The Chicago Tribune has been selling papers for the last 16 months by repeatedly publishing different versions of the same Obama Rezko story, usually characterized by an inflammatory or inquisitve headline, something like "Obama and Rezko:  Any Wrongdoing?" The story itself was always a tease, basically concluding nothing untoward known AS OF YET.

Obama sat down with 36 Tribune reporters for 90 minutes on Friday.  As a result, the paper finally declares that there is NO WRONGDOING.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-0316edit1mar16,0,2616801.story

I think what the Tribune has done is essentially fair.  As an ex-Chicagoan, I know that 9 times out of 10 in these cases, where there's smoke there's fire.  However, I do think the Tribune has been a bit tabloid about the whole thing, and I think certainly that a cursory review of Obama's critics shows that there are alot of people out there pretending that there was a crime. 

I was thinking this weekend that it's hugely important that Obama supporters counter this smear, and every other one already introduced or yet to come.  This kind of thing is going to keep happening.  If you truly believe that Obama represents real change, then you must intelligently conclude that there are elements of the established political and media structure that will fight him with everything they've got.  Let's remember that this is about people-powered politics.  There are plenty of people out there smearing and spreading misinformation and outright lies.  Personally, I'd like to do whatever I can to fight against that sort of thing; however, I don't quite know what that means apart from posting on message boards.  If you're like-minded and you've got ideas or advice, please post them here, and please get this story out.