SPRINGFIELD – When President Barack Obama submitted petition signatures to get on the 2012 Democratic primary ballot, he chose not to sign Illinois' optional candidate loyalty oath that officially assured voters he did not teach or advocate the overthrow of the U.S. government.
It may not be a big deal to most Democrat or Republican voters four years later, but it might matter to some that the president did not find it necessary to assure Illinoisans that he was not working with America's enemies.
The state's loyalty oath, which was mandatory for all Illinois candidates until the 1969, says:
I, (candidate's name), do swear (or affirm) that I am a citizen of the United States and the State of (candidate's state), that I am not affiliated directly or indirectly with any communist organization or any community front organization, or any foreigh political agency, party, organization or government which advocates the overthrow of constitutional government by force or other means not permitted under the Constitution of the United States or the Constitution of this State; that I do not directly or indirectly teach or advocate the overthrow of government of the United States or any unlawful change in the form of the governments thereof by force or any unlawful means.
That year, Republican presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum signed the vow when they filed for candidacy in Illinois.
Others that filed on the 2012 primary ballot, but did not sign the loyalty oath, included President Obama, Texas U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and former Louisiana Gov. Charles "Buddy" Roemer.
Neither did Democrat Congress members Tammy Duckworth, Jan Schakowsky and Bobby Rush.
Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz's campaign brought attention to the oath Monday morning when the campaign tweeted his signed form:
Requests about Obama's 2008 and 2004 candidate paperwork have yet to be returned from the State Board of Elections.
