Prime Time for Obama At Dem Convention

July 14, 2004

Prime time for Obama at Dem convention

Candidate is keynote speaker at confab


By Greg Hinz



As Illinois Republicans scurried to lure Mike Ditka into the race for U.S. Senate, Democrats on Wednesday moved to put their nominee into the national spotlight.
Campaign leaders of likely Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry announced that Chicago attorney and Illinois state Sen. Barak Obama will deliver the keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention, on July 27 in Boston. Mr. Obama will follow in the footsteps of former keynoters ex-Texas Gov. Anne Richards and former Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton.


“He will be the featured speaker that night,” says Avis LaVelle, who heads the Kerry/Edwards campaign in Illinois. “It’s a major speech, and it will be in prime time.”
Mr. Obama will speak for about 20 minutes sometime after Ronald Reagan Jr. and Theresa Heinz Kerry—Mr. Kerry's wife—are scheduled to speak. His address at 9:45 CDT p.m. is not now scheduled to be aired by the four national networks, which are not covering the convention that night. But Kerry officials say they hope that will change.

Mr. Obama termed the invitation "a enormous honor and an enormous responsibility." He promised to be "sharp and to the point," unlike Mr. Clinton whose 1988 speech rattled on for well over an hour.

The candidate said he would focus on the tales of economic struggle he's heard from families around Illinois. "If I am true to their spirit and hopes for change, then it will be an effective address," he said.

Decision by Ditka?

Meanwhile, Mr. Ditka, the well-known ex-coach of the Chicago Bears, continued to meet with friends and some Illinois GOP leaders about whether he should replace Jack Ryan on the GOP ticket.

At least one top Republican—Illinois House GOP Leader Tom Cross—has decided to throw his support behind Mr. Ditka. Aides say Mr. Cross would make a formal endorsement at a fund-raiser scheduled for this evening at Navy Pier.

Mr. Cross is a close associate of U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Batavia, who by some standards is the most powerful Republican in the state at the moment.

There is no firm indication when Mr. Ditka will make up his mind—and little sign that the party has any other big name in reserve if he declines to run.

Cook County Commissioner Elizabeth Gorman, who represents the county's 17th District, says local GOP leaders have asked her in the last week to consider running, although the Illinois Republican Party hasn't made any official overtures.

Ms. Gorman, a Republican from Orland Park, was elected to the Cook County Board—her first public office—in 2002. Previously, she ran an insurance brokerage business.

She says she's considering a U.S. Senate run primarily because she wants to help President George W. Bush carry the state and she worries about two "liberal" senators representing Illinois in Washington.

"Liberals already are being represented by Sen. Durbin," she says. "It leaves a lot of the state not represented."

Still, Ms. Gorman is no sure thing. "I am only as serious as the party is," she says.

Ryan still on ticket

Meanwhile, Mr. Ryan still has not submitted paperwork formally withdrawing from the ticket. He announced last month that he would do so amid a media storm about allegations from his ex-wife that Mr. Ryan repeatedly coerced her to visit sex clubs on the East Coast and in Europe.

Mr. Ryan has not been available for comment. Sources say he may submit his withdrawal as soon as today.

Shruti Daté Singh contributed to this report.

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