The Washington Examiner just published a ten-part series on "The Obama You Don't Know" focusing  on his career in Illinois in ways that the mainstream media never did in 2008 or afterwards.

A brief summary of the series can give readers a flavor; further reading can give them insights into the whys and wherefores of Barack Obama's style of Cook County politics and how he has brought that sordid type of politics to the rest of America.

I found the section on pensions interesting since State Representative Obama was able to pressure state groups to funnel pension money to big donors (such as major Obama bundler John Rogers, Jr. -- who, after racking up very poor returns for years was eventually fired -- and America wonders why Illinois and its pensioners are in a major-league fiscal mess).  I wrote about this invisible scandal back in May, 2008 in "More Chicago Way Politics from Obama"). Valeria Jarrett and other assorted landlords in poor neighborhoods will not enjoy the portraits painted of them, either.

Among the victims, poor blacks who help expose "the Obama You Don't Know".

From the introduction:

"Beyond the spin and polls, a starkly different picture emerges. It is a portrait of a man quite unlike his image, not a visionary reformer, but a classic Chicago machine pol."

Chapter 1: A childhood of privilege, not hardship

Michelle Obama says "Barack and I were both raised by families who didn't have much in the way of money or possessions." In fact, for much of his life, Barack Obama has enjoyed privileges and opportunities denied to most Americans.

Chapter 2: Myth of the 'rock star' professor

Though initially popular as a University of Chicago Law School adjunct lecturer, he was not ranking among the top professors, according to student evaluations.

Chapter 3: The 1997 speech that launched Obama

His 2004 Democratic National Convention speech got the big headlines, but a previously unreported 1997 Obama speech did far more to launch him with big backers with big bucks.

Chapter 4: For the slumlord's defense, Barack Obama, Esq.

It was a frigid January and the slumlord who put his tenants on the street without going through the required eviction process got off with a $50 fine. His lawyer went on to be elected president of the United States.

Chapter 5: Obama's toughest critics on the Left

Long before he ran for president, radical critics accused Obama of selling out Chicago's poor to the Daley political machine.

Chapter 6: The poor people Obama left behind

Altgeld Gardens housing advocate Hazel Johnson welcomed the young Obama into her kitchen. Then she never heard from him again after he won his first election.

Chapter 7: The myth of Obama as state senate reformer

When the real reformers asked for his help, State Sen. Barack Obama was nowhere to be found.

Chapter 8: Obama's state pension fund scheme

It worked for Rev. Jesse Jackson against the Fortune 500, so State Sen. Barack Obama used it to get millions for his friends from Illinois' biggest public employee pension funds.

Chapter 9: Obama's Arab-American network

Syrian emigrant Tony Rezko had lots of Arab-American friends in the Chicago business community who shared his enthusiasm for Barack Obama.

Chapter 10: Obama brings Chicago politics to Washington

Surprised by Solyndra? Don't be, it's just one of many examples that demonstrate Barack Obama is doing things in Washington the same way he did them in Chicago.