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Obama Commentary




Obamarama . . .

January 17, 2007
The latest gab from the hustings: Sen. Barack Obama's decision to announce his likely presidential candidacy in Springfield Feb. 10 was based on capitalizing on Abe Lincoln's legacy as another young Illinois legislator who ran for -- and won -- the highest office in the land.

Shall we dub this bid Abramarama?

By the way, word is Obama will base his national campaign in Chicago.

Scoopsville . . .
The battle to nullify former Gov. George Ryan's guilty verdict went into second gear Tuesday, when the feds filed a brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals arguing the federal court properly dismissed two jurors -- who were replaced with alternates -- during the trial.

That, folks, will be the crux of Ryan's case against the government when his lawyers issue their response. Stay tuned.

Vaughn vamp . . .
Local boy Vince Vaughn may have more going for him than the average Grabowski, but that didn't stop the Hollywood star from celebrating Sunday's Bears win like a regular fan.

•    To wit: Sneed hears Vaughn, who watched the game from Bears star Brian Urlacher's Soldier Field suite, washed down the big win with dinner at Cafe Bionda.

•    The stats: The actor and his buddies, who were decked out in Bears garb, chomped on Italian meatballs, veal and sausage while making merry with the South Loop eatery's packed crowd.

•    The kicker: Sneed hears the posse also grabbed post-game drinks at Fearon's Public House, which filled to the brim minutes after word spread he was there. (Vaughn is in town filming the holiday-themed flick "Fred Claus" with co-stars Paul Giamatti and Ludacris.)

Finah than Ina?
Breakfast baroness Ina Pinkney has a novel way of getting her name out during her run for mayor as a write-in candidate.

•    To wit: The proprietress of Ina's eatery, anti-transfat campaigner and one tough cookie herself, is passing out fortune cookies inserted with missives at her yum yum place at 1235 W. Randolph on how to correctly spell her name.

"Well, Sneed, you've misspelled my name several times, so I thought I'd insert notes in my fortune cookies stating: 'Your lucky letters are INA PINKNEY.'

"Some people have tarot card readers and others astrologers. I have fortune cookies, which have fascinated me since I was a child.

"The last 10 I received led to my write-in mayoral campaign. One read: 'Taking a chance at something new in the near future will pay off.' "

Hmmm.

Bill swill . . .
Tome time: Former President Bill Clinton is at work on a new book . . . and it's scheduled to hit stores before the 2008 presidential election.

•    The timing factor: Sneedless to say, Clinton must be hoping his stories about AIDS prevention and international economic development will inspire voters to pull the lever for his wife, likely Dem presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Bears blather . . .
Dateline: The Forecast Line -- Pigskin prognosticator extraordinaire Sister Jean Kenny has vested Sneed with an early edition of her pick for Sunday's Bears game.

•    Quoth Kenny: "Blustery Bears sideline Saints (even on a Sunday) 27-24."

There ya go.

Sneedlings . . .
Today's birthdays: Muhammad Ali, 65; Robert F. Kennedy Jr., 53; Eartha Kitt, 80; Steve Harvey, 50; Betty White, 85; Kid Rock, 36; Jim Carrey, 45; Maury Povich, 68; James Earl Jones, 76; Zooey Deschanel, 27, and Chuck Goudie, 51.