Whether president-elect Obama likes it or not he is inextricably tied to the alleged corruption charges against Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.  Until proven otherwise there is a perception of guilt by association as there has been with a number of other Obama associations.

Throughout the presidential campaign we  have commented on the associations that Obama has had and continues to have that we have had grave concerns about.

And now before he is even president of the United States, he is linked to a major corruption investigation about the very Senate seat that he is vacating to become President of the United States.

To say the least, it is a distraction to a president-elect.  However, this is the politics that he has, in very short order, risen from.  It’s the Chicago political machine.

And now today Obama’s chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel refused to take questions from reporters about whether he was the Obama ‘advisor’ named in the criminal complaint against Gov. Blagojevich.

It is unreasonable to think that Obama himself, or a staff member, would not have made contact with the Governor’s office for it was he that had the power to make the selection of his replacement in the Senate.  And to think for one moment that Obama would not want to influence this appointment would be naive.

Nevertheless, Rahm Emanuel said when confronted, “You’re wasting your time,” Emanuel said.  “I’m not going to say a word to you.”

His excuse was that he was spotted  in the lobby of Chicago’s City Hall where he was there to listen to his two children performing in a concert with their school.

Two hours earlier he was absent from Obama’s news conference in the morning, which was quite unusual.

Emanuel and another close advisor, David Alexrod both came out of the Daly political machine in Chicago.

The complaint states Blagojevich wanted a promise of a high-level appointment or some other reward for Blagojevich in exchange for Blagojevich naming Obama’s friend Valerie Jarrett to replace him in the US Senate.

No one in the Obama campaign or administration has been charged with any wrongdoing.  Obama said that none of his staff has had a hand in any deal making on his Senate replacement.

And to date the news media has made it clear, giving the president-elect some space,  that they do not believe Obama is involved.  However, this investigation is in its infancy and my analysis is that this alleged corruption is so complex and widespread with multiple ‘candidates’ for a Senate seat that was allegedly up for sale, there is much more to play out.

Now that Blagojevich is between a rock and a hard place, you can be sure he is looking for the least personal damaging way out, likewise Tony Rezko, associations all of Obama’s.

The way out for all of the folks mentioned, is plea bargaining — this may not give our president-elect the credibility he should have as an incoming president.

The tentacles of this alleged corruption appears to be far reaching, and will reach into Obama’s present staff, and into the future White House affecting credibility of the administration.

It seems to me that the sooner Obama heads-off  this crisis the better it will be for him, his administration and the United States.  If he continues to be as evasive as he has been on this issue it will not bode well for him, his administration or we the people.