Former President Barack Obama won his first election by throwing all of his opponents off the ballot based on technicalities. In his first race for office – seeking an Illinois state Senate seat in 1996 – Obama used the election rules to eliminate his Democratic competition.
Obama employed Chicago’s rules to invalidate voting petition signatures. He ultimately disqualified all four Democratic primary rivals and three minor candidates, Wall Street Journal reported.
The action denied each of them a place on the ballot. His move cleared the way for Obama to run unopposed on the Democratic ticket in a heavily Democrat district.
Yes, President Donald Trump’s mild-mannered, lionized predecessor played hardball. The darling of the modern Democratic Party first entered public office not by leveling the playing field, but by clearing his path to victory.
The Obama campaign reportedly called CNN’s 2008 coverage “a hit job,” insisting that the publication talks to a “state representative who supports Obama.” According to an Obama spokesman at the time, this individual would be objective. Read more…
