Reply #3: Are records of State Senators meticulously archived?

[ripple]

I think not, as there isn't the staff support for that. The pertinent information is already public record.

And what kind of expert opinion is ""Most of those guys do keep this stuff, especially the favorable stuff. They've all got egos," said Taylor Pensoneau, a historian who has written about Illinois legislators and governors and worked with them as a lobbyist for the coal industry. "It goes in scrapbooks or maybe boxes. I don't think it's normal practice to say it's all discarded."

What in the hell does he mean by 'normal practice'? Is there a State Senate rule that Obama has somehow violated? When one truly parses the words of this particular 'expert', Pensoneau appears to be saying that Barack does not have an enormous ego. I'm cool with that.

Not to miss the larger point, though- that the 'expert' cited was never a public official and was in fact, a lobbyist for the coal industry. Perhaps his 'writings' about Illinois elected officials were limited to those with enormous egos who were willing to take his kickbacks in exchange for a vote.