Ill. Senate candidate embraces Obama in new ad

[WI_DEM]

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois' Democratic U.S. Senate candidate is embracing President Barack Obama in a new campaign ad at a time when some Democrats are keeping the president at arm's length.

The ad shows Obama calling Alexi Giannoulias (jeh-NOO'-lee-us) his friend and someone voters can trust. The president praises Giannoulias for running a campaign that doesn't take money from federal lobbyists.

Some candidates have kept their distance from the president and his falling approval ratings.

But Obama remains relatively popular in his home state of Illinois, and Giannoulias is looking for every advantage in his tight race against Republican Mark Kirk for Obama's former seat.

Giannoulias' campaign says the ad will begin airing statewide Thursday

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hdmZNgIIL9UU7mngoVrSRmEv3BzQD9I3TVL80

[Oceansaway]

1. Alexi will get my vote.....nt

[GSLevel9]

2. a better candidate... in a better climate would get 70% of the vote. nt