Obama's Record Really is Weak

Second only to his tendency to favor socialist policy, the habit of talking pretty and saying nothing is one that must change for Saint Obama if anyone is to take him seriously. It is the one thing that has glared brightly about since I first heard of him. He seemed like a guy who could get his point across very well, if he ever got around to telling you what that point was.

You don't REALLY know where the guy stands without really paying attention. Today the situation seems to be the same. Over on the OpinionJournal (via RealClearPolitics) Nathan Gonzales goes back to the Senator's record as a legislator in Illinois and details exactly that point.

There are other examples, but the essence is here:

In 1999, Obama voted "present" on SB 759, a bill that required mandatory adult prosecution for firing a gun on or near school grounds. The bill passed the state Senate 52-1. Also in 1999, Obama voted "present" on HB 854 that protected the privacy of sex-abuse victims by allowing petitions to have the trial records sealed. He was the only member to not support the bill...


...Because it takes affirmative votes to pass legislation in the Illinois Senate, a "present" vote is tantamount to a "no" vote. A "present" vote is generally used to provide political cover for legislators who don't want to be on the record against a bill that they oppose. Of course, Obama isn't the first or only Illinois state senator to vote "present," but he is the only one running for President of the United States.

And the details are Here