Is it possible for the Obama camp to make a statement? Or, if the rumors of Rahm's involvement are true, will they be forced to keep quiet?

"put that flag up" sounds like SEIU guy was thinking "red flag" at Blago's suggestion.

This story gets stranger as the day draws on. Seriously. How many other groups/people are going to come forward now to claim they had not connection to this...?

Giving Chicago pols a bad name. Or a justified one, depending on your point of view.

"... floated to the SEIU official the idea of him heading a lucrative non-profit organization... "

Is it just me, or does "lucrative non-profit" sound funny? I'm sure people are paid to manage an organization like this, but, is there really any indication that the job pays a salary that is in excess of what would be thought to be a just compensation?

Using a similar standard, would it be fair to call this "lucrative" characterization as "salacious"?

I think Obama doesn't come out of this with any real damage, but I'm still disappointed, and here's why:

Basically we know that this SEIU fellow, this emissary of Obama's preferred candidate, was sent to talk to Blago, without explicit instructions to the effect of "if Blago proposes some corrupt scheme, tell him to blow it out his ass."

Instead, Blago proposed a corrupt scheme, and the SEIU fellow said "OK, I'll check."

Now there is obviously a world of difference between "OK, I'll check" and "Yeah, sounds great," but I think we should expect enough from our leaders that "Blow it out your a$$" should be the only acceptable response.

I know there are many complicated factors here: why needlessly anger someone you want a favor from? Why anger someone powerful from your home state, who may know all the dirt that exists on you? Etc. etc.... those are all true. But still.

Having written this, it occurs to me that we are probably seeing the "behind the scenes" Obama at work here. It has all the hallmarks of Obama: the careful pragmatism, the willingness to play the game (or at least sound like you're playing) but the scrupulous avoidance of anything that could stain his reputation.

To have your emissary say "OK, I'll check" and then (one imagines) someday return to Blago to say "sorry, no deal" -- that is about as low-key, no-drama as you get. No Drama Obama. Someone who knows how to play the players, and come out of it smelling like roses. Someone who will bend just enough to make you hallucinate that he agrees with you, but will scrupulously avoid specifically saying anything committal.

It's a peculiar sort of influence he is wielding. As a strategy it's kind of brilliant, and also deserves close and continued scrutiny.