OBAMA AND REZKO….My morning LA Times features a big front-page story about Barack Obama’s relationship with shady Chicago developer Antoin “Tony” Rezko that starts out by telling us that Rezko’s upcoming trial “has the potential to undermine Obama’s image as a candidate whose ethical standards are distinctly higher than those of his main opponent,” and furthermore that Rezko has “played a deeper role in Obama’s political and financial biography than the candidate has acknowledged.”
Is that true? Maybe, but the LAT piece sure doesn’t deliver the goods. Basically, it tells us that Rezko has donated money to Obama over the years and that Rezko’s wife bought a parcel of land next door to Obama’s house three years ago. Both of these things have been extensively reported before, and although the land deal has a slight whiff to it (Obama told the Chicago Sun-Times a year ago, “I consider this a mistake on my part and I regret it”), it’s a political misdemeanor at most and the LAT article uncovers nothing new about it.
So, there’s nothing much here. On the other hand, it’s useful to read the story to get an idea of the kind of thing that Republicans will throw at Obama if he wins the nomination. It’s nowhere near as bad as what they’ll throw at Hillary, but they’ll certainly do everything they can to make it look as slimy as possible — and next month’s trial will probably give them some juicy ammo. It’s best to be prepared.
