Critics: Obama endorsements counter calls for clean government

By David Jackson and John McCormick

June 12, 2007

There was little controversy earlier this year when Sen. Barack Obama endorsed Mayor Richard Daley over two black opponents for a sixth term, lending his star power to an inevitable rout.

But Obama's record of local endorsements -- one measure of how he has used his nascent political clout -- has drawn criticism from those who say it reflects his deference to Chicago's established political order and runs counter to his public calls for clean government.

In the 2006 Democratic primary, for example, Obama endorsed first-time candidate Alexi Giannoulias for state treasurer despite reports about loans Giannoulias' family-owned Broadway Bank made to crime figures. Records show Giannoulias and his family had given more than $10,000 to Obama's campaign, which banked at Broadway.

Obama endorsed former Ald. Dorothy Tillman (3rd), calling her "a very early supporter of my campaign." Tillman was then under fire for her stewardship of the scandal-plagued Harold Washington Cultural Center, where contracts benefited members of her family.

Obama rejected the notion that such endorsements conflict with his promotion of ethics reform in government.

"I have been very proud of my track record as a state legislator and as a U.S. senator in terms of maintaining highly ethical behavior throughout my public life," he said in a recent interview. "Dorothy Tillman and Alexi Giannoulias were strong supporters of mine. There were no allegations that they had done anything illegal. And it was not a conflict for me to show my support for them."

Obama supported the re-election of Gov. Rod Blagojevich, whose administration is embroiled in corruption probes.

And during the race for Cook County Board president, Obama predictably endorsed Todd Stroger over a Republican. But he was criticized for calling Stroger "a good progressive" despite allegations of job-rigging to favor members of Stroger's 8th Ward organization.

Such moves detract from Obama's political independence, according to observers such as James Shapiro, state chairman for the Independent Voters of Illinois-Independent Precinct Organization.

"I don't think these are principled endorsements, but rather are of political expedience," he said. "It may be understandable, but it's not justifiable."

Even so, many presidential voters may not care.

"Barack Obama is a political animal. That means supporting the people you went to the dance with," said Loyola University political science professor Alan Gitelson. "The bottom line is, I don't think it will have any impact one way or the other."