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* 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.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 9:52 am
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Rich
As you say, Kass is entitled to his opinion, but I also found senseless his underlying premise that the national media will beat down Fred Thompson but will ignore Obama’s past indiscretions because he is a democrat. That is getting to be a tired canard of all conservatives. I am pretty sure that if Obama gets the nomination or even appears to be getting close to Hillary the right-wing echo chamber that is Fox News, the WSJ op/ed page and the wingnuts on radio will be full of sounds of Rezko. Hell, Rush will probably get a flunky to write a parody song about him. Kass is getting tired and has pretty much worn out his welcome.
Comment by Tom Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 10:03 am
Are we REALLY surprised that as the primaries get closer, the NEW YORK times is doing hit pieces on some non NY candidates?
Not that it bothers me in the least, but HC has some serious firepower on her side, and it is starting to open up.
Comment by Pat Collins Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 10:17 am
Everyday Kass. His obsession with the Combine he virtually invented has been tiresome for a long time now.
Comment by steve schnorf Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 10:28 am
Amen, Steve.
Comment by jaundiced eye Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 10:56 am
There is a Combine, and it consists of wishy-washy with ethics Thompson, Ryan, and Blago types. Kass takes it a little far sometimes but his point is well taken.
Comment by Tom Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 11:04 am
One day Kass will get the Pulitzer, and he’ll get the last laugh….Hahahahaha
Comment by Ron Burgundy Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 11:05 am
Don’t forget, in Kass’ fantasy world, Mayor Daley has mob enforcers following Kass around and menacing him and his family.
Kass continues to embarrass himself with his ridiculous fantasies and partisan slant.
Royko used insight and intellect punctuated with cynical wit to deliver his columns. Even when critical, they were always readable.
Kass employs fiction and sarcasm so caustic that even [in those rare instances] when he’s on target, he’s tough to take.
Comment by Buck Turgidson Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 12:07 pm
Well said Buck.
Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 12:11 pm
Better to get all this hollow guilt-by-association stuff out in the open and thoroughly debated now. We know (I think) most of Hillary’s skeletons but the press and public are still looking into those of Edwards and Obama.
Rezko played both sides of the aisle including, as that NYT story notes, Bush 43. Curiously, we don’t see conservative partisans running around screeching about the Rezko-Bush ties.
Comment by Rob_N Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 12:12 pm
Actually it was some of James Duff’s tough guys who harassed Kass in a restaurant several years ago.
Comment by Tom Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 12:16 pm
Kass is a loudmouthed punk. Typical Scabune employee.
Comment by Bill Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 12:23 pm
Memo TO Journalists:
Being freindly with a politician is OK,
Being freinds with a politician is bad for
your objectivity.
Youse shoulda known that.
Comment by headsupchicagoland Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 12:27 pm
Neil Steinberg said about 90% of what Kass writes is pure b.s. He said this on the radio with Steve Dahl. Take it as you will.
I gotta agree. The guy, Kass, just seems to make things up to fit his “perspective”.
As for Steinberg he ain’t much of a writer either. I wouldz be, if not for my problems with syntax, spellinz, and alcohol.
The thing that amazes me is that two of the better political writers in town, Kadner and McQueary, write for da Daily Southtown. They are as good or better than anyone at the Sun Times or da Tribune. Although, Mark Brown and Carol Marin do have their moments.
Comment by irishpirate Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 1:00 pm
He is trying to imply mob stuff, Kass is obsessed with the mob
Comment by Tanya Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 1:13 pm
Rich, I like the way you call out Jack Kass here today, but I’d like it even better if you did it in the Sun-Times!
Comment by Punley Dieter Finn Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 1:42 pm
Generally, the Obama- Rezko “stuff” has been blown out of proportion by the local media, particularly the routine Rezko letters that surfaced in the Sun-Times. As I said yesterday, it’s much ado about nothing at all.
I agree that the real estate deal on his home with a sleazy operator like Rezko constituted an instance of questionable judgment. But I have seen nothing that suggests that Obama has done anything illegal or corrupt or compromised his obligations as an elected offical by virtue of his longstandiong acquaintance with Tony Rezco.
We all know that Illinois is not a good government state. Bipartisan corruption has flourished everywhere forever. I don’t understand why Kass and many others insist on blaming Obama for the vagaries of local politics and politicians.
I predict that Obama will weather these innunendos, irrelevant attacks, and charges of implicit guilt by association with various and and sundry local politicians - rightfully so since he has done absolutely nothing wrong.
Democratic foes and Republicans may try to “swift boat” Obama, but nothing will stick because he is likeable and smart and ultimately will prove to be a Teflon candidate.
I concur with Kass’s observation that Barack Obama is almost certain to be the next Democatric VP nominee, if he doesn’t win the Presidential nomination.
Comment by Captain America Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 1:57 pm
I don’t think it really matters because Hillary will get the nom.
Comment by Ferdy Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 2:16 pm
Putting Kass and Royko in the same sentence is a sin and a slap to the late Mr. Royko.
Kass and Jay Mariotti. Now those two can be used together in the same breath.
Comment by Papa Legba Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 2:24 pm
A lot of your writers seem to forget that U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald is indicting everyone in sight, including Rezko. Chicago and the State of Illinois is rife with corruption. So go ahead and pretend it’s not happening, but Kass is pretty much on the money as far as I can see.
Comment by chief Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 3:20 pm
Kass was right about the Combine and continues to be, although he selectively leaves out a lot of the biggest players in it (Mike Madigan being one). Unfortunately, as several of the folks on this page have noted, his sorely-needed voice is diminished by his repetitiveness and heavy-handed sarcasm and name calling.
If you could combine Mark Brown’s insights and writing style with Kass’s bulldog focus on corruption and influence peddling, you’d finally have a Chicago columnist that politicians would fear.
Comment by North by Northwest Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 4:12 pm
obama’s relationship with Rezko is more long and
complicated than obama has owned up to. now the
NYTimes has put the pieces together for us. and
for those who believe they are behaving like
a homer paper for Hillary, spend some time in
New York and you will see no where near the
bootlicking that we have here in the Barack bubble. those who knew of Rezko back in the early days, and who chose not to be involved with him,
know the guy is dicey. and who should have known
better than his lawyer. Barack, you can’t be both
smart and dumb at the same time. it may be
more of the same to us in Illinois but Barack
is selling clean nationally. no more.
Comment by amy Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 5:20 pm
3 Things you can’t do much of up in here: 1)Seriously criticize Obama;
2)Poke fun at the Irish; and
3)Knock anything Daley too hard and long.
Everybody else is OK.
Comment by Ignatius J. Reilly Thursday, Jun 14, 07 @ 6:48 pm
Those angry with Kass tend to hate him because he writes about corrupt figures they love. Steinberg hates him because he is a jerk who has to find someone to hate in addition to himself.
Comment by Tom Friday, Jun 15, 07 @ 12:53 am
Should be “…because Neil is a jerk…”
Comment by Tom Friday, Jun 15, 07 @ 12:55 am
[…] Saturday, June 23rd, 2007 in Media by robnesvacil A week ago the New York Times (reg. req.) ran a story rehashing a bunch of dirt that we Illinoisans all already knew about Sen. Barack Obama, chiefly noting his ties to indicted businessman and bipartisan political gadfly Tony Rezko. Fair enough. Such stories have been circulating Illinois media for years so it’s little wonder the NYT would pick it up and run with it as they begin focusing on the presidential candidates. As Rich Miller pointed out, the Gray Lady didn’t reveal much new info but the article was interesting in that the rest of the national media often follow in the NYT’s footsteps, and according to Mr. Miller they did. […]
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