* The New York Times has taken major notice of Tony Rezko. There isn’t a whole lot new in the story, but it’s significant because the DC/NY media pack usually follows the NYT’s lead on such things. Here’s part of the story…

By 2004, Mr. Rezko’s pizza restaurants were in trouble, and creditors were suing him. Yet after the Obamas bid $1.65 million for their house in January 2005, Mr. Rezko got involved. Mr. Obama has said that he mentioned the deal to Mr. Rezko.

People familiar with the transaction said that the sellers did not want to close until that June 15, and that the sale would go through only if someone bought the adjacent lot from them on the same date. Rita Rezko paid $625,000 to outbid others for the lot and later sold the Obamas one-sixth of that land, for $104,500.

After The Chicago Tribune reported the transactions last November, Mr. Obama said he had acted ethically, though it had been a mistake to let Mr. Rezko do anything that could be seen as a favor.

The disclosure came four days before Michelle Obama was to appear as a special guest at a charity fashion show organized by Mrs. Rezko. Mrs. Obama attended, though others there said it seemed a bit awkward.

* I usually try not to criticize opinion pieces because everyone has a right to their own opinion. However, this segment from today’s John Kass column on Obama just makes no sense…

During his years in the Illinois State Senate, Obama’s mentor was another party boss, state Sen. Emil Jones (D-ComEd). And Jones still snaps to attention whenever the real governor of Illinois, state Sen. James DeLeo (D-How You Dooin’), calls on the phone. He knows Obama too.

First, if DeLeo was indeed the “real” governor, we wouldn’t be in overtime session right now. The guy knows how to cut a deal and gets along with pretty much everyone.

Second, Emil Jones doesn’t snap to attention for DeLeo. Jones kicked DeLeo out of SDem leadership years ago for disloyalty (DeLeo was accused of plotting a coup), and only brought him back in after DeLeo made repeated amends and proved he could and would be loyal. If there’s any snapping to attention going on, it’s being done by DeLeo. Jones and Jones alone runs that caucus, and it’s obvious that he doesn’t listen to much advice.

And why wouldn’t DeLeo know Obama? The two served in the Senate together. I don’t see the point there.

Creating your own mythical political world for literary purposes can be a lot of fun and genuinely entertaining. But that was a little much.