I'm not usually one to suggest conspiracy theories, but this one seems to have a bit too much evidence behind it.
We all know that the Junk-News-Media only runs positive stories on Democrat candidates during election cycles, but it's just painfully obvious what they're doing with Barrack Obama. For all I know Obama is a perfectly nice lefty to meet in person, but they're just shoving him down everyone's throat because he has no national recognition. The JNM is taking any and every opportunity to do name-dropping. This guy is a junior senator who has thus far done nothing that warrants any attention. (I bet some Illinois voters here would probably say that he probably hasn't even asked or attempted to represent their political views.)
In short, any news story about this guy isn't useful information, and any opportunity that presents itself is a contrivance of the media. However, it takes CNN to sink low enough to purposely misspell bin Laden's name in a screen graphic that was visible for all of a few seconds, then use this as a vehicle for mentioning Obama's name a half-dozen times and pointing out he's a senator from Illinois.
Actually, there isn't a
big enough to express my views on the junk news purveyors.
EDIT: It was bin Laden's name, not Obama's.