Me critcizing Bill Clinton.

As it stands now, it's not a very big issue, but it's still an issue.  Rezko is not some anonymous internet donor but rather an old friend and political sponsor.  No quid pro quo, even on the real estate deal.  But certainly an association that Obama wishes he hadn't had.

Yes, the obvious is candidate takes money from bad guy, disavows any knowledge of bad guy or his work.  But Obama was in the community as an organizer, went to law school, got a job offer from this developer but took the job with law firm that did developers work.  

First it's not a "scandal".  It's an example of how I feel about Obama.  He uses his years in the community as a red badge of courage, but I think that it was self serving.  He did a sloppy job as a community organizer.  The Rezk thing is community organizing 101, you don't go to bed with developers that are questionable cause inevitably the community gets screwed.

Second, I am tired of the adulation and the Obama supporters who think he is not a politician and that somehow he is above all "that stuff".  I am tired of them accusing everyone else of lying and being viscious, when I think that the minute you get into politics, you do politics.  It's your job.  In another blog, TPM actually, this person said he is not a politician, he is an agent of change.  

Finally, this story will go nowhere cause the Dems don't want him damaged.  The Republicans will play with it at a General Election.  In the end, he is a politician, not a saint.  So, his followers need to see his flaws.   On a personal level, I have seen way to many "over achievers" do an internship in the community, then parlez that into some other career.  In the end, they never had their heart in the community.  

What I can see is this. (All this from articles in the Chicago Sun-Times.) Obama and Rezko knew each other for a very long time (17 years). Their relationship lasted at least until 2005, when Obama and Rezko's wife bought adjacent lots on the same day.

During that time, Rezko and his associates donated about $168,000 to Obama's political campaigns.

In 1998, in his role as state senator, Obama wrote at least two letters in support of a development that Rezko and his partner wanted to build. At that time, he was also a lawyer in a private firm which represented some other companies owned by Rezko. There was also something about an internship, but that seems like small potatoes.

So there's a certain amount of circumstantial evidence here. What's safe to conclude?

1. Obama's description of his work for Rezko (five hours of legal work) last night in the debate was understated to the point of being deceptive.

2. There's enough kindling here for the Republicans to start a fire. At the very least Obama accepted significant contributions from Rezko, took political actions that benefited Rezko (he may have genuinely believed these to be the right actions in any case), and as recently as 2005, had some personal financial interaction with Rezko.

On the other hand, I'm not sure there's any there there in terms of corruption and having seen all the wasted resources on Whitewater, I'm not exactly excited about the idea of going through that again with another potential Democratic nominee.  Where the press manufactures a "corruption" scandal where there is none.  

On the third hand, heh, if the press is going to do that, I'd rather they do it now so we can see how it's going to go than in October 2008.

As for the debate, my guess is the Obama folks are unhappy this morning.  Furious at Clinton for bringing up Rezko.  And, if they have even an ounce of selfawareness, angry at themselves for having given her the opening and permitting her to mirror Obama's language on Walmart.  Because of the way she used Rezko, it's difficult to bash her for it.

Anyway, I'd like to say two things on Obama's Walmart line (while admitting I love Hillary, but also admitting I will vote for whomever gets the nom because I am a lifelong dem):

1.  Hillary resigned from the board because she said she did not agree with their practices.  She was a long-time friend of the Waltons and was asked to join out of that friendship.  She gave back the money they gave to her campaign.

2. --and this is important--let us not forget that Obama is a bestselling author, and that the number one paperback merchandiser in America is Walmart.  Top hardcover seller behind Costco is Sam's Club.  Has anyone checked to see if, since Senator Obama has a problem with Walmart, he has given back the money from the sale of his books?

If you want a link about Walmart being the top seller, that's something I know from being in the book biz, and I am not going to out myself because, well, that's my perogative!  Walmart does not report to the NY Times list (they report to USA Today, which is why the lists tend to be vastly different and reflect what people are actually reading [thrillers, self-help, romance] rather than what the Times-reporting stores are selling).  I cannot direct you as to where to verify this info, but Walmart has around 3400 stores selling paperback books in the US.  B&N has around 800+ stores. Borders has around 500-.  Not to sound glib, but do the math.

As for Clinton signing DOMA, it was shameless. Just like his backing off gays in the military was shameless. I happen to think that the military issue was a stupid issue for the gay community to start off with, but that's just my opinion. We should have started off with civil unions. But whatever.

Hillary says she'll repeal part of DOMA, the part that allows us federal benefits. I hope that's true because that would change my life and give me so much more security to be eligible for my partner's benefits. I'm taking a risk on HRC, because I believe she will be more progressive than her husband, and also because this is a better climate for gay people than 1992.

If Obama or his supporters don't think this is a big deal they are sadly mistaken. This has been a big deal in the Chicago papers for some time and the Rezko trial starts at the end of February.  

The Clintons lost money in the Whitewater fiasco but look what the Obamas have: a home worth almost two million dollars and to the best of my knowledge the Rezkos still own the lot next door.  Clearly, when the deal on the properties were closed on the same day and the Rezkos were known contributors to Obama's campaigns, there is a connection even if it is only to "help out" a friend.  

If Obama thinks HRC and BC have been mean to him, then he'd better get ready for a rough ride if he gets the nomination - the Republicans can and will call you a liar, can and will slice and dice you and they will never apologize or fire anyone for an alleged racist remark.  Drudge, Newsmax and every republican outlet will be screaming the headlines for days and days. If you are arguing that Hillary should not be elected because no one wants "to relieve the fights of the 90s" do you think Rove and Co. will be any nicer to Obama. Does anyone think they can't and won't make up dirt and scum on any Democrat.

I've said it before, if Dukakis, Gore or Kerry had been elected, there would have been major made up crap on them just like the Clintons.  We saw it during the elections and it would have continued throughout any Dem presidency.

I too was inspired by Obama's 2004 speech.  As Democrats we still believed that because our candidate was "reporting for duty" he could not be sullied by the opposing team.  I have no doubt that there is a war chest waiting to be spent on whoever the Dem nominee is.  However, I'll take my chances with the one person, the one name, the only family that has been able to beat the Republican machine in my lifetime as a voter.  One time, but only once, before Bill Clinton I voted and my guy was the winner - Jimmy Carter.  And now all the so called progressive and liberal blogs trash the only two time Democratic president since - let's see -when my parents were young and World War II was the war we were fighting.

Duke Cunningham was selling his house for the wrong value, wasn't he?  It's just in his case the feds were able to link the favors he received with the purchase.  What type of lawyer are you that you would dismiss these various serious allegations in a federal corruption trial?  This is a guy Obama knew for 17 years.  And after they buy the lot and house together (and the wife of Rezko is buying the lot for full value while the house is undervalued) then Rezko's wife resells a 1/6 part of the lot back to Obama for a backyard?  This is your idea of "nothings there?"  What type of hypocrite are you?  Do you expect anyone to read what you write and find you credible when you make stupid remarks like this?

This is what he says about the tenants of the projects.  No one who cares about affordable housing and low income communities would give this as the reason for the project failing:
"Housing partnerships in which low-income-housing tax credits are syndicated frequently struggle financially. The reasons for the problems such partnerships struggle are complex but frequently include urban crime, demographic changes and social factors outside the control of any developer or owner. Senator Obama was not otherwise aware of financial and physical problems attributable to misconduct by Mr. Rezko"