NY Times: Text of Letter From Obama in Illinois Newspapers (worth the read)

[Faygo Kid]

He's special. Reminds me of Lincoln's farewell to the citizens of Springfield:

Text of President-elect Barack Obama's letter published in Illinois newspapers Sunday, when he officially resigned from the Senate:

Today, I am ending one journey to begin another. After serving the people of Illinois in the United States Senate -- one of the highest honors and privileges of my life -- I am stepping down as senator to prepare for the responsibilities I will assume as our nation's next president. But I will never forget, and will forever be grateful, to the men and women of this great state who made my life in public service possible.

More than two decades ago, I arrived in Illinois as a young man eager to do my part in building a better America. On the South Side of Chicago, I worked with families who had lost jobs and lost hope when the local steel plant closed. It wasn't easy, but we slowly rebuilt those neighborhoods one block at a time, and in the process I received the best education I ever had. It's an education that led me to organize a voter registration project in Chicago, stand up for the rights of Illinois families as an attorney and eventually run for the Illinois state Senate.

It was in Springfield, in the heartland of America, where I saw all that is America converge -- farmers and teachers, businessmen and laborers, all of them with a story to tell, all of them seeking a seat at the table, all of them clamoring to be heard. It was there that I learned to disagree without being disagreeable; to seek compromise while holding fast to those principles that can never be compromised, and to always assume the best in people instead of the worst. Later, when I made the decision to run for the United States Senate, the core decency and generosity of the American people is exactly what I saw as I traveled across our great state -- from Chicago to Cairo; from Decatur to Quincy. . . .

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/washington/AP-Obama-Text.html

[juno jones]

1. To the greatest with ya

This guy makes me proud to be from Illinois. I'm calling my sister who lives south of Chicago to chat tomorrow. I'm gonna start out with: "Well, what about that state senator with the funny name you were so impressed with in '03?"

[Faygo Kid]

3. Thanks. Enjoy that phone call.

Your sister was prescient.

[bleever]

5. Love that avatar.

We have been void of Slack for far too long.

[Hope And Change]

2. K & R!

[gademocrat7]

4. k & r