The Chicago Tribune's John Kass: (via Instapundit)

The presumptive Democratic presidential candidate's politics were born in Chicago. Yet he is presented to the nation as not truly being of this place, as if he floats just above the political corruption here, uninfected, untouched by the stain of it or by any sin of commission or omission. It is all so very mystical.

Perhaps viewing Obama as a Chicago political creature would conflict with the established national media narrative of Obama as a reformer. Actually, there's no "perhaps" about it.
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[Obama is] a guy who, as we say in Chicago, won't make no waves and won't back no losers.

Obama the reformer is backed by Mayor Richard M. Daley and the Daley boys. He is spoken for by Daley's own spokesman, David Axelrod. He was launched into his U.S. Senate by machine power broker and state Senate President Emil Jones (D-ComEd).
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Why is Obama allowed to campaign as a reformer, virtually unchallenged by the media, though he's a product of Chicago politics and has never condemned the wholesale political corruption in his home town the way he condemns those darn Washington lobbyists [?]

Many people are aware that Chicago's political system is corrupt, but it is hardly ever described in a concrete way, especially by the national media.

Here's what you'll never read in the national media about the corruption in Chicago: In the last 36 years, since 1972, 27 Chicago alderman have been convicted of crimes. Not accused of wrongdoing, not just accused of lapses in judgment, not brought before an ethics panel for questionable dealings. Convicted of crimes. Sent to the hoosegow. Three more former alderman are currently under indictment.

To put this in perspective, there are 50 alderman in Chicago's City Council. If Chicago's level of corruption and number of subsequent convictions in its legislative body was replicated in the US House over the last 36 years, more than 200 congressman would have been convicted of crimes. All from the same political party.

But it's not just relegated to Chicago's city limits, nor the County of Cook. Since 1960, seven governors have been elected in Illinois; three of the seven have gone to jail.

And current Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojavich is presently under an ethical cloud due to startling revelations emanating from the trial of political fixer Tony Rezko.

And some wonder why many of us are totally skeptical of the national media's repetition of the 'Obama as change agent' theme.

A 'change agent' from Chicago? Are they serious?