"Guys, I mean come on. I just answered like eight questions."

With those few words, Barack Obama ended a Texas news conference where he had come under tough questioning about influence peddler Tony Rezko from (Chicago)Sun-Times columnists Carol Marin and Lynn Sweet and (Chicago)CBS2 reporter Mike Flannery. In fact, Obama dodged the questions.

Contrast Obama's avoidance strategy to John McCain's response to what was universally considered a shoddy New York Times story. It alleged two disillusioned McCain aides eight years ago thought he might have had a romantic relationship with a lobbyist. McCain met with reporters and took every question they had about...

"Guys, I mean come on. I just answered like eight questions."

With those few words, Barack Obama ended a Texas news conference where he had come under tough questioning about influence peddler Tony Rezko from (Chicago)Sun-Times columnists Carol Marin and Lynn Sweet and (Chicago)CBS2 reporter Mike Flannery. In fact, Obama dodged the questions.

Contrast Obama's avoidance strategy to John McCain's response to what was universally considered a shoddy New York Times story. It alleged two disillusioned McCain aides eight years ago thought he might have had a romantic relationship with a lobbyist. McCain met with reporters and took every question they had about the article.

Obama is lucky the Rezko affair is a Chicago issue with which national reporters are unfamiliar. And, given what's known today, it's hard to see how the Rezko case could wound Obama's political ambitions. But for that reason, it's hard to understand his reluctance to answer questions from the Chicago investigative reporters who know the Rezko issues best.

Maybe that's something Democratic superdelegates ought to consider as they ponder whether to declare for Obama now or wait to make a decision closer to the Democrats' August convention. They need to know that he will be the strongest candidate for November. In addition to the Rezko issue, Hillary Clinton in recent days has succeeded in raising questions about Obama's experience, his credentials to be commander in chief and his stance on NAFTA. Obama had the momentum going into Texas and Ohio and outspent Clinton two-to-one, but lost.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/huntley/830209,CST-EDT-hunt07.article

The Great Non Sequitur By Charles Krauthammer

After months of fruitlessly shadowboxing an ethereal opponent made up of equal parts hope, rhetoric and enthusiasm, Clinton had finally made contact with the enemy. The doubts she raised created just enough buyer's remorse to convince Democrats on Tuesday to not yet close the sale on the mysterious stranger.

The Obama campaign has sent journalists eight pages of examples of his reaching across the aisle in the Senate. But these are small-bore items of almost no controversy -- more help for war veterans, reducing loose nukes in the former Soviet Union and the like. Bipartisan support for apple pie is hardly a profile in courage.

On the dif...

The Great Non Sequitur By Charles Krauthammer

After months of fruitlessly shadowboxing an ethereal opponent made up of equal parts hope, rhetoric and enthusiasm, Clinton had finally made contact with the enemy. The doubts she raised created just enough buyer's remorse to convince Democrats on Tuesday to not yet close the sale on the mysterious stranger.

The Obama campaign has sent journalists eight pages of examples of his reaching across the aisle in the Senate. But these are small-bore items of almost no controversy -- more help for war veterans, reducing loose nukes in the former Soviet Union and the like. Bipartisan support for apple pie is hardly a profile in courage.

On the difficult compromises that required the political courage to challenge one's own political constituency, Obama flinched: the "gang of 14" compromise on judicial appointments, the immigration compromise to which Obama tried to append union-backed killer amendments, and, just last month, the compromise on warrantless eavesdropping that garnered 68 votes in the Senate. But not Obama's.

Who, in fact, supported all of these bipartisan deals, was a central player in two of them, and brokered the even more notorious McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform? John McCain, of course.

Yes, John McCain -- intemperate and rough-edged, of sharp elbows and even sharper tongue. Turns out that uniting is not a matter of rhetoric or manner, but of character and courage.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/03/do_you_really_know_obama.html