Reuters today went right to work on distancing Barack Obama from accused Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Its piece, "Obama seen untouched by Illinois governor charges," starts:
President-elect Barack Obama's decision to keep a distance from his state's governor, who was arrested on corruption charges on Tuesday, should enable him to escape becoming tainted by the scandal, analysts said.
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich stands accused of trying to sell the president-elect's vacant U.S. Senate seat for financial and other personal benefits for himself and his wife, among other charges.
And who precisely are these analysts expecting Obama to avoid the connection?
The first one cited is "political scientist Dick Simpson of the University of Illinois in Chicago." Although it's not reported, Simpson is a former Chicago Democratic alderman who ran in two Democratic primaries for Congress and has been "an Alternate Delegate Candidate in Bill Bradley's Presidential campaign in 2000, Chairman of the Issues Committee for Carol Moseley Braun's Presidential Campaign and as a surrogate speaker for John Kerry for President in 2004."
The next analyst used by Reuters is also a Democrat:
"Obama had the good sense to stay far, far away from Blagojevich and all of his people," said Democratic consultant Dane Strother.
Exhausting its investigative resources, Reuters found yet another authority to quote:
Jay Stewart, director of the Better Government Association, a Chicago watchdog group, agreed: "This is all about Rod, it's not about the president-elect," he said.
Stewart's former boss was quoted two years ago as saying of Blagojevich:
"He's always been a person who's honest and one of integrity. I have confidence the governor does the right thing all the time."
Gathering insightful analysis from unbiased, objective analysts, Reuters tells us Obama is seen as untouched by the latest Illinois Democratic scandal.
So now we can get back to important business, like thanking Obama for all that hope and change the Nation is reveling in.
