Rezko trial could break Obama in Missouri

I believe it was Real Clear Politics that politically summarized Missouri as: St. Louis and Kansas City are Democratic, the rest of the state is Republican, it's that simple.

Much of the St. Louis metropolitan area spills into Illinois, and the Gateway City media diligently covers Illinois stories.

I spoke with an old friend who lives in St. Louis, and she says that the Tony Rezko trial is getting heavy play on the TV news and in the town's sole major daily, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Which of course means that people who don't closely follow politcs, but feel it's their duty to vote in presidential elections will get daily drips and drabs of Rezko, as well as an occasional reminder that the alleged political fixer was one of Barack Obama's first political sponsors. Of course the fact that Rezko played a key role in Obama's house purchase will come up here and there as well.

If Obama does win the Democratic nomination, he'll easily win St. Louis. But McCain might do a little bit better than President Bush did in the suburbs--and it could be because of Tony Rezko.

In 2000 and 2004, Bush narrowly won Missouri, and it will once again be a key battleground state this time around.

Technorati tags: Obama politics Barack Obama Illinois Election Democrats Tony Rezko corruption law legal McCain John McCain GOP republicans Missouri St. Louis