Not Helping Obama

IL House Speaker Michael Madigan says he to move the IL primary date up by about one month. He cites the usual "I want Illinois to count in the primary," reasoning. Additionally, he claims he wants to help a potential Barak Obama run for the presidency.

I have no basis to question Madigan's scencarity to help Obama. But I don't think this plan in actuality helps Obama. Yes, Obama winning a big early primary would give him a huge momentum boost. That would give Obama access to more cash and increase press coverage. But will the boost be real or artificial? The early primaries that determine a party's nominee so early leaves open one big question: Will the rest of the country support the the cadidate? It also gives the opposition more time to focus on digging up dirt on a candidate for the inevitable smear campaign. (I can hardly wait for the commercial the will morph an unflattering picture of Obama into a coke snorting thug.)

Right now, at this moment, I want to see Obama run for president. I hope and believe that Obama is ushering in a new era of politics. One that will be based on finding practical solutions to our country's problems and a reduction in ideological partisanship. Yes, I know that is probably being naive but I will remain hopeful until proven otherwise. Yes, right now, I want Obama to run and yes I want him to win. But, I want him to win "legitimately." I want him to win because I want every U.S. citizen to get behind him and his ideas. We won't know that if Obama (or anyone else in any party) is handed the candidacy because a favorable primary schedule gives him the momentum win.