Barack Obama is a man running for President on the rationale that he has good judgment. Not good judgment in an average cool headed sort of way, but supremely good judgment. In fact better judgment than anyone else running for President.

Barack Obama also seems to have a fine and quite picturesque family. Good for him. You don’t really choose your family though, but you do choose your friends. Choosing friends is an excellent way of displaying, among other things, your judgment. Not for nothing is it said that you know a man by his friends.

Let’s talk about some of Barack Obama’s friends.

A new tool for people following Obama’s Rezko-gate is now available. Thanks to the efforts of esteemed citizen journalist B Merryfield the resource RezkoWatch is now alive and kickin’.

RezkoWatch is a truly comprehensive overview of the reporting on Obama’s Rezko-gate. It seems so far that every major news story of any importance to the case is easily accessible at RezkoWatch. As is other important documents, the indictments, the prosecutors’ outlines etc.

And more is certain to come...

It is important to stress that Barack Obama is not accused of any legal wrong-doing. What is of interest regarding Obama’s long relationship with Rezko is Obama’s ethics and judgment. Or rather the perceived lack thereof.

For a background on Barack Obama’s relationship with Tony Rezko look here.

What has happened today is that Obama, for the very first time, surfaces in the corruption trial itself. Says the Chicago Sun-Times:

Few American politicians call forth such feelings as Hillary Clinton. For many of us she’s our hero, we admire her gusto, her wit and her sharp mind. Hillary Clinton is an inspiration to men and women around the globe.

To others nothing they can say of Hillary Clinton is too harsh or too negative. Just take a look around here at DailyKos, especially in the comment sections. Some people’s statements on Hillary Clinton are virtually vibrating with negativity. Much of it would be rendered unacceptable commentary if it concerned any other person but Hillary Clinton.

This is a dangerous development. People can get used to anything. Repeat anything often enough and it sooner or later becomes part of the normality. As we’re getting accustomed to the negativity, the malignity and the hate – we slowly stop seeing it for what it is and slowly start to accept it as normal political discourse.

We really shouldn’t.

The other day fellow diarist (and fellow Clinton supporter) Berkeley Vox mentioned that with the Rezko trial under way the vetting of Obama begins:

After getting a free pass from the mainstream media until now, front-runner Barack Obama is finally getting vetted.  ABC News has aired the following story on Obama's relationship with indicted slumlord Tony Rezko: abcnews.go.com.

This sort of begs the question: Who is this Tony Rezko fellow anyway and why would his relationship with Barack Obama be of any interest to us?

The facts on the ground are:
• that Obama as a Presidential candidate has promised a more ethical approach to government.
• that Obama and Rezko go a long way back together.
• that the dealings between Obama and Rezko say something on Obama’s ethics when his ethics are put to a test.
• and also that Obama’s and Rezko’s transactions tell us something of Obama’s chances in the General Election in November, should Obama be the nominee of the Democratic Party.