Obama talks a lot, but answers little

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March 4, 2008

LYNN SWEET blogs.suntimes.com/sweet

SAN ANTONIO -- As Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) closed a combative press conference on Monday, where he was thrown seriously off message being asked about influence peddler Tony Rezko and why his campaign at first denied his economic adviser Austan Goolsbee met the Canadian consul in Chicago and talked about NAFTA, some reporters -- me included -- wanted him to take more questions.

"Guys," said Obama, who is campaigning on a platform that there should be more government transparency. "I mean come on. I just answered like eight questions," he said as he waved and left to a chorus of shouted questions.

I could see why Obama wanted to wrap it up. On the day before crucial votes in Ohio, Texas, Rhode Island and Vermont that could make him the Democratic presidential nominee, Obama, for the first time in his campaign, was facing two potential landmines.

It was just Obama's luck that by coincidence on this particular day he had a contingent of Chicago journalists to deal with who are not, well, shy because we have covered Obama for years. I was there, as well as Sun-Times political columnist Carol Marin and CBS2 political reporter Mike Flannery.

Rezko's federal corruption trial started Monday, and there are still basic questions Obama and his campaign have not answered about their relationship. Rezko was an Obama fund-raiser who figures in the deal that let the Obamas buy their Kenwood home.

Let's leave aside a running disagreement over whether Obama will sit down with the Chicago investigative reporters who are most familiar with the details of the Rezko story. Monday was a new day.

At this press conference, Obama was asked specifically a few of the more simple questions about his relationship with Rezko, including how many fund-raisers he hosted (one has been reported), who attended these fund-raisers and would he disclose the closing documents for his home.

At first he made it seem it had all been asked and answered. But I was at the one press conference he referred to -- in Waukegan in November 2006 before the election, just after the initial wave of stories came out on the house deal.

"You may still have questions, which I am happy to answer," Obama said to Marin, adding it is not fair to "suggest somehow" he has been trying to hide something.

Soon after he said, "If there is a specific question that you have, Carol, I'll be happy to respond to it."

Obama added as the press conference progressed, "If there are specific requests in terms of information that you feel that you don't yet have, we will be happy to talk about that."

And then there was the fourth happy. "If there is a specific question that you have, I am happy to respond to it."

For all the happy talk, nothing was forthcoming on Monday.

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Edited March 4, 2008 by illumine

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[garya505 2]

You aint seen nuthin yet. Wait til Obama gets the nomination!