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December 11, 2008

Regarding Obama's 'muteness' on corruption in Illinois

Topics: Political News and commentaries
John Fund's WSJ piece today on Obam's muteness relative to Illinois' corruption call's attention to John Kass's pointing to the national media's "almost willful" fantasy that Barrack Obama and Chicago's political culture have little to do with each other. Curiously, his piece ends with a solicitation to Obama for a few words on bringing lasting change to the rampant corruption in Illinois, and especially in Obama's home town, Chicago:

[...] Mr. Kass notes that the media devoted a lot more time and energy to investigating the inner workings of Sarah Palin's Wasilla, Alaska, than it has looking at Mr. Obama's Chicago connections.

To date, Mr. Obama's approach to Illinois corruption has been to congratulate himself for dodging association with it. "I think I have done a good job in rising politically in this environment without being entangled in some of the traditional problems of Chicago politics," he told the Chicago Tribune last spring. At the time, Mr. Obama was being grilled over news that he bought his house through a land deal involving Tony Rezko, a political fixer who was later convicted on 16 corruption counts. Rezko is mentioned dozens of times in the 76-page criminal complaint against Mr. Blagojevich.

Mr. Obama has an ambiguous reputation among those trying to clean up Illinois politics. "We have a sick political culture, and that's the environment Barack Obama came from," Jay Stewart, executive director of the Chicago Better Government Association, told ABC News months ago. Though Mr. Obama did support ethics reforms as a state senator, Mr. Stewart noted that he's "been noticeably silent on the issue of corruption here in his home state including, at this point, mostly Democratic politicians."

One reason for Mr. Obama's reticence may be his close relationship with the powerful Illinois senate president Emil Jones. Mr. Jones was a force in Mr. Obama's rise. In 2003, the two men talked about the state's soon-to-be vacant U.S. Senate seat. As Mr. Jones has recounted the conversation, Mr. Obama told him "You can make the next U.S. senator." Mr. Jones replied, "Got anybody in mind?" "Yes," Mr. Obama said. "Me."

[...] Mr. Obama says he plans to return often to Chicago as president. "Our friends are here. Our family is here. And so we are going to try to come back here as often as possible," he told the Los Angeles Times this month. Perhaps during one of those trips he could find time to forthrightly address the corruption issues that the state will be sorting through in the weeks and months ahead. A president has a powerful bully pulpit. A few words from Mr. Obama could force real and lasting change in Illinois.

It seems to me that the only thing that's been more mute than Obama on the corruption in Illinois is the media's "muteness" on Obama's attempts to hide from his participation in the Chicago political machine's corruptness. I also get the feeling that asking Barack Obama to use the bully pulpit to help clean up Chicago is like asking the old fox to talk to the young fox about eating up fewer chickens.

Else, help me out here, am I missing something?

Very much related: Typhoid Barry (Lest we so easily forget who and what Obama really is!)

Posted by Richard at December 11, 2008 8:02 AM

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• Regarding Obama's 'muteness' on corruption in Illinois - Dec 11, 2008