US Elections: Obama fairy tale has Chicago-size hole -- by John Kass
"I like Obama, but I won't apologize for comparing him to a kind and beloved faun. He is indeed the Mr. Tumnus of American politics, gently offering free tea and cakes to all Americans, all the free stuff that won't cost us anything (unless you're a taxpayer). His fairy tale doesn't begin in Kenya or Hawaii or Kansas or at Harvard. Obama's political fairy tale really begins in Chicago. That's where Obama's own real estate fairy loved to play in Illinois Democratic -- and Republican -- politics. Chicago is not really an enchanted land, unless you've got clout at City Hall, and then you can be white guys with mob connections and drink with Mayor Richard Daley at Como Inn at Christmas parties, and receive $100 million in city affirmative action contracts. And no Democrat -- not even our national change-agent Barack Obama -- would dare demand answers. Other Chicago fairy tales include the gangbanger who runs the corrupt Hired Truck program out of City Hall, and the 11th Ward hacks who broke federal law to create massive patronage armies of city workers -- improperly hired and promoted, for the express purpose of controlling local elections. Obama endorsed the mayor for re-election, and other machine hacks, including Cook County Board President Todd Stroger, a Daley puppet and political disaster. This upset some local reformers.
One fairy tale that touches close to home for Obama (literally, Obama's home) is the story of his real estate fairy, the indicted fixer Tony Rezko, who helped the Obamas buy their dream house. Rezko is scheduled to stand trial in late February in Chicago, on federal political corruption charges that worry Democrats and Republicans. His lawyers on Tuesday tried to stall the trial -- saying there was too much evidence to process -- but they failed. Hillary did better than expected in New Hampshire, but to win she'll still have to rip Barack's fairy tale to shreds. And the Clintons (hopefully)know how to do that.
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