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Campaigning Barack star: Obama rallies for Stewart

By jim muir, THE SOUTHERN

Monday, November 6, 2006 6:58 AM CST

COLLINSVILLE - In a setting that was part rock concert and part tent revival, the Illinois Democratic Party called in an impressive list of heavyweight campaigners Sunday afternoon in Collinsville to lend support to Judge Bruce Stewart in his bid for the Illinois Fifth District Appellate Court.

At the top of the list is Sen. Barack Obama, who addressed a raucous crowd of more than 600 at the IBEW union hall during a rally that featured several standing ovations and had party faithful on their feet more than in their seats. Congressman Jerry Costello was also there, along with numerous Madison County and St. Clair County candidates and elected officials.

Obama told the cheering masses that in recent days he has campaigned in Rhode Island, Tennessee, Pennsylvania and Missouri.

"As I have been traveling around the country what's striking is how serious voters are. They are in a sober mood right now," Obama said. "What they recognize is that some of the challenges we face as a nation are ones that if we don't deal with them soon, we may be leaving a country that is a little poorer and a little meaner to our children and grandchildren. That's unacceptable and that's un-American because what we have always believed in is that each generation makes things a little bit better for the next. The good news is that Americans are paying attention this election."

Obama addressed the growing trend in judicial races where negative ads have become the rule rather than the exception. Obama said Stewart has been attacked, not because of his qualifications or integrity but because he will apply the law "equally and fairly."

"When people are not engaged and involved in our government, then it's just the narrow interests that end up dominating and they don't always have our interests at heart," Obama said. "What we've seen in the past several years, we've seen it in some of the judicial races right here, is a brand of politics that is all about negativity and attacks and slash and burn. It's the kind of politics that doesn't stand for anything and makes people feel cynical about their government. That's not what this election is about. This election is about the politics of hope versus the politics of defeat."

To the delight of the crowd that hung on his every word, Obama said he has "had enough of a can't do, won't do, won't even try style of government."

"And I've had enough of special interests driving the agenda of this country year after year after year," Obama said. "The opposition is spending the kind of money they are in this race because they know that Bruce will not be a rubber stamp."

Stewart, the Democratic candidate for the appellate court, is challenging Republican Steve McGlynn for the seat. The 5th District Appellate Court covers 37 counties, roughly the lower one-third of the state.

Stewart, a native of West Frankfort who now resides in Harrisburg, has served as a circuit judge for 11 years in the First Judicial Circuit. Stewart is challenging Republican Stephen McGlynn, a former Belleville attorney who was appointed to the Appellate Court to fill the vacancy when former Judge Gordon Maag was not retained during the 2004 election. During that same election Maag also was defeated by Lloyd Karmeier in a bitter race for the Illinois Supreme Court.

Obama drew one of the largest responses from the partisan crowd when he displayed side-by-side the resumes of Stewart and McGlynn and their qualifications for the vacant judicial seat.

"The other guy's resume has three lines," Obama said. "Bruce Stewart has been a judge, received the highest rating of the Illinois Bar Association, he has practiced at every level with distinction. He is well respected by both plaintiffs and defense attorneys. He is who you would want as a judge. What we want in our judiciary is somebody who is impartial; somebody who is knowledgeable in the law and has the integrity to make sure the law is fairly applied. We also want somebody with sense of empathy, who can stand in somebody else's shoes, somebody who is thinking about the little guy, not just the rich and powerful."

Stewart called the rally, held in the same county where McGlynn lives, a "wonderful event."

"I'm really thankful to Sen. Obama for taking the time to come here today and give my campaign a boost," Stewart said. "I think his appearance here today highlights the importance of this Fifth District Appellate race. I really feel good about the campaign and feel like we are going to get a big vote out down south."

Stewart noted that with the recent death of Judge Terrence Hopkins the Appellate Court is now composed solely of judges from the Metro East area.

"Right now there are five living Appellate Court judges and all of them are from Madison and St. Clair counties," Stewart said. "That's why this election is so important to Southern Illinois."

 

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