If you do a little more digging, you will find that the leader of the house or senate in Illinois put Obama’s name on all the bills that were in the legislature at the time. Many of the congressmen were really put out about this, because they had worked hard on the bill, only to have it handed to Obama, as he was the favorite son in the legislature. Maybe someone who knows more about this can shed some light on it, but as usual, he did nothing, but was there to take all the credit.
As far as I can tell, his only accomplishments were that he put a job center in the ghetto in Chicago, which is a pretty easy, non-controversial accomplishment, and he had some asbestos removed from some public housing.
Emil Jones Jr. helped Obama master the intricacies of the Legislature. When Democrats took control of the state Senate, Jones, though he risked offending colleagues who had toiled futilely on key issues under Republican rule, tapped Obama to take the lead on high-profile legislative initiatives that he now boasts about in his presidential campaign.
Jones appointed Obama sponsor of virtually every high-profile piece of legislation, angering many rank-and-file state legislators who had more seniority than Obama and had spent years championing the bills.
During his seventh and final year in the state Senate, Obama's stats soared. He sponsored a whopping 26 bills passed into law -- including many he now cites in his presidential campaign when attacked as inexperienced.
It was a stunning achievement that started him on the path of national politics -- and he couldn't have done it without Jones. Before Obama ran for U.S. Senate in 2004, he was virtually unknown even in his own state. Polls showed fewer than 20 percent of Illinois voters had ever heard of Barack Obama.
And when Obama wanted a promotion to the U.S. Senate, Jones provided critical support that gave the little-known legislator legitimacy, keeping him from being instantly trampled by the front-runners.
"He's been indispensable to Barack's career. He wants to see a black president before he gets called home," said fellow state Sen. Rickey Hendon, a Democrat.
So how has Obama repaid Jones? Last June (2007), to prove his commitment to government transparency, Obama released a comprehensive list of his earmark requests for fiscal year 2008. It comprised more than $300 million in pet projects for Illinois, including tens of millions for Jones's Senate district.
Shortly after Jones became Senate president, I remember asking his view on pork-barrel spending. I'll never forget what he said: "Some call it pork; I call it steak."
More details at
Obama, State Senator
A big question: If Obama did so well in the Illinois Senate, how come Obama's Illinois State Senate records and schedule are nowhere to be found?