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Obama is positioning himself against the Chicago Machine (the Blagojevich, Bobbie Rushes of this world)...again. He’s siding with the Democrat caucus. Of course, Burris wasn’t one of the “chosen” on Obama’s list. So this isn’t necessarily surprising. But it still pits him against the Machine that runs Chicago and Cook County.

Here’s an interesting sidelight I don’t know if I told you before. Back last August my wife’s corporation ran her annual store inventory (usually held in August). As usual, they bring in a contracted “team” from Chicago to do the counts while my wife’s store crew, aided by other area store managers, oversee the event. Most of these crew members are Blacks from Chicago.

During an afternoon break, my wife overheard crew members discussing the upcoming election. To a man (or woman) they were dissing Obama, saying things like “what makes him qualified to be president” and such. Not a lot of love lost between them and Obama.

Obama may be a product of the Chicago Machine. Don’t doubt that. But he isn’t necessarily a member in good standing. And this is part of the Obama/Blagojevich dichotomy. Obama owes the Chicago Machine for past favors. Is he again showing his individuality? And what will that mean in the future?