Man Of Conviction

IBD ^ | June 5, 2008

[Kaslin]

Campaign '08: Obama's shady real estate partner and benefactor has been found guilty of mail fraud, wire fraud, aiding and abetting bribery, and money-laundering. Obama called a deal he made with him a "boneheaded move." So would be electing Obama president.

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Tony Rezko was the classic influence-peddler and the patron saint of the old politics that Barack Obama claims he wants to change. The 16 of 24 counts of which Rezko was convicted Wednesday accused him of corrupting two state boards and using his influence in the administration of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to squeeze cash from firms seeking state business. Yet Obama chose to do business with him.

Sen. Obama has described Rezko as just a "guy in the neighborhood." But like so many of Obama's associations, they run long and deep and indicate a disturbing lack of judgment. Rezko was a player in the shady world of Cook County politics that the Ivy League and Hawaiian prep-school graduate needed to advance in.

Like his association with that bastion of bigotry, Trinity United church, this was another politically expedient move. Obama knew of Rezko's troubles long before the real estate deal and has admitted as much. But Rezko was a mover and shaker in Chicago politics, and Obama wanted to move and shake things. It was the cliche of going along to get along.

[kittymyrib]

B. Hussein has a favorite excuse when his friends are exposed for being crooks or racists. He says that they are not the person he knew...after 20+ years of being friends.
If he is such a poor judge of character, why does he suppose he can talk with our enemies? He is obviously clueless as to people and their motives.

[Salvation]

Might be good to put Obama-Rezko in the title.

I thought this was about someone else.