A former associate of Tony Rezko's testified at his trial today that Rezko told him U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald would be replaced and the investigation into his conduct would end.

Elie Maloof just testified that when he received a grand jury subpoena, Rezko told him not to talk to the feds. Why? "The federal prosecutor will no longer be the same federal prosecutor," Maloof just testified that Rezko told him. What did Rezko mean prosecutor Chris Niewoehner asked? "That Patrick Fitzgerald would be terminated and Dennis Hastert will name his replacement. The investigation will be over."

Maloof, who once helped run some of Rezko's fast-food businesses, said Rezko told him of Fitzgerald's replacement: "That they will order the prosecutor to stop the investigation."
It is the first time jurors heard an accusation that Rezko worked behind the scenes to oust Fitzgerald.

The Sun Times also reports that the Judge and lawyers have been working hard to keep Barack Obama's name from surfacing in the trial.

Maloof left the stand without ever invoking Barack Obama's name, despite previous allegations by prosecutors that he made a straw donation for Rezko to Obama's Senatorial campaign fund. It is clear that lawyers -- and the judge -- have been careful not to bring Obama's name into case, even outside the presence of the jury.

Maloof is testifying under a grant of immunity. More on that here.

Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama disagree about how to help consumers with the rising cost of gas.

I'm paying attention to this because I was not happy when I filled up my tank Saturday and it came to $65.00. I also realize that the increased cost of gas is going to mean higher prices on everything since at some point, all goods have to be shipped from point A to point B, and whether it's by truck or plane, gas is involved.

Hillary supports a temporary reprieve for consumers on the gas tax. John McCain first proposed it. Obama criticized the plan.

Hillary Rodham Clinton criticized Barack Obama on Monday for opposing proposals to suspend federal gas taxes this summer, a plan she and Republican John McCain have endorsed. .... "My opponent, Senator Obama, opposes giving consumers a break," Clinton said at a firehouse. "I understand the American people need some relief," she added, implying that Obama doesn't get it.

Obama's comments:[More...]

This seems significant:

A person close to North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley tells The Associated Press he will endorse Hillary Rodham Clinton for president. Easley is a Democratic superdelegate who has served as the state's governor for two terms. His decision comes despite several recent polls showing Clinton trailing rival Barack Obama ahead of the state's May 6 primary.

I know nothing about NC politics and do not know if Easley has a lot of juice. But this seems like an important endorsement.

(By Big Tent Democrat)

I like this Bowers proposal:

I would seat Florida's pledged delegates as is, and seat the pledged delegates from Michigan Clinton 73-55 Obama. From that point, I would strip both states of their superdelegates. This way, the voters of the two states are not punished, but the superdelegates who are responsible putting both states in this mess are. I actually think that this should become the standard punishment for states that flout the primary calendar: keep the pledged delegates, but strip the superdelegates with no possibility of reinstatement. I also really like the idea of superdelegates whining that they should be seated at the convention. That would be an hilarious press conference.

Indeed. No more superdelegates should be a standard now.

(By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me only)

It is too early to look too closely at GE head to heads but I must admit that recent events are making my Obama electability argument, particularly the Media darling Teflon argument, look weaker. The latest bit of evidence is the AP-Ipsos poll:

Hillary Rodham Clinton has a better chance than Barack Obama of beating Republican John McCain, according to a new Associated Press-Ipsos poll that bolsters her argument that she is more electable in the fall than her rival for the Democratic nomination. . . . Clinton . . . has gained ground this month in a hypothetical head-to-head match up with the GOP nominee-in-waiting; she now leads McCain, 50 percent to 41 percent, while Obama remains virtually tied with McCain, 46 percent to 44 percent.

These results put Obama and Clinton within the MOE versus McCain. But Obama needs to change the narrative. Racial politics from the likes of Clyburn and Wright is NOT the answer.

By Big Tent Democrat

Greg Sargent reports that:

Hillary chief strategist Geoff Garin [said] "Senator Obama has said what he has to say . . .We respect the fact that Senator Obama has had his say on this and the campaign should move on."

Sargent also reports that Hillary Clinton said:

I regret the efforts by the Republicans to politicize this matter and I believe that if Senator McCain were serious he would do more than just send a letter[.] [H]e is the putative nominee[.] I think he could very clearly tell the North Carolina party[,] tell the Mississippi party[,] that he would not tolerate those kinds of advertisements and I'm waiting to see if he does that.

By Big Tent Democrat

The spread is in line with other NC polls. But PPP previously had Obama up by 25 points in NC. Now it is 51-39. The why is important:

The bulk of the movement in the NC race has come from white voters. Her lead is now back up to 56-35.

Demography is political destiny. In Ohio, PA, IN and NC, the polling is showing the same demographic breakdowns. The issue is how many white and A-A voters there are in the electorate. This is quite troubling. BTW, I wonder if Jim Clyburn will get the message now.

By Big Tent Democrat.

The New York Times reports that the Bush Administration's wiretapping of defense lawyers in terror cases in Oregon is having an effect nation-wide:

Sean M. Maher, a New York lawyer who is a co-chairman of the national security committee of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, said he knew talented private lawyers who were refusing to take on terrorism cases because of potential violations of their privacy, including monitoring of their communications with clients. That fear has grown as a result of the disclosures in Oregon, Mr. Maher said.

Lawyers who agree to defend terrorism suspects in cases involving classified information are required to undergo background checks that can include an F.B.I. review of their financial and medical records, including records of psychiatric care.

“People just aren’t going to get involved in this process,” Mr. Maher said. “I find it unfathomable that in our adversarial system, we’ve created a process to weed out qualified defense counsel.”

Background on the Oregon wiretapping is here.

The latest SUSA Indiana poll:

8 days until votes are counted, Hillary Clinton finishes ahead of Barack Obama, according to a SurveyUSA poll conducted for WHAS-TV in Louisville and WCPO-TV in Cincinnati. The results are identical to a SurveyUSA TV poll released 4 weeks ago, on 04/01/08. Clinton led then 52% to 43%, leads now 52% to 43%.

Crosstabs. Clinton leads among whites 56-39 (87% of the vote), Obama among African Americans 78-16 (10% of the vote). On election day, Obama will win A-As by 90-10. The issue is, as it has been for a while, will Obama lose whites by 20 points or more.

By Big Tent Democrat

Rev. Wright today spoke at the National Press Club. He continued his attacks on the media and again asserted Barack Obama speaks with electability in mind. Jake Tapper at ABC News writes:

He clearly was not doing Obama any favors, not only by reappearing before a ravenous media thus distracting from Obama's attempt to relate better to white working class voters in Indiana and North Carolina, but by implying Obama's condemnation of some of his sermons was not sincere.

"Politicians say what they say and do what they do because of electability," Wright said, arguing that Obama had not seen the sermons played in the media that Obama has called "offensive." "He had to distance himself because he's a politician...Whether he gets elected or not, I'm still going to have to be answerable to God."

Wright also defended the comments in his past sermons that have placed him in the media spotlight.

But he didn't distance himself from any of the sentiments underlying the clips shown on television. Indeed, the former pastor embraced the most controversial items he has said.

On Louis Farakkhan [More...]

The Supreme court has upheld Indiana's Voter ID law:

The Supreme Court has ruled that states can require voters to produce photo identification without violating their constitutional rights. The decision validates Republican-inspired voter ID laws. The court vote 6-3 to uphold Indiana's strict photo ID requirement. Democrats and civil rights groups say the law would deter poor, older and minority voters from casting ballots.

Opinion here (PDF). More . . .

So says this NYTimes report:

In interviews with several associates and aides, Mr. Obama was described as bored with the campaign against Mrs. Clinton and eager to move into the general election against Senator John McCain of Arizona, the presumptive Republican nominee.

Plus, this seems unsound to me:

In strategy sessions last week, advisers concluded that Mr. Obama, of Illinois, needed to do a better job reminding voters of his biography, including his modest upbringing by a single mother and one of his first jobs as a community organizer helping displaced steel mill workers

Obama needs to talk policy, not biography, imo.