Somehow, despite the close personal financial dealings between Barack Obama and Tony Rezko, the presidential candidate has avoided any significant political damage from the connection.

Not so another Democrat rising star.

As the corruption trial of the political fund-raiser Antoin Rezko winds to a close here, testimony about power-brokering at the highest levels of state government has battered the career of an Illinois politician who once had his sights set on the White House.

When the trial began two months ago, national attention focused on how Senator Barack Obama of Illinois might suffer because of his connection to Mr. Rezko, a former patron who made a fortune on fast food and real estate.

But it is Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich, an ambitious chief executive who has not been charged and denies any wrongdoing, who is left flailing in the wake of weeks of testimony. His name and administration have surfaced repeatedly, described as a participant in the kickback schemes of which Mr. Rezko is accused.

While Mr. ObamaÂ’s campaign for the presidency has been dogged by questions about Mr. Rezko, the fallout for him has so far been slight. Mr. Obama, who has not been accused of any crime, donated money that was raised for him by Mr. Rezko to charity and said he regretted what he called his bad judgment on a property sale between their families.

Granted, the accusations against Blagojevich are pretty damning, and ought to damage any politician. But when you consider that when Barack Obama goes home he does so to a place that he owns because of a sweetheart deal with a corrupt insider, I remain amazed at the lack of damage that has been done to him by the financial connections between the two. Maybe Geraldine Ferraro was on to something a couple of months back.

But there is another question Americans should be asking -- given the throughly corrupt nature of Illinois politics over the last decade (and Chicago politics over the last century), does the election of an Illinois Senator from Chicago make any sense?

Posted by: Greg at 10:23 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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