The Rod Blagojevich trial is under way.  This is going to be a real circus.  The first witness, Alonzo Monk,  on the first day was bad for Blagojevich.  But, this witness may be even worse for Obama:

http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/US-Blagojevich-Trial/2010/06/09/id/361562

The problem with this testimony is that it clearly reveals who Tony Rezko is and how he operated.   That is devastating for Obama, because he had a close personal relationship with Rezko.  Rezko even lived next door and cut a sweetheart deal so Obama could get his pretty new house.  Recall that he is now serving time for corruption.  Nice neighbor!

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4315880&page=1

It seems pretty obvious that Blagojevich is guilty as sin.  There are, after all, all those tape recordings.  But, Blagojevich’s attorney is arguing that this is just typical Illinois politics and since they can’t prove that he got any actual money, it was not illegal.  In other words:  “this kind of quid pro quo is ok, as long as there no actual dough received as part of the quo.”  There is the problem for Obama.  In effect the Blagojevich defense is that he didn’t do anything different that what was done by and for Obama.  He has a point! 

So far the main stream media has taken the position that none of the allegations about Obama matter because this is just politics.  But, the testimony by Blagojevich’s aide shows that with Rezko involved, it is hard to imagine Illinois politics without corruption.  In order to believe that Obama is not personally corrupt, you have to believe that Rezko treated him differently than he did anyone else.   

At some point the odor of corruption emanating from Obama has to be somewhat noticeable even by the olfactory challenged main stream media.

TDM