When I first saw then State Senator Barack Obama speak at the convention in 2004, I was delighted to see and hear the inspring voice of a new generation of democrats begin their ascent.

Frankly, Sen. Obama’s ascent has been too fast and with too little scrutiny.

I fear that the expectations he raises, redemptive as they are in scope, are bound to fall far short.

But those expectations seem likely to be enough to earn him the nomination this year.

Like every successful candidate (bar George H W Bush) in the last forty odd years, Obama markets himself in the familiar “outsider”, “feelgood” package. This is not new, but in Obama’s case it is more accelerated; starker than with any candidate I can remember.

The zeal of his acolytes in unfathomable. Sen Obama, to put it bluntly, is more celebrity idol, then Commander in Chief. All charisma, no content.

His supporters paint him as a Jimmy Stewart, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington kind of guy. Unlike Mr. Smith, however, Sen. Obama has hardly brought the corrupt old boys network to its knees since he got to Washington three years ago. How could he? He’s been far too busy running for the Presidency.

His ascent has been meteroic, but meteors do crash and burn.

My first real problem with Sen. Obama was his dishonest response the day after Sen Clinton hit him with the Tony Rezko charge.

Here’s what the local news in Chicago said about the Obama-Rezko connection nearly a YEAR ago - in April of 2007

Obama claimed that he had done about five hours work - which was on behalf of a “church group” that brought him into contact with Tony Rezko.

Then he did the Bush-Abramoff gambit, “he gave money to lots of candidates”

The when confronted with the oddness of the real estate deal in Hyde Park, his people first suggested it was all a coincidence, then admitted Obama had actually viewed the property with Rezko.

Although Obama supporters are quick to say that the Senator had paid the full market price, no one has yet given me any explanation why the Rezko’s would buy the adjacent lot and then keep it vacant??.

This compilation from CNN and Brian Ross at ABC after Clinton’s charge and Obama’s lame defense also bears watching:

Babies, Whitewater, which was never much of anything, was nothing -NOTHING - compared to this.

The Senator’s supporters are quick to echo his defense, “Everybody makes a mistake now and then” or “It was a bone-headed move.”

Sorry, guys, this is a steaming pile. If you think we’ve heard the end of it….

SECOND

Obama constantly misrepsents his funding base, so you’d think it was millions of little old church ladies sending in their widow’s mite.

Really?

Then explain this:

Or This:

That data comes from the Open Secrets website and it represents official filings as of Feb 1 of this year. Go to originals here and here

When confronted with the very business-as-usual reality of Sen. Obama, his supporters wave their hands with a dismissive “But everybody does it.” Yes, but doesn’t that admission defeat the whole raison d’etre of the Senator’s campaign?

To see where a candidate stands on the issues, visit Issue2008