Republican featured in Obama ad under fire, defends himself by arguing ad helps Illinois repukes

[draft_mario_cuomo]

For the record, the Republican in the Democratic hopeful's ad is a McCain supporter.

==By Monique Garcia
Tribune staff reporter
Published June 27, 2007

SPRINGFIELD -- Senate Republican Leader Frank Watson said Tuesday that Sen. Kirk Dillard should explain to fellow Republicans in the legislature why he appeared in an Iowa TV ad touting Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama.

Watson said he was disappointed that Dillard, the former chair of the DuPage County GOP organization, agreed to the ad for Obama, who once represented a Chicago district in the state Senate. He called on Dillard, a Senate Republican whip from Hinsdale, to "address why he did this and the ramifications of it" in a meeting with the Senate GOP lawmakers Wednesday.==

==Dillard contended the ad, in which he speaks of the bipartisan cooperation exhibited by Obama in the Illinois Senate, is "not that big of a deal," and actually helps Republicans.

"The bigger message being sent is that we know how to cooperate, and the current crop of Democrats needs to have an infusion of Republican input because it's just gridlock and economic chaos coming out of Springfield," said Dillard, a supporter of GOP presidential contender John McCain of Arizona.==

Read the rest at http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-dillard27jun27,1,1355610.story?coll=chi-news-hed

[DaveJ]

1. Republican Du Page County need all the Support it Can Get

A total mess despite plenty of private investment. No bus routes. No neighborhood sidewalks. It's like traveling through a wasteland, with the exception of a some estates in Naperville. Even there, the people all seem miserable. It's like a little 3rd world here in Chicagoland. So yeah they should reach out.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

3. Should a Democratic candidate be helping promote the Republican party, though?

I doubt that was the intent of the ad. I do think, though, that Team Obama didn't bother to think of what the ramifications of the ad would be aside from the effect it would have on them. The repuke has a point. It does help Illinois Republicans. Perhaps Holy Joe, one of Obama's mentors, taught him more than previously thought. ;)

[polichick]

4. Overdeveloped for sure!

I used to live there, and was shocked to go back and find the place had been paved over and endless strip malls built ~ sad.

[DaveJ]

5. The real republicans are a subset of the democratic party

...just my POV here... The Republican ideals of capitalism and financial responsibility are long lost (as opposed to the scum hiring robber barons of today). In theory they have some legitimacy... those ideals represent a tiny subset of democratic ideals which demand much more work and attentiveness. So yes I think that a good democrat can support core republican ideals along with other party's ideals without compromising.

[StudentsMustUniteNow]

2. It's rather unsettling. The two front-runners are playing to Manchuria

And the Pied Pipers lead us to victory...

[madrchsod]

6. if one understood the politics of illinois

such statements would come as no surprise. i`m not sure why watson`s pissed off, the democrats just handed him the cat bird seat in the state budget fight in illinois.