST, 7 November 2004, p. 8; Lynn Sweet, “Obama Enlists D.C. Superagent,” CST, 8 November 2004, p. 26; Karen E. Pride, “Obama’s Senate Replacement Chosen,” CD, 8 November 2004, p. 5; Senate Floor Transcript, 8 November 2004, pp. 1–2, 11–15; SR 716, 8 November 2004; “Obama Says ‘Thank You’ to Area Volunteers,” LL, November–December 2004, p. 3; David Mendell, “Obama in Bipartisan Goodbye,” and “Obama Says Goodbye to Illinois,” CT, 9 November 2004; Dave McKinney, “Springfield Lovefest,” CST, 9 November 2004, p. 60; Bernard Schoenburg, “Colleagues Congratulate Obama,” SJR, 9 November 2004, p. 9; Kevin McDermott, “Obama Discusses Writing Book,” SLPD, 9 November 2004, p. B1; CF, 9 November 2004; Cindy Adams, “Barack’s Dreams Beyond His Agents,” NYP, 10 November 2004, p. 14; Jonathan Alter, “The Audacity of Hope,” Newsweek, 27 December 2004; Sweet, “Be-Bop, Barack and Bucks from Book,” CST, 17 March 2005, p. 39; Jeff Zeleny, “New Man on the Hill,” CT, 20 March 2005; Tracey Robinson-English, “Statehouse Clout,” Ebony, April 2005, pp. 150ff.; UCLS, The Glass Menagerie, 2005–06, p. 22, 2006–07, pp. 21–22, 2007–08, pp. 22–23; Martin Schram, “Senate Duo Exception to Partisan Bickering,” Scripps Howard, 6 December 2005; Christina Larson, “Hoosier Daddy,” Washington Monthly, September 2006, pp. 9ff.; Peter Osnos, “Barack Obama and the Book Business,” The Century Foundation, 30 October 2006; Mike Dorning and Christi Parsons, “Inside Obama’s Inner Circle,” CT, 14 January 2007; Kwame Raoul, “‘Stay Out of Jail,’” HPH, 14 February 2007, p. 18; Christopher Wills, “Clues to How Obama Would Play His Hand as President Can Be Found in Poker Style,” AP, 24 September 2007; Dan Morain, “Obama’s Lawyer Days Were Effective but Brief,” LAT, 6 April 2008 (Obama totaled 3,723 billable hours at Miner Barnhill, mostly prior to 1997); Bernard Schoenburg, “Former Obama Assistant Remembers Him as Friendly Boss,” SJR, 8 November 2008; Jim Merriner, “Barack Obama and the Parallel to Jimmy Carter,” CDO, 24 March 2009; Edward McClelland, “The Ones Obama Left Behind,” NBCChicago.com, 23 March 2011; Monique Garcia, “Hyde Park–Kenwood Area Fosters Another Set of Democratic Leaders with Clout,” CT, 13 April 2011; James Warren, “Nobel Laureates Here, Grinding Poverty There,” NYT, 12 August 2011; DJG interviews with Toni Preckwinkle, Leslie Hairston, Emil Jones Jr., Will Burns, John Eason, Cynthia Miller, Dan Shomon, Mike Lieteau, Eden Martin, Andy Davis, Terry Link, Tommy Walsh, Cassandra Butts, and Nathan Diament. On Obama’s state legislative record, see John Patterson, “Obama’s State Record No Mystery,” CDH, 19 February 2007, p. 1, Randolph Burnside and Kami Whitehurst, “From the Statehouse to the White House?,” Journal of Black Studies 38 (September 2007): 75–89, and Boris Shor, “How Liberal Was Obama as a State Senator in Illinois?,” RedBlueRichPoor.com, 6 October 2008. Charles Peters, “Judge Him by His Laws,” WP, 4 January 2008, cogently argued that “the media have not devoted enough attention to Obama’s bills and the effort required to pass them,” indicative of a presumption “that state legislatures are not to be taken seriously.” On the contrary, Obama’s record “is revealing enough to merit far more attention than it has received.”

  2. Obama on This Week, ABC, 7 November 2004, and on Meet the Press, NBC, 7 November 2004; Rudolph Bush and David Mendell, “Obama Makes Case for ‘Common Ground,’” CT, 8 November 2004; “Obama to Host Meeting at Peoria Library,” PJS, 9 November 2004; Ed Tibbetts, “Obama Fires-Up Q-C Crowd,” QCT, 11 November 2004; Tibbetts, “Obama Gets Immediate Star Status,” QCT, 12 November 2004; William Lamb, “Don’t Expect Too Much at First, Obama Tells Belleville Backers,” SLPD, 13 November 2004, p. 10; “Obama Must Keep Balance While Working for Illinois,” BP, 13 November 2004, p. A6; “LaHood: It’s a Good Time for Illinoisans,” PJS, 14 November 2004; Bush and Mendell, “Obama Off to Washington,” CT, 14 November 2004; Amanda Ripley et al., “Obama’s Ascent,” Time, 15 November 2004, pp. 74–81; “A Star Is Born,” U.S. News, 15 November 2004, p. 53; Sarah Frank and Bush, “New Lawmakers Learn the Ropes in Washington,” CT, 15 November 2004; Nicole Ziegler Dizon (AP), “Obama Works to Balance Fame, Illinois Interests,” BP, 15 November 2004, p. B1; Dori Meinert, “Obama Gets Oriented in the Senate,” SJR, 16 November 2004, p. 26; Minutes, GARS Board of Trustees, 17 November 2004, #226, pp. 1876–81; Deirdre Shesgreen, “Obama Arrives, and Fitzgerald Says Goodbye,” SLPD, 19 November 2004, p. A1; Rudolph Bush, “Fitzgerald Stood Up,” CT, 19 December 2004; Bernard Schoenburg, “Durbin, LaHood Say Some Good Things About Obama,” SJR, 17 December 2006, p. 39; Tim Dickinson, “Obama’s Brain Trust,” Rolling Stone 1056/57, 10 July 2008; Pete Rouse’s 2008 interview with Jim Gilmore; Ceci Connolly, “Daschle’s Woes Test an Insider’s Insider,” WP, 3 February 2009; Richard Wolffe, Renegade (Crown, 2009), p. 39; John Heilemann and Mark Halperin, Game Change (HarperCollins, 2010), p. 26; Cassandra Butts’s 2012 interview with Gilmore; Ray LaHood, Seeking Bipartisanship (Cambria Press, 2015), pp. 203–4; DJG interviews with Cassandra Butts, Peter Fitzgerald, Paul Williams, Ray Harris, and Rob Fisher.

  3. Edward Felker, “Obama: Pledges to Avoid Spotlight,” KDJ, 17 November 2004; Obama on The Leonard Lopate Show, NPR, 22 November 2004; Rudolph Bush, “Obama Greets New York on 2-Day Publicity Blitz,” CT, 23 November 2004; Obama on The Early Show, CBS, 23 November 2004, on Charlie Rose, PBS, 23 November 2004, and on C-Span Book TV at Barnes & Noble, 23 November 2004; “Obama on ‘Letterman,’” CT, 26 November 2004; Robyn Tysver, “Democratic Star Dines with Buffetts,” OWH, 30 November 2004, p. B2; Rick Perlstein, “Conviction Politics,” American Prospect, December 2004, p. 26; Obama on The Friday Night Show, WTTW, 3 December 2004; William Neikirk, “Obama Shows Media He’s a Stand-Up Guy,” CT, 6 December 2004; Lynn Sweet, “Obama Takes Secretive Flight to Visit Buffett,” CST, 6 December 2004, p. 12; Stuart Rothenberg, “A Reality Check as Obama-Mania Hits the Media,” RC, 6 December 2004; Maura Kelly Lannan, “Obama Gets Committee Assignments,” AP, 6 December 2004; Rudolph Bush, “Obama Named to Key Panels,” CT, 7 December 2004; Finlay Lewis, “Obama Jokes About Being a Celebrity,” SJR, 7 December 2004, p. 11; Mary Vorsino, “Obama Pushes Message of Diversity,” HSB, 17 December 2004; Gordon Y. K. Pang, “Democrats Call Obama Hawaii’s ‘Third Senator,’” HA, 17 December 2004; Jaymes Song, “Obama Gets Celebrity Reception as Hawaii’s ‘Third Senator,’” AP, 17 December 2004; Press Release, “Barack Obama . . . Signs Book Contract with Crown Publishers,” 17 December 2004; Rudolph Bush, “Obama’s $1.9 Million, 3-Book Deal Includes 1 Children’s Book,” CT, 18 December 2004; Sara Nelson, “Obama Inks 2-Book Deal,” NYP, 18 December 2004, p. 22; “Obama Urges Kids to ‘Dream Big,’” HSB, 18 December 2004; “Obama Gets $1.9 Million Deal for Books,” NYT, 20 December 2004; Greg Hinz, “Barack on a Roll,” CCB, 20 December 2004; Maura Webber Sadovi, “An Offbeat Christmas Stirs Up Harmony,” CST, 22 December 2004, p. F1; American Morning, CNN, 24 December 2004; Jonathan Alter, “The Audacity of Hope,” Newsweek, 27 December 2004, pp. 74ff.; Amanda Griscom Little, “Barack Obama,” Rolling Stone 964/965, 30 December 2004, p. 88; “Best Rookie,” Vanity Fair, January 2005, pp. 86–87; Laurel Bowers Husain and Laurie Uemoto Chang, “Obama Encourages Students to ‘Dream Big,’” Punahou Bulletin, Spring 2005, pp. 14–17; Godfrey Sperling, “Why Not an Obama-Romney Match Up in 2008?,” CSM, 5 July 2005; Sweet, “When Obama and Romney First Met,” CST, 30 September 2012; DJG interview with Rob Fisher.