Supporters of changing the way Illinois draws its legislative districts did not waste any time. They immediately began claiming President Barack Obama endorsed their idea in his speech Wednesday. But, the president has taken pains to be more nuanced.
Before Air Force One had even left Springfield, the head of “Independent Maps” was out with a press release. He said: “People all over Illinois – and now the White House – want to end the practice of Illinois politicians picking their voters.”
That’s true — but Obama doesn’t just want that in Illinois. He was talking about changing federal elections in all 50 states. Illinois Republicans have long sought a better shot at winning seats in the General Assembly, and they leapt to their feet applauding Obama — which prompted the president to emphasize a caveat.
Obama said, "In America, politicians should not pick their voters; voters should pick their politicians. And this needs to be done across the nation, not just in a select few states. It should be done everywhere."
Many Democrats have been suspicious of the Illinois effort. House Speaker Michael Madigan has dismissed it as "Republican politics."
