The President of the United States came to Chicago for a fundraiser for Alexi Giannoulias. Please note that I was in the upper peninsular of Michigan, although I did receive an invitation, and I did not send a contribution, not even of $25.

For many reasons Obama was obligated to do this. I was not. It is three months before the election and only a million was raised. I doubt if you’ll see Obama do another fundraiser for Giannoulias. The Democrats I am supporting are running for …

Months ago it was leaked that Leon Panetta was called out of a White House Meeting so he could personally authorize using a drone missile to eliminate a high ranking Al Quaeda operative. He signed off, even though it also meant killing the wife of the target. And this was reported as if it were the end of the day Dow Jones averages.

After that reportage we were told about the Russian spies in New York and New Jersey, something I still haven’t been able to figure out. …

I have decided not to file petitions for the US Senate in New York, although it has been a great experience running the past four months. Upon the advice of Ted Sorensen, John Godfrey Morris, Jay Jacobs (State Chair of the Democratic Party), Stuart Brody, friend of more than 30 years who lives and practices law in New York and Senate President Pro Tem Malcolm Smith, I have decided to use my energies elsewhere.

Furthermore, the incumbent, Sen. Charles Schumer has turned into a ‘new best friend’ as have …

This might sound stupid or silly, but I was shown a photo yesterday of a candid shot of President Obama with a former Illinois legislator and her sister recently taken in the Oval office. It was clear that it was spontaneous and unrehearsed. It was filled with warmth, charm, and other very positive qualities and demonstrated the effect he has in person.

I really believes he knows what he’s doing, even when others, including myself don’t.
As much as substance really counts all human beings try to make the best …

They’re going to test the new cap on BP’s renegade well today, and not being an expert, I’m only guessing that some welding was involved, a new meaning for Tuesday welds. Not just as an American, and as a consumer, but as an environmentalist and capitalist I sincerely hope that everything holds. When the hurricane season is over they should reexamine the situation to make sure that it is a semi-permanent solution. I say semi-permanent, because like roofs on an ordinary house, they have to be continuously …

President Obama has not fallen into Congressman Boehner’s trap. Its two days since the President and his wife celebrated our Fourth of July on the White House Lawn, especially honoring Americans and their familes are have fought in Afghanistan and Iraq, and veterans from previous conflicts. The Hurricanse season is well upon us, and that of course makes remediation of ther BP oil spill much more difficult.

Boehner wants the President to assume the responsibility for this disaster; rather, the President is wisely assuming the responsibilty of dealing …

I had the privilege of knowing Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia, though he did not come to the Senate until two years after I served as a Page. But in the late 1960′s and early 1970′s I had many communications with him relating especially to Illinois. He had a great friend, Bill Perkins, one of the most effective, intelligent and honest lobbyists who divided much of his time between Washington and a few state capitols, Illinois being first and foremost.

From sometime in the 1980s until June or …

A movie many years ago was titled, “If Its Tuesday, It Must Be Belgium.” Not necessarily.
Its Tuesday and its Damascus, and Saturday to Monday was Beirut. If Barack Obama were running for President here he’d be a shoo in. Its not that the Muslim or Christian populations think he’s not strongly in support of Israel, but they do believe he wants to be evenhanded, just and fair.
I base my evaluation on the traditional experts: several bartenders, one barber and half a dozen taxi drivers.
Last night my …

Tuesday night the President will meet at the White House with BP Executives. I believe he will express righteous (not self righteous) indignation; a serene, but still recognizable anger, and more importantly the need to find a solution or combination of solutions as quickly as possible including the need for an escrow fund with monthly additions, but not so much that it would fordce the company into bankruptcy.

I am not in any way an expert on energy, drilling or any technical, scientific or engineering issues. Heck, …

Forgive me folks, but I’ve had a bad two weeks with my computer. In 2000 I signed on to Earthlink and when high speed cable became available via my local monopoly Comcast I signed on to it; so now I get Earthlink via Comcast, and outside of Chicago I use a Sprint stick instead of Earthlink dialup. Being a total idiot with computers (don’t ask me what a URL is, or the difference between a browser or a server), I just pay everyone, but when things don’t work …