First Lady Campaigned Inside Polling Place? Michelle Electioneering Scandal

Well, gee, did she need to convince neighbors Bill Ayers or Nation of Islam's Rev. Farrakhan? Electioneering in a polling place is a no-noo--something every rookie judge and campaign person learns. And voter if you're wearing a button.

On top of Drudge:

'She was telling me how important it was to vote to keep her husband's agenda going'...


CHICAGOLAND: FIRST LADY CAMPAIGNED INSIDE POLLING PLACE?

Gee, I wonder if AG Eric Effing Holder will investigate this one.

More. I checked the NBC video but it's edited. Wonder if they picked it up. Here it is in the Sun Times story:

Amanda Deisch, a social worker, was the second voter to show up Thursday.

She snapped a cellphone photo of the first lady as she took the voting machine next to hear and began voting.

“I told her we supported her and her husband, and we were praying for them,” Deisch said later. “I told her we’re trying to get the kids moving — her childhood obesity effort.”

Voter Anna Roberts took the next machine and, as Mrs. Obama finished voting, she allowed Deisch to take another cellphone photo and shook hands with both women.

Obama went back to the desk and handed in her voting-machine key, saying “Make sure everybody’s voting early.”

She let more voters take photos with her.

“She was telling me how important it was to vote to keep her husband’s agenda going,” said Dennis Campbell, a 56-year-old electrician.

UPDATE: Drudge story.The pool reporter backs it up:

According to the pool reporter at the scene, the conversation took place IN the voting center not far from the booths.

Illinois state law -- Sec. 17-29 (a) -- states: "No judge of election, pollwatcher, or other person shall, at any primary or election, do any electioneering or soliciting of votes or engage in any political discussion within any polling place, within 100 feet of any polling place."

Developing...

More. Checking Sweet's blog since she's usually the Michelle so belle court reporter. Bingo:

Pool report by Abdon M. Pallasch, Chicago Sun-Times:

Perhaps he didn't realize at first it was a violation when he wrote the story.

At 5'-11", Mrs. Obama had to hunch over a bit to use the machine. It took her six minutes to get through the ballot, which, in addition to governor, senator, and the big offices, also includes 78 judges running to be elected or retained on the bench.

Social Worker Amanda Deisch was the second voter to show up Thursday morning. She snapped a cell-phone photo of the first lady as she took the voting machine next to her and began voting.

Voter Anna Roberts took the next machine and as Mrs. Obama was finishing up voting, she allowed Deisch to take another cell phone photo and she shook hands with both women.

Obama went back to the desk and handed in her voting machine key, saying "Make sure everybody's voting early."

She let more voters including electrician Dennis Campbell, 56, take some photos with her.

"She was telling me how important it was to vote to keep her husband's agenda going," Campbell said.

"I told her we supported her and her husband and we were praying for them," Deisch said. "I told her we're trying to get the kids moving - her childhood obesity effort.

Hey, Michelle, you shoulda moved it outside. Embedded video, edited though (you got it on tape NBC, hmm?):

She came equipped with a folder filled with info on the Illinois elections, including notes on judges and other down ticket contests.

"She takes this very seriously," says a White House staffer.

Well, don't you know the rules, Michelle give em hell?

... but you see the background (and her pants, yuck): More.

“I mean, she’s pretty well liked and probably doesn’t know what she’s doing.”

So, Chicago logic informs us that if she wasn’t well liked but didn’t know what she was doing it would be bad, bad, bad?

I do think it’s amusing that the lawyer wife of a Constitutional Law professor, daughter of a Precinct Captain, and First Lady of the U.S., may be unfamiliar with laws most of us know well, because you know, there are like tons of signs up in front of every polling place.

Buy Danish on October 14, 2010 at 8:58 PM