Chris Matthews hardest hit? Effort to make Obama’s birthday an Illinois holiday falls short

**Written by Doug Powers

Uh oh, Southside Not With You:

Barack Obama’s name is revered in his home state. But the Illinois House has rejected making his birthday a state holiday.

Legislation to make the 44th president’s Aug. 4th birthday a state holiday fell six votes short Tuesday. Chicago Democratic Rep. Sonya Harper says it would honor a man who adopted Chicago as his home and served in the Illinois State Senate.

But Rep. Steven Andersson of Geneva suggested it be honorary. The Republican floor leader says even Obama wouldn’t want the cash-strapped state to give state workers another paid day off.

I highly doubt that last part, unless Obama feared it might have caused his presidential library to be closed on his birthday.

**Written by Doug Powers

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