Breast-Related Assurances from the First Lady of Illinois

Some Illinois political observers are raising their eyebrows about a stack of greeting cards that Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s office sent out before the election congratulating new parents on their bundles of joy (and reminding them to get their kids immunized). The implication here being that Blagojevich wanted to spend a little government money to get his name in front of potential voters just before the election. I kind of doubt that, but in any case, focusing on that ignores the much more amusing angle, which is that many of the cards were delivered over a year late:

“I thought it was laughable,” said 29-year-old Andrew Fitzgibbon of Lincoln. “Here my daughter is turning 1 and I get something congratulating me on her birth.”

But the mailings aren’t just feel-good fluff – they contain some very important advice as well:

The cards contain a list of recommended vaccinations as well as a record for parents to track when their children receive them. There is also a growth chart and a note from first lady Patti Blagojevich reminding mothers that state law allows them to breast-feed in public places.

Breast-feeding advice from the governor’s wife? The term Nanny State gets more literal everyday.