A major corruption scandal in President-elect Barack Obama's home state of Illinois is an unwelcome opportunity for him to prove he can manage a crisis that threatens to detract from his new administration's bid to confront the economy and other challenges. If inquiries and accusations touch Obama aides, even tangentially, his political foes will try to paint him with the broad brush of dirty Chicago politics. At a minimum, that would annoy and distract a new president. The Illinois city, Obama's hometown, has a reputation across the United States for underhanded political activities. If Obama's associates get dragged in as witnesses, or if FBI wiretaps turn up embarrassing conversations, related to the current scandal or not, it could be worse. On the other hand, if Obama can further his image as a political helmsman who navigates polluted waters without getting wet, as he generally did during the presidential campaign, he can endear himself all the more to those who see him as an agent of change and high-minded government. In short, Obama must show that while he is from Chicago's political world, he is not a part of it. He made every effort to do that at a news conference Thursday. Obama acknowledged an unsavory history of Illinois politics that involves “wheeling and dealing, and `What's in it for me?”' But he said he is living proof that “you can get elected by doing the right thing. That's what I hope we have modeled in this campaign. And that's what I intend to model in my administration.” For now, Obama's chances of skating unscathed past the scandal surrounding Gov. Rod Blagojevich seem reasonable. He could not have asked the federal wiretaps to pick up a more helpful line than one on page 66 in the criminal complaint, which alleges the governor schemed to sell Obama's vacant Senate seat to the highest bidder. Obama's associates, a foul-mouthed Blagojevich was caught saying, are “not willing to give me anything except appreciation.” He dismissed them with a vulgarity. Republicans, including presidential nominee John McCain, have tried before to besmirch Obama by linking him to shady Chicago politics, with little success. Antoin Rezko, a former Obama friend, fundraiser and adviser, was convicted in June on charges of using influence with Blagojevich's administration to seek kickback payments. Trial testimony raised new questions about Blagojevich, but Obama was accused of no wrongdoing, to the dismay of Republican operatives. Obama seems to have a knack, or the good luck, of knowing how far to push friendships and influence. Blagojevich apparently took for granted that the president-elect would offer favors to steer his former Senate seat to an associate. Under Illinois law, the governor has full authority to name a senator to serve out Obama's term. Some powerful politicians indeed aspire to play king-maker in their states. But evidence so far suggests that Obama had little if anything to say about who would succeed him as he looked ahead to his presidency. That is not to say that Obama is home free. The criminal complaint says Blagojevich wanted an unnamed Obama adviser to help raise millions of dollars for a planned nonprofit group. It does not suggest anything came of the plan, but does not say so explicitly. Obama said Thursday he was “absolutely certain” that “our office had no involvement in any dealmaking around my Senate seat.” But he raised questions about how he could be so certain when he said he plans “to gather all the facts about any staff contacts that I might – may have – that may have taken place between the transition office and the governor's office.” Moreover, unintended consequences sometimes stem from government wiretaps and subpoenas that lift the curtain on supposedly private conversations and actions. Former President Bill Clinton was never charged in the Whitewater Arkansas property affair, but the federal inquiry led to the unrelated Monica Lewinsky scandal and Clinton's impeachment. The Blagojevich criminal complaint appears hastily drawn in some respects, and it is possible that more wiretapped communications will surface. If they involve Obama associates, even in seemingly innocent roles, it could fuel drama and headlines for months as the new administration tries to settle in. Washington lawyer Solomon Wisenberg, a former deputy independent counsel in the Whitewater investigation, said, “the president-elect potentially is a witness if he or any of his emissaries had pertinent conversations with the governor.” Obama indicated Thursday that no such conversations took place. Still, Republican leaders have indicated they plan to use Democrat Blagojevich as a cudgel against as many Democrats as possible. “Every Democratic and labor union official, whether in Illinois or in their national organizations, who has spoken with the governor or his aides about this US Senate seat should step forward and immediately make public the full details of those conversations,” said Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, who is heading the Republicans' Senate campaign efforts in 2010.
