The thing about this issue is that it’s simply a case of bribery pure and simple so most folks don’t have any trouble understanding it. Obama and company can try to thread the needle by claiming that what they offered wasn’t exactly a “job” but that ain’t going to fly from a PR stand point.
Even if it got to trial zero would win because his defense would be “It didn’t affect the outcome. All I was trying to do was help my personal choice.”