Corrupt Pennsylvania Machine Pol chides Corrupt Chicago Machine Pol

By Rick Moran

Considering the source, this is hilarious:

Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell today criticized Barack Obama for not being more upfront about the Illinois corruption scandal.

Now, he said, the story will continue to dominate the media’s attention.

“They have never been in an executive position before,” Rendell said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “The rule of thumb is whatever you did, say it and get it over with and make it a one-day story as opposed to a three-day story. Politicians are always misjudging the intelligence of the American people.”

Known for his blunt critiques of fellow Democrats, Rendell did not hold back during the interview.

The public, said Rendell, understands Obama and his aides would have an interest in who fills the Senate seat, and some contact with the governor's office — and that Obama should have said as much at the outset.

"Did Rahm Emanuel who took Rod Blagojevich's seat in Congress have contact with Rod Blagojevich? Of course he did," Rendell said. "They may have thought he was the craziest S.O.B. in the world. But you still have to have contact with him."

Rendell, himself a former big city mayor in charge of a corrupt machine in Philadelphia has little in the way of intelligent advice he can offer Obama. It would be like a high school coach giving instruction to Babe Ruth on how to hit home runs.

Note Rendell says little about the moral subtext at work - that Obama lied through his teeth when he said he was "unaware" of any contact between his staff and Blagojevich's office. It isn't the lie that's bad; it's not lancing a political boil that is the problem.

Pot meet kettle.