Ayers Chooses Today While The One's in Town to Talk

Well, he's coy as usual (he's just retiring) unless he's denouncing the ruling class. Um. Well. (Some other demonstrators make an appearance.) Maybe he'll write another book, though, hmm?

Better lay low, Michelle, you've opened yourself up to some let them eat cake class warfare. (Come on, Bill, yes you can.) Obama Court reporter Lynn Sweet bridles--Michelle, you should have taken her along.

--cartoon by Scott Stantis, Chicago Tribune

P.S. Kass with recipes for Big House Tamales:

This isn't about the prison cuisine in "Goodfellas," where actors playing wiseguys shaved garlic so thin it would liquefy in the pan with just a little oil. There are no big steaks, no iced boxes of live lobster, no various wines for each course.

But Big House Tamales aren't the stuff of Hollywood fiction. They're so easy, even a crooked politician can make them. It starts with a bag of spicy corn chips.

Just another day in the Windy City.

P.P.S. You will note that our President Barack Obama is at an auto plant bragging about how his bailout worked for the auto companies. Just one thing though--he is at a Ford plant. Ford did not take taxpayer bailout money. And the plant is making the kind of car Americans want to buy--no Volt but an SUV.

More. At one of the Alexi fundraisers. Highlights from Clout St:

President Barack Obama today told Democratic campaign donors that U.S. Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias is running "for all the right reasons."

“He’s not doing this to help lobbyists. He’s not doing it to help special interests," Obama told a crowd at the Palmer House Hilton who donated between $1,000 and $2,400 to Giannoulias' Senate campaign.

Later, Obama added, “You can trust him. You can count on him.”

Mmm hmm. Why is Alexi Giannoulias running? More:

Obama helped his protégé Giannoulias raise money. In attendance were Gov. Pat Quinn, U.S. Reps. Janice Shakowsky, Danny Davis and Debbie Halvorson, state Comptroller Dan Hynes, Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White, Illinois Senate President John Cullerton, House Speaker and Democratic chairman Michael Madigan, state Sen. James Meeks, unsuccessful Democratic primary Senate opponent David Hoffman and Dennis Gannon, former president of the Chicago Federation of Labor. Lunch was salad with a bleu cheese wedge, followed by glazed fowl of an unidentified nature and broccoli. Cheesecake and berries for dessert.

Mayor Richard Daley was first on the stage and repeatedly referred to Giannoulias as “Alex” instead of “Alexi.”

Daley led applause for Obama’s 49th birthday yesterday and said, “His policies and leadership helped the nation avoid another Great Depression.”

Giannoulias said the country was less than 90 days “from a truly seminal election.” He frequently referred to Bush-Kirk economic policies involving “greed that brought this country to our knees.”

Greed? Perhaps some unfortunate word choices, and it sounds like an unfortunate lunch. Anyway, I thought we already had the seminal election of the century, and it hasn't exactly brought a new birth of freedom. Or prosperity.