Obama Resigns From Senate

As of Sunday, Barack Obama will no longer be an elected official. He announced today that he will be resigning from the US Senate. The action allows him to focus all of his energies on his next elected position, that of POTUS.

In a statement, Obama said that serving the people of Illinois had been “one of the highest honors and privileges of my life…In a state that represents the crossroads of a nation, I have met so many men and women who’ve taken different journeys, but hold common hopes for their children’s future,” Obama said. “It is these Illinois families and their stories that will stay with me as I leave the United States Senate and begin the hard task of fulfilling the simple hopes and common dreams of all Americans as our nation’s next president.”

As the Boston Globe is reporting, there are key votes that Obama will miss since he will be leaving the Senate:

Obama will miss the expected vote by Senate Democrats next week on whether Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, who broke ranks and campaigned for Senator John McCain this year, should keep his post as chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Obama has urged Senate leaders to find a compromise solution and wants Lieberman to continue caucusing with the Democrats, The Washington Post reported this week. Obama’s resignation from the Senate also means that he will not be a voting member during its special session next week, when Democrats hope to pass a new economic stimulus package to recharge the ailing economy. Obama has made the passage of a new stimulus bill a high priority, but the measure has been held up by President Bush and Senate Republicans.”

Under state law, Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich will name Obama’s replacement for the remaining two years of his term. Blagojevich has said he expects to make a decision by year’s end, and has ruled out appointing himself. The Governor is the most unpopular elected official in the history of modern polling. Yes, in the history of modern polling. At 13% he almost makes President Bush look popular.