Obama campaign responds to "Willie Horton" ad:

[Coexist]

You should try to memorize at least the bolded part. It may come up - and you should be prepared:

http://factcheck.barackobama.com/factcheck/2008/04/21/fact_check_on_willie_hortonsty.php

SCRIPT: "But that same year, a Chicago state senator named Barack Obama voted against expanding the death penalty for gang-related murders."

THE REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR OF ILLINOIS VETOED THE BILL, REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE ADMITTED THE BILL WAS "FOR THE FOLKS BACK HOME AT ELECTION TIME"

Republican Governor Vetoed The Bill "In Light Of Existing Laws, Constitutional Concerns And Out Past History Of Erroneously Sentencing Individuals To Death." In August 2001, Gov. George Ryan vetoed the death penalty for gang members bill, saying the legislature should be questioning rather than expanding the use of the death penalty in the state. Ryan said in his veto message, "I believe its efforts are misdirected in light of existing laws, constitutional concerns and our past history of erroneously sentencing individuals to death."

Davis: Gangs Bill "Was For The Folks Back Home At Election Time." Representative Jack Davis said that the bill was as much about image as substance. Illinois Issues reported, "Of course, there are political considerations. It's no secret that by voting for aggravating factors, lawmakers help build their tough-on-crime images. Even the legislator who sponsored the first additional aggravating factor admits as much. 'A lot of that was press and showmanship,' Davis says about all of the factors that have been added. 'It was for the folks back home at election time.'"

<snip>
SCRIPT: When the time came to get tough, Obama chose to be weak. So the question is, can a man so weak in the war on gangs be trusted in the war on terror? The National Campaign Fund is responsible for the content of this ad.

OBAMA SAID ON THE FLOOR THAT HE FELT THAT THE CRIME ALREADY FELL UNDER DEATH PENALTY PROVISIONS, SAID THAT THE CRIMINAL COULD "BE DEALT WITH IN THE APPROPRIATE FASHION;" OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT OPPOSED THE BILL AGREED

Obama Said That In The Specific Crime For Which The Bill Was Written, The Death Penalty Would Already Have Applied. Obama said, "Obviously, the situation in Representative Mendoza's district was extraordinarily tragic...So because I think that the current situation of the fifteen-year-old that you discussed could have been covered under this provision that you read...And for those who support the death penalty, anytime that somebody...carried out these heinous crimes, I think they can, in fact, be dealt with in the appropriate fashion."

Obama Voted For Tougher Penalties For Gang Activity. Obama voted to include in the definition of "course or pattern of criminal activity," acts of criminal defacement of property if the defacement includes a sign or other symbol intended to identify the streetgang. <93rd GA, HB 2529, 5/13/03, 3R P; 58-0-0; P.A. 93-0337, 7/24/03>

Obama Voted To Prohibit Released Gang Members From Associating With Old Gang. Obama voted to provide that if the State presents evidence, and the court substantiated that the offense committed by the defendant was related to or in furtherance of the criminal activities of an organized gang or was motivated by the defendant's membership in or allegiance to an organized gang, the court shall prohibit the defendant from associating with other members of the organized gang as a condition of bail or release. <93rd GA, HB 506, 5/7/03, 3R P; 57-0-0; P.A. 93-0254, 7/22/03>

Obama Voted To Make Recruiting For A Gang At School A Crime. Obama voted to create the offense of criminal street gang recruitment on school grounds (including a school yard, school playing field, and school playground), which a person commits when on school grounds or public property adjacent to school grounds, he/she threatens the use of physical force to coerce, solicit, recruit, or induce another person to join or remain a member of a criminal street gang, or conspires to do so. The penalty for the offense (House Amendment No. 1) is a Class 1 felony. <93rd GA, HB 4788, 5/13/04, 3R P; 57-0-0; PA 93-0938, 8/13/04>

Obama Voted To Permit The Required Removal Of A Minor's Tattoo Symbolizing Allegiance To A Street Gang As A Condition For Probation. Obama voted to amend the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 to permit the court, as a condition of probation, to require that the minor undergo a medical or other procedure to have a tattoo symbolizing allegiance to a street gang removed from his or her body. The amendment provides that the court as a condition of an order of continuance under supervision or as a condition of another sentence, must require that the minor undergo a medical or other procedure to have a tattoo symbolizing allegiance to a street gang removed from his or her body. <91 GA SB 0400 3R P 58-0-0, 3/18/99; PA 91-0098, 7/9/99>

Obama Voted To Criminalize Willful Gang Activity By A Peace Or Corrections Officer. Obama voted to amend the Criminal Code of 1961 to make it unlawful for a peace officer or correctional officer to knowingly commit an act in furtherance of gang--related activities, except when acting in furtherance of an undercover law enforcement investigation. Penalty is a Class 3 felony. <90 GA HB 2287 3R P 56-0-0, 5/9/97; PA 90-0131, 7/22/97>

[Pavlovs DiOgie]

1. K&R!

[Frustratedlady]

2. That must be a full-time job just to maintain that fact page.

What a sad state of affairs our political process has become.

[Window]

3. K/R.

:kick:

[LTR]

4. #10 - off to the greatest page with you (nt)

[JimGinPA]

5. One Of The Most Impressive Components Of Obama's Campaign...

Their quick response to the false claims leveled at him.

K&R

[kentuck]

6. kick

valuable info

[glowing]

7. This is the reason that in the past Senators have not done well in the

bid for President.. ALL of their votes can look suspect. There could be a number of reasons why they voted the way they did.. It may have even been because of an amendment.. or ear mark thrown in at the end of the bill... If you don't think McCain and Clinton don't have just as much of a dubious record while voting in the Senate, think again..

[Neshanic]

8. What? A Willie Horton ad from the republicans? Who knew?

I saw that this morning. Not pretty.