Obama's "Good Judgment" May Have Been to Copy His Mentor and Senator, Dick
Durbin

Summary:  It does not show political bravery to copy the position of the
popular senior Senator Dick Durbin.  Probably, Obama's copying Senator Durbin
was the essence of Obama's "good judgment".   

Fact 1.  Dick Durbin is a very popular senior U. S. Senator from Illinois who
entered the U. S. Senate in January 1997.  Since then until now, he remains
very popular with the voters in Illinois.  He was re-elected in 2002 with
over a 20% margin over his opponent (see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Durbin).  

Fact 2.  Dick Durbin is and was a mentor to Barack Obama for years before
2002.   (see http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=11A5AB9D-3048-5C12-
0017ACC5432F2DC6)

Fact 3.  On September 29, 2002, Dick Durbin held a news conference in Chicago
to announce that "absent dramatic changes" in the resolution, he would vote
against the resolution authorizing war on Iraq.  
(see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Durbin)  

Opinion:  It must have been obvious to Barack Obama, and perhaps suggested by
his mentor Dick Durbin, that the "good judgment" of Senator Durbin was a
"good judgment" for Obama to copy.  

Fact 4.  On October 2, 2002, at the first high-profile Chicago anti-Iraq War
rally in Federal Plaza, Dick Durbin repeated his promise to oppose the
resolution in a letter read during the rally.  (see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Durbin)

Fact 5.  Barack Obama gave his speech at the same anti-war rally in Chicago
on October 2, 2002 at which Dick Durbin's letter was read.  

Opinion:  I am wondering if the convergence of the reading of Dick Durbin's
letter and the speech by Obama at the same anti-war rally is a mere
coincidence or a tactic of Obama to copy Senator Durbin, perhaps even
suggested by Senator Durbin, who didn't appear in person at the anti-war
rally.  In this respect, Obama was Durbin's surrogate.  

Opinion:  Such actions of the popular Senator Durbin cast great doubt upon
Obama's claim that his anti-war position showed political bravery on his
part.  To me, it does not show political bravery to copy the position of the
popular senior Senator Durbin.  Probably, Obama's copying Senator Durbin was
the essence of Obama's "good judgment".