Why won't President-elect Obama, Illinois' native son, comment on the Presidential pardon that Democrat Senator Dick Durbin is recommending for our former Governor, Republican George Ryan?  I'll get to that in a minute.  Let me first give you a little background.

Even before Al Capone, Illinois politics had established a reputation, and it's not good.  Don't get me wrong, we have some honest politicians, but you know our reputation; all you have to say is Chicago politics and the jokes start from there. For example:

The Pope, Richard Nixon and Mayor Daley in are in a lifeboat, lost at sea. Unfortunately, they only have enough drinking water for one person. The three of them decide to vote to determine who should get the water. They vote, and Daley wins 6 to 2.

In the last three decades, we've had 3 Governors go to prison.  In the 70's and 80's it was Otto Kerner (D); and Dan Walker (D). Then, for over a decade, three Republicans Governors kept Illinois solidly blue and ran the state fairly well; the third Republican, and most likely the last Republican Governor Illinois will see for some time, George Ryan, sits in prison, and Illinois is solid blue.

It took complacency on the part of the Illinois GOP, who for years didn't have to fight to win any election; but also the City of Chicago, which is now nearly a separate state, full of Democrats.  You can win nearly every downstate county, but if you lose the Chicago vote, fogetta about it.

Now, as President Bush readies to leave office, just as every out-going President, he begins granting pardons.

Our last Governor, Republican George Ryan, is sitting in federal prison.  He has served one year of his 6 and one half year sentence.  Of all people, Democrat Senator Dick Durbin, not known for his sympathy for Republicans, is recommending Bush give Ryan a pardon.  So what's up with this? 

Could it be the Democrats are setting the stage for current Governor, Democrat Rod Blagojevich, who's under investigation and may face prison time himself?

John Kass, Chicago Tribune columnist and one of my favorites, has an interesting column in today's paper about Obama's non-stance on the George Ryan Presidential pardon issue.

It's a good thing for George Ryan that he is just a crooked Illinois politician behind bars hoping to get sprung by the Illinois Combine, and not some corrupt governor in Kenya relying on the Masai Combination or whatever they call it over there.

President-elect Barack Obama would never stand for such a thing.

Not if it happened in Kenya, he wouldn't.

He'd denounce the Free Ryan Express. And he'd denounce it loudly and angrily, as he's done before with other kinky stuff.

But he'd do it in Kenya.

Not in Chicago, or Washington.