Despite promises of transparency and openness, Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama has deliberately been opaque about his past and beliefs, carefully crafting his own story in his autobiographies The Audacity of Hope and Dreams From My Father while sealing his own academic records and often voting a noncommittal "present" as an Illinois state legislator.  Instead of questioning him and demanding the promised transparency and openness, the media have gone along with Obama, devoting their investigative passions to his opponents' alleged sins, eg, the maternity of Governor Sarah Palin's Down Syndrome child and Senator John McCain's alleged mistress.  Coming up empty, they accepted Obama handouts without question while continuing to entertain the most outrageous speculations about McCain and Palin.  And Obama's past associates, if they are troublesome like proud terrorist Bill Ayers, minimize their connection to him while the good guys...(Read Full Post)