Friends In The Wrong Places

Hoorah for the bold young son of Illinois. Barak Obama has been crowned as the second coming of Democratic power, the man who will be king....er, president. Sorry. Go on with you, I'm not the first to make such a slip of the tongue.

The coronation is largely the product of those outside of Illinois who don't quite understand how things work in the Land of Lincoln. Mr. Obama is smart, well-educated and erudite, but it's not what you know but who you know that counts in politics here. Unfortunately for the politicos who seek the crock of gold at the end of the rainbow, their treasure has a bit of tarnish.

According to a story in the second section of the Chicago Tribune, the Obama family has done well. The missus earned a hefty rise in pay, and there's not one who believes her salary is entirely based on merit. Such is the state of the world in Chicago and its environs. Then there was the book, a memoir most successful, and Mr. Obama had plenty of cash to move his family into bigger digs. Which he did, of course. He bought a lovely Victorian, right off the register of historic places, but he could not afford the back yard that was once part of the estate.

It's nice to know who your neighbor might be when there's an empty lot so close to your fence. It turns out that, on the very day the Mr. and Mrs. Senator from Illinois purchased their million dollar pile, Mr. and Mrs. Tony Rezko picked up the available parcel adjoining. Don't know who Tony Rezko is? Ah now, if Barak Obama decides to toss his hat in the ring, you'll be hearing plenty about Mr. Rezko.

Folks in Illinois know all about the unfortunate man, who is currently under federal indictment for shaking down those who would do business with the State of Illinois. They also know that he's a very close friend of the governor himself, who is dodging the strokes of the brush that would tar him as well. As it turns out, Mr. Obama is also a friend of Tony Rezko. Mr. Rezko has donated pocket loads of cash to the Obama campaign coffers. Mr. Obama will be returning it all, by the way. The proceeds of extortion, and all...dirty money does not sit well with the electorate.

At any rate, the Obamas and the Rezkos had a lovely relationship as regards the parcel. When the Obamas wanted to put up a fence, the Rezkos sold them a strip of property so that the fence could be erected further away from the house. Mr. Obama pays to have the empty lot mowed, although he expects to get around to sending Tony a bill eventually. It's a wrought iron fence, by the by. That's of great significance in Chicago, where influence peddling and sweetheart deals have revolved around wrought iron fencing, but that's another story for another day.

Those who would dance in Illinois must take to the floor with some unsavory partners. It'll get them elected at the local level, but once an opponent on the grand ballroom floor displays the cast of characters behind Mr. Obama, he won't seem so grand anymore. It's all about who you know, isn't it, and who you wish you didn't have to acknowledge.
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