2009 Nobel Peace Prize winner

President Barack Obama speaks at a press conference in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, D.C., after winning the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize."I will accept this award as a call to action, a call to all nations to confront the common challenges of the 21st Century,'' Obama said in a Rose Garden appearance today. "This award must be shared with everyone who strives for justice and dignity.''

First TV ad of campaign season: Hynes blasts Quinn on tax hike

Comptroller Dan Hynes fired the first major shot of the 2010 political TV ad wars tonight, assailing Gov. Pat Quinn’s tax-increase plans and telling voters he warned discredited ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich about overspending.The 30-second ad, which started airing in the Chicago and Springfield TV markets, reheats an increasingly contentious battle for the Feb. 2 Democratic primary nomination for governor between Quinn, who was elevated from lieutenant governor with Blagojevich’s ouster in January, and Hynes, the three-term state comptroller.“As state comptroller, I warned Gov. Blagojevich about overspending but he wouldn’t listen. That governor is gone, but our problems aren’t. And Pat Quinn thinks the answer is to pass a 50 percent tax increase on every Illinois family,” Hynes says in the ad, which aired in Chicago on "Wheel of Fortune" tonight.
“I’m running for governor because I have a better plan. We can balance the budget by cutting waste line by line and only raising income taxes on people making more than $200,000. We can fix this mess and protect the middle class,” Hynes says.
Hynes’ campaign aides would not give details on the size of the TV ad buy but said they plan to have a substantial broadcast presence through the primary campaign.
Hynes has the money for a sustained TV campaign having reported more than $3.5 million in his campaign fund at the start of July. Quinn reported having more than $700,000 in the bank in July but has stepped up his fundraising efforts.
In a response issued tonight, Quinn maintained he has long advocated tax fairness.

Full Article.....http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2009/10/first-tv-ad-of-campaign-season-hynes-blasts-quinn-on-tax-hike.html

2009 Golf Outing

Congratulations to (L to R) Mike Porter, Roger Wycoff, Mark Stuckey, and John Feld winners of this years Effingham County Democrats Golf Outing.
Thank you very much to all who braved the cool and windy conditions to participate in our annual golf outing. It is a great opportunity to play golf and raise money for our local party. We had 42 players who eagerly golfed (some not as good as others) .
Special thanks also to all of our course sponsors, hole sponsors, and cart sponsors. Everyone was very generous with their donations to the outing.
There were so many people that contributed their time and money to our event, thank you everyone.