Obama talks to Chicago Sun-Times reporters, Tribune editorial board about Rezko: UPDATED

In seperate interviews yesterday, Barack Obama, who did not have a good Friday, spoke with some Chicago Sun-Times reporters, and the Chicago Tribune editorial board.

I've listened to about half (it's late) of the Sun-Times audio, which is here. For the first twenty minutes, Obama summarizes his seventeen-year relationship with the indicted Democratic political insider. The entire recording lasts 80 minutes.

From the Chicago Sun-Times:

Rezko could have donated as much as $250,000 to Obama's campaigns over the years -- much more than the $60,000 to $70,000 Obama's campaign initially estimated, Obama said.

"Rezko was not my largest fund-raiser but a significant fund-raiser" on his campaign for U.S. Senate, Obama.

Obama estimated a total of $170,000 was raised by Rezko, he said. Could it be more than $170,000, Obama was asked. When pushed, he said it could be as high as $250,000.

He was pushed by a reporter who cited the Chicago Tribune report that the Rezko-related cash could have been $250,000. Obama added that the total, higher than any previous Rezko estimates, goes back to Obama's state Senate campaigns.

Obama reveals that Rezko donated $10,000 in each of those contests.

From the Chicago "free registration required" Tribune:

Obama disclosed Friday that someone else already had an option to buy the garden lot. But he said Rezko took over that option after Rezko learned Obama was bidding for the house. Obama said he knew next to nothing about those transactions and does not recall when he learned that Rezko was interested in buying the side lot—or even how Rezko learned it was for sale.

But they talked about the upcoming sales. "He said, 'I might be interested,' " Obama recalled. "My response was, 'Well, that would be fine.' "

Back to the Sun-Times.

Carol Marin presses Obama hard about the appointment of Rezko on his US Senate campain fundraising committee, even though at that time, Marin adds, "it was common knowledge that Rezko's properties were a mess." Marin, who tried to chase Obama down 11 months ago to answer some of the questions that were only answered yesterday, mentioned that Ald. Toni Preckwinkle, said the problems with Rezko's buildings "were common knowledge." Obama disputes that claim, saying he wasn't aware of the "Rezko mess" and besides, he reasons, correctly by the way, that building code violations are a municipal concern, not something the state legislature gets involved in.

Fine. Well, not really. Rezko was a major financial player not only for Obama, but Governor Rod Blagojevich as well. About a dozen Rezko apartments were in Obama's state Senate district. It's hard to fathom Obama didn't know, even considering code enforcement is something city officials look after.

Obama's judgement, which is supposed to be his key selling point as a candidate, really has to be called into question. Again.

Obama also talks about the controversy involving his (I guess) former spiritual adviser, the Reverend Jeremiah Wright, but said nothing of consequence that he didn't state during his interview last night with Major Garrett on Fox News.

More later today.

UPDATE 8:15AM: The Chicago Sun-Times has a PDF file of the entire interview. In the latter segment, there's more talk about the Rev. Wright, Rezko of course, straw donors, and interns. Joseph Aramanda was one of those straw donors, according to the transcript. His son John was an Obama intern in 2005. A Sun-Times reporters says to Obama, "We were told he agreed to make the straw donation in exchange for the internship..."

Obama replied, "That was not something that was ever brought to my attention."

Aramanda, former Rezko business associate, has not been accused of any wrongdoing. In the original Rezko indictment, the person referred to as "Individual D" is believed to be Aramanda.

What was not brought up by the Sun-Times reporters? Obama's relations with two other controversial early Obama supporters: former Weather Underground terrorists Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn.

Technorati tags: Obama politics Barack Obama Illinois Election Democrats Chicago Tony Rezko corruption Sun-Times Chicago Tribune Jeremiah Wright