Burnt Orange Report

Obama Blog

By Byron LaMasters

Check out the Blog of my favorite 2004 U.S. Senate candidate, Barack Obama (D-IL) here.

I made a small donation to the campaign last month and you can donate to his campaign here.

Obama is the Democratic nominee for the open U.S. Senate Seat in Illinois. If elected, he will become only the third African-American Senator since reconstruction. It's by far our best pick-up opportunity, and Obama is an absolutely amazing candidate (check out his website for more info).

Speaking of Obama, he's the victim of a political stalking. His opponent, Republican Jack Ryan has hired a personal stalker to follow Obama everywhere he goes. The Chicago Sun Times reports:

For the past 10 days, U.S. Senate candidate Barack Obama hasn't been able to go to the bathroom or talk to his wife on his cell phone without having a camera-toting political gofer from his Republican rival filming a few feet away.

In what has to be a first in Illinois politics, Republican Jack Ryan has assigned one of his campaign workers to record every movement and every word of the state senator while he is in public.

That means Justin Warfel, armed with a handheld Panasonic digital camcorder, follows Obama to the bathroom door and waits outside. It means Warfel follows Obama as he moves from meeting to meeting in the Capitol. And it means Warfel tails Obama when he drives to his campaign office.

"It's standard procedure to record public speeches and things like that," Obama told reporters as the bald, 20-something operative filmed away. "But to have someone who's literally following you a foot and a half away, everywhere you go, going into the restrooms, standing outside my office, sitting outside of my office asking my secretary where I am, seems to be getting a little carried away."

Warfel interrupted Obama several times with heckling questions, but wouldn't respond when reporters asked him about who he was and why he was filming Obama's every move.

"You'll have to speak to the campaign office," Warfel said tartly to practically every inquiry.

Good God. Political stalking is nothing new, but following someone everywhere they go? Jesus. I think it basically says something about the Jack Ryan (GOP nominee) campaign. The guy thinks he has no chance unless he is able to catch Obama making a gaffe. Stupid Republicans....

Sun Times link via Political Wire and the Obama Blog.