Obama news: Clearance on Rezko scandal from The Trib!!

[Coexist]

from Politico:

The Tribune indicates that it's satisfied with Obama's account of Rezko.

U.S. Sen. Barack Obama waited 16 months to attempt the exorcism. But when he finally sat down with the Tribune editorial board Friday, Obama offered a lengthy and, to us, plausible explanation for the presence of now-indicted businessman Tony Rezko in his personal and political lives.

The most remarkable facet of Obama's 92-minute discussion was that, at the outset, he pledged to answer every question the three dozen Tribune journalists crammed into the room would put to him. And he did.

My take on this one is that while it's not going to go away, and while both Obama's judgment and his slow disclosure are legitimate issues, the missing piece is an indication that Obama reciprocated with valuable favors, something that hasn't been shown.

YES WE CAN!

[madfloridian]

1. Thanks. Recommended.

[Adelante]

2. About Patrick Fitzgerald

I read today in a different article that Obama has promised to keep Fitzgerald on the job as US Attorney in Chicago. Interesting.

[DerekJ]

3. That's bad news..

for Hillary supporters

[SoFlaJet]

4. he is a class act ain't he FlDem?

I am in constant awe of his forthrightness

[Coexist]

9. me too.

he will always sit down and discuss it.


http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-oped0314obamamar...
Transparency matters

Transparency and accountability matter greatly to him; they are a defining feature of his proposals. With respect to the mortgage crisis, credit cards and the broader debate over credit markets, Obama rejects heavy-handed regulation and insists on disclosure above all so consumers will know exactly what they are getting.

Expect transparency to be a central theme in any Obama administration, as a check on government and the private sector alike. It is highly revealing that Obama worked with Republican (and arch-conservative) Tom Coburn of Oklahoma to produce legislation creating a publicly searchable database of all federal spending.

[anonymeme]

28. The Operative Word Here Is "ACT," Obama Puts on a Great ACT -- As to "CLASS?" We Can't Say But...

The Operative Word Here Is "ACT," Obama Puts on a Great ACT -- As to "CLASS?" We Can't Say But... Forthrightness Has Zero to Do With It.

[silverweb]

5. Good.

Now let's get back to winning this race, defeating the reTHUGs, and getting the country organized/mobilized for the recovery process ahead!

GObama! _Dare to Dream_

[EmperorHasNoClothes]

6. Good move for Obama

I wish he had done this a month ago, but there you are.

[Nitrogenica]

7. Thank you. K&R.

Going negative represents the politics of the past, an ugly time, when those who stooped the lowest were rewarded.

THIS time going negative is not going to work.

Perhaps we should put our efforts towards supporting our candidate and discussing actual issues that matter, rather than simply tearing people down.

McSame is already pre-destroyed by the actions of the Republican party's failed ideology. Whomever they nominated would lose because the economy is going nowhere fast.

[lligrd]

8. His Bad Judgment Is Nothing Compared To Hillary's On The IR

vote. Now, that was some horrendous judgment that she still refuses to acknowledge.

[displacedtexan]

10. Sorry to burst your bubble, but that's just 1 reporter saying that.

Obama says that his purchase of the house and Rezko's wife's purchase of the lot
--on the same day-- are coincidence?

Here's my favorite Obama quote:

When asked whether he knew that Rezko's wife, Rita Rezko, had purchased the vacant lot, Miller wrote that "Obama said he didn’t know Rezko’s wife had actually purchased the lot until the Tribune broke the story."

And there are still more questions:

Chicago Sun-Times question: Would you have been able to buy the house if Rezko hadn’t stepped forward at that time to buy the lot?

Answer: "Yes. Absolutely. The transaction with the sellers had to do with the house. They confirm it here… The house purchase was negotiated between ourselves and the seller, it was not contingent on the lot. The lot had nothing to do with the sale of the house and the sellers confirm that. And that took place in negotiations between our broker and the seller’s broker."

Question: They said had to close the same day as the

Answer: "I understand, but they already had an option "

Question: So, how did Rezko jump ahead of the guy with the option?

Answer: "That I don’t know."

Question: You, your wife, attorney, realtor never related to the seller that you would have preferred that the lot was sold to Rezko?

Answer: "Never had that conversation."

Question: So you would have closed either way on the house?

Answer: "Either way we were purchasing the house if we agreed on the contract which we did."

When asked why he was involved with Rezko when his problems with the law had already developed, Obama said "the strip of land purchase from Rezko, ...was a bigger lapse in judgement because Rezko was known to be in hot water and was also a campaign contributor."

Carol Marin of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote March 15, 2008, that "Obama comes clean on Rezko ties at last." Silly, silly reporter. Has she not learned anything about Obama? Not even after he has literally run away from her and the cameraman while she's trying to ask him questions?

There's much, much more at Rezko Watch.

[BumRushDaShow]

15. Thy protesteth too much. n/t

[bhikkhu]

19. Not just one reporter - one substantial news organization.

This is good news, for both camps in my opinion.

Time to move on to the issues!

[PM7nj]

20. No, its the Tribune ediotrial board saying this.

[stillcool]

23. You are way behind the times...

try to catch up....
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-0316edit...
Obama speaks to the Tribune Editorial Board March 14, 2008

[BeyondGeography]

27. Rezko is done, now go pastorbate

[Coexist]

29. *snort*!

[Samantha]

32. The editor of the Chicago Tribune has twice discussed this case

and said there was no evidence Obama has done anything illegal. That paper has been on the investigation since its inception. It was reported for the first ten years of Rezko's prominent debut on the Chicago scene, everyone associated with him. There was no scandal attached. It was not until this century that allegations started surfacing. The only controversial association Obama has had with Rezko was the real estate deal, which Obama has omitted was "boneheaded."

This has never been truly a scandal. It's a story which the Clinton camp has hoped to create the impression was going to burst into a scandalous story any moment. By merely mentioning the name Rezko has repeatedly as it has, it hopes to automatically makes voters think "scandal" or "corruption" when merely hearing that name, and associating those words with Obama.

But anyone who has listened to the recitation of facts by the Tribune from the beginning has gotten a satisfactory explanation that there's nothing there.

[TexasLady]

35. I could never go to a Rezco watch or a Ferraro watch

type of site. Blech.

[stillcool]

11. Some awesome comments there...

especially the one about the sellers of the house.

[Pavlovs DiOgie]

12. Good!

Maybe we can put this behind us and discuss the issues. Just maybe...

[BumRushDaShow]

13. Thanks for posting.

Sadly there will always be some who won't accept that Fitzpatrick has no beef with him and now, neither does the Chicago Tribune and their dozens of reporters. They will still keep invoking the name like was done in the movie "Beetlejuice", hoping to suddenly have the devil himself pop out of thin air to point the finger when the name has been said enough times.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

14. and the reporters jobs now begin....you claiming Obama cleared is somewhat premature.......

I listened to the entire 80 minute interview and the reporters requested numerous documents from Obama that he has to hand over.

[BumRushDaShow]

17. Congrats! You just made my ignore!

[ElsewheresDaughter]

18. Go n-ithe an cat thú is go n-ithe an diabhal an cat.

[Coexist]

30. lol! he/she was already on mine!

[Divernan]

37. Mine, too! Who needs to read mindlessly repetitive bile/envy & hatred?

[Texas Hill Country]

16. Super - his HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER cleared him... i feel much better

[ElsewheresDaughter]

22. no that's not what they said...listewn to the 80 minute interview...link

http://www.suntimes.com/images/cds/MP3/031408obama3.mp3

[TheDoorbellRang]

25. Chicago Tribune is the Republican paper in town

So yes. It was an excellent choice for Obama to go to them.

[Cha]

33. Nothing will make you feel better but

some more koolaid..don't drown.

[Divernan]

36. The Chicago Trib is the GOP's answer to The New York Times

It has been a conservative Republican newspaper since well before it was delivered to our house every day back in the 1950's. It is a nationally prestigious paper - not like your weekly Hill Country hometown advertising/farm report/church social description "newspaper". The Tribune IS a bit less conservative than the Wall Street Journal, but it is first, last and always a Republican's paper.

It is EXCEEDINGLY impressive that the Trip has cleared Obama on the Rezko issue. Now let's see Hillary & Bill EVER sit down with a Republican paper and answer every question thrown at them.

[anonymeme]

21. Gee, I Wonder What He Paid The Trib to Wash His Slate -- He's Got Gazillions, You Know...

Gee, I Wonder What He Paid The Trib to Wash His Slate -- He's Got Gazillions, You Know... And I Wonder Where All Those Gazillions Came From... Don't You?

[stillcool]

24. Can't let it go eh?

You can always recycle the Muslim thing, no?

[anonymeme]

31. Why Let Go Before All the Dogs Are In?!

Why Let Go Before All the Dogs Are In?!

And This Has Nothing to With Any "Muslim Thing."

This has to do with a newspaper that has been on his case for almost a decade for connections with dirty stuff in politics, being willing to give him a pass this suddenly based on one sit down with him?!

I'm sorry, it doesn't wash.

[stillcool]

34. Does it ever? Wash that is?

[BeyondGeography]

26. One down, one pastorbation fest to go