Obama being asked what did he know and when did he know it

First he supposedly discussed the disposition of his soon to be vacant Senate seat and then he did not, according to conflicting statements from Barack Obama and his transition team.

Not a propitious start to the president-elect's response to the fact that Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevitch was arrested this week for allegedly conspiring to 'sell' a Senate seat.
Especially in light of Obama's political support of Blagojevich in the past.

The direct result of this mixed response can be found in posts such as 7 Blago questions for Obama.

While the Republican National Committee is ecstatic according to the New York Daily News:

And they are singing. Here's the release Alex Conant sent out this morning:

All - In light of the arrests in Illinois today, please recall the below points:

Obama Has Advised The Blagojevich Campaign And Endorsed Him For A Second Term:

Obama Advised Blagojevich On His Victorious Gubernatorial Run. "That year, [Obama] gained his first high-level experience in a statewide campaign when he advised the victorious gubernatorial candidate Rod Blagojevich, another politician with a funny name and a message of reform." (Ryan Lizza, "Making It," The New Yorker, 7/21/08)

Obama: "If the governor asks me to work on his behalf, I'll be happy to do it." (John Patterson, "Senator Says He's Still Willing To Help Blagojevich Despite Hiring Concerns," Chicago Daily Herald, 7/27/06)

Obama Endorsed Blagojevich For A Second Term. "Obama, who endorsed Blagojevich for a second term nearly 18 months ago, said he's ready to help Illinois democrats in the upcoming elections." (John Patterson, "Senator Says He's Still Willing To Help Blagojevich Despite Hiring Concerns," Chicago Daily Herald, 7/27/06)

Obama: "We've got a governor in Rod Blagojevich who has delivered consistently on behalf of the people of Illinois." (Deanna Bellandi, "Illinois Democrats Talk Unity But Don't Show It," The Associated Press, 8/16/06)

It seems that The Chicago Way may yet come back to haunt the Obama presidency and, it's quite possible that damage control is already geared towards a plea deal with Blagojevich so that the case does not go to a full trial where claims and speculation could drag Obama's name further into this tangled web.

All of which will make Obama's scheduled press conference later today rather interesting.