...It depends on the meaning of fiscal.
..................................Blue Dress by Rezko..................................
• Fact: Antoin "Tony" Rezko goes on trial on February 25th -- facing federal charges of attempted extortion, money laundering, and fraud. He is being prosecuted by Patrick Fitzgerald. (If you're wondering how comprehensive and vigorous Fitzgerald is as a prosecutor - just ask Irv "Scooter" Libby and Judith Miller...)
• Fact: The Chicago Sun-Times has just reported that Obama is the unnamed "political candidate" referred to in the 78-page indictment which outlines the federal prosecutors case against Rezko
• Fact: Rezko was Obama's Political Godfather from 1990 onwards and personally contributed and/or raised donations in excess of $200,000 for Obama's political campaigns. Obama has so far returned or donated to charity over $85,000 of that money "in an abundance of caution"
• Fact: As recently as June 2005 -- and long after Rezko was publicly known to be under intense investigation by a federal grand jury for major corruption -- Obama entered into a cozy sweetheart deal with Rezko to help him buy his new home. Obama purchased his new Chicago house for $300,000 BELOW THE ASKING PRICE. And ON THE EXACT SAME DAY -- Rezko (for some reason using his wife to conduct the transaction) purchased the "adjoining lot" from the same seller AT THE FULL LIST PRICE. Then a few months later, Obama purchased some of this "adjoining land" from Rezko for a bargain price in order to "extend his yard." Since there was no fence that divided these "two separate lots" -- Obama was then ordered by Chicago authorities to build a fence for $14,000 to delineate the new property line of what had apparently been a single property (until Rezko purchased half of it). Under pressure to explain his actions when they came to light -- Obama characterized his judgment on this transaction as "boneheaded".
• Fact: When challenged in Monday night's debate about his relationship to the political benefactor who bankrolled his start in politics in 1990 and has contributed sizable funds to every one of his political campaigns since -- Obama referred to his friend of 18 years as just "this individual"
• Fact: The Republican election machine may be heartless -- but it sure ain't stupid. This story has been widely reported in both of the major competing Chicago newspapers - the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times -- but scarcely covered by the national media. Until now. It was almost entirely ignored during the national media's Obama Honeymoon. Something that will end on February 25th -- if not sooner. Unless effectively and factually torpedoed immediately, this story will be haunting Obama for a long time. Certainly through the November elections that are so vital for the Democrats to win.
• Fact: In discussing how and why the GOP could beat either Obama or Clinton in the November election, Republican National Committee Chairman Mike Duncan is quoted in The Hill on January 24th as making an indirect reference to what he called "Obama's questionable ties to indicted businessman Antoin Rezko, who has contributed to Obama campaigns."
NONE OF THE ABOVE IS A REASON NOT TO VOTE FOR OBAMA
But all of the above IS a reason for Democrats to insist on an immediate, full and comprehensive public disclosure by Obama of all his dealings with Rezko for the past eighteen years -- so that he can PROVE that there is nothing that could damage the Democratic Party if he is privileged to be our presidential candidate.
We have seen what happens when fundamentally decent people -- such as Michael Dukakis, Al Gore and John Kerry -- are Swiftboated. They become ineffectual candidates. And they become raw meat for the Republican rottweilers.
We have also seen what happens when the Republicans tried to Swift-Boat the Clintons in the 1990s and the 2000s. Whatever else you say about them -- the Clintons totally cleaned their clocks. Bill and Hillary Clinton have stood up to the GOP attack machine -- and defeated it in every national election in which they have been the candidates. (Which is one of the reasons the GOP fears a Hillary Clinton candidacy and is doing everything in its power -- below radar -- to encourage Democrats to NOT select Clinton.)
I personally believe that Barack Obama is a fundamentally decent young man.
What I don't know -- is whether he can PROVE definitively that there is nothing in this appalling Rezko scandal and the criminal trial of his friend, political benefactor and contributor that will damage him -- or more importantly -- the Democratic Party.
We saw what happened when the GOP tried to make Whitewater into a scandal. And there was not a single criminal act there. But it took 8 years to prove that.
And I don't know if Obama has the guts, cunning, skill and experience to wage the brutal war against the Republicans that will have to be fought to win the White House from them. They are NOT going to just give it up.
We have had lots of fundamentally decent candidates in the last half-century..
• Adlai Stevenson• Hubert Humphrey• George McGovern• Walter Mondale• Michael Dukakis• Al Gore• John Kerry
We need someone who can WIN
The fate of America is in the balance.
The candidate we choose is the last thing standing between us and a Republican President appointing the next Supreme Court justices who WILL overturn Roe versus Wade.
And much much more..
Suggested Reading:
• Longtime patron may be a problem for Obama - Los Angeles Times - January 23, 2008• Obama surfaces in Rekzo's federal corruption case - Chicago Sun-Times - January 20, 2008
• An Obama Patron and Friend Until an Indictment - New York Times - June 14, 2007
• Rezko cash triple what Obama says - Chicago Sun-Times - June 18, 2007
• Obama still answers for old ties to Rezko - Chicago Tribune - April 24, 2007
• The Chicago Sun-Times' questions, and Obama campaign's answers - Chicago Sun-Times - April 23, 2007
• On Rezko, mistakes and being held to a high standard - Chicago Sun-Times - November 7, 2006
• Obama & The "Slum-Lord": Smear Or Time-Bomb Scandal? Martin Lewis on Huffington Post - January 22, 2008
• Obama's Faustian Bargain with Antoin 'Tony' Rezko - Taylor Marsh on Huffington Post - January 23, 2008