Progress Illinois

The U.S. Supreme Court upheld an Indiana law that requires voters to produce photo identification before casting a ballot on Election Day. Republicans have pushed for such laws to combat against alleged "election fraud" and Democrats have argued that the requirements prevent some people from voting.

Rev. Jeremiah Wright spoke to the National Press Club yesterday morning and the media consensus is he did no political favors for his former congregant Barack Obama. According to the Christian Science Monitor, Wright's media tour "injects issues of race back into the nomination contest at an awkward time for Obama." Meanwhile, Obama tried to distance himself further from Wright, saying “he does not speak for me. He does not speak for the campaign."

Having earlier benefited from the support of Governors Ted Strickland in Ohio and Ed Rendell in Pennsylvania, Hillary Clinton won the surprise endorsement of North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley yesterday. Political observers say the popular Easley does not sit atop a massive political operation in North Carolina.

Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert's name came up during testimony in the trial of Tony Rezko yesterday. A witness testified that Rezko told him about a plan to remove U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald and have then-Speaker Hastert name a more compliant replacement. Hastert denies any involvement in a plot to oust Fitzgerald.

Former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas said Monday that he would be "open to running again'' for governor in 2010. Vallas, who narrowly lost the 2002 Democratic primary to Rod Blagojevich, says he is "frustrated and angry'' about the opportunities Blagojevich has "squandered."

Hoping to quell the recent wave of gun violence in Chicago, U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Barack Obama have requested a meeting with Justice Department officials to discuss the inclusion of the Chicago area in the department's Comprehensive Anti-Gang Initiative. In the last 11 days, the Chicago area has witnessed at least 54 shootings and 15 deaths.

Talk about a rough week. The evangelical Wheaton College, whose administrators follow the conservative belief that the New Testament permits divorce only in cases of adultery or desertion, has fired one of its most popular professors after he divorced his wife of 30 years.