Oooops! Rezko raised at least $250,000 for Obama

First, it was $60,000. Then the press discovered it was closer to $150,000. Now Obama himself admits that indicted Chicago fixer Tony Rezko raised $250,000 over the years for his campaigns:

Trying to put his past with Antoin "Tony" Rezko behind him, presidential candidate Barack Obama on Friday said he never thought the nowindicted Chicago businessman would try to take advantage of him because his old friend had never asked for a political favor.
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But in a 90-minute interview with Tribune reporters and editors, Obama disclosed that Rezko had raised more for Obama's earlier political campaigns than previously known, gathering as much as $250,000 for the first three offices he sought.

Obama also elaborated on previous statements about his private real estate transactions with Rezko, saying they were not simply mistakes of judgment because Rezko was under grand jury investigation at the time of their 2005 and 2006 dealings.

"The mistake, by the way, was not just engaging in a transaction with Tony because he was having legal problems. The mistake was because he was a contributor and somebody who was involved in politics."

If Tony Rezko raised all that money and never once asked for a favor in return as Obama solemnly claims, I would like to nominate Mr. Rezko for living sainthood.
 
Obama's 90 minute interview with the Tribune is revealing in that he now says he had "several lapses in judgement" in his dealings with Rezko rather than one, simple "boneheaded" mistake as he has claimed previously.

And some of Obama's answers regarding the real estate deal that brought him his house with Rezko's help raise other questions because the candidate's implausible statements call into question his integrity.

Trying to lance a boil, Obama may have opened the floodgates.