"Don't think we're not keeping score, brother"

As we learn the details about how former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich sought to trade influence for money, Karl Rove's OP ED about Obama's Chicago roots is well timed. While Obama may be keeping score of votes (ironic for a career littered with present votes), he's asleep at the wheel in counting debt.

From Rove's piece:

"White House Budget Director Peter Orszag's bewildering response when asked by a reporter last week about increasing federal debt. He said, "I don't know what spiraling debt you're referring to."

The clinical term is cognitive dissonance. Apparently, Messrs. Obama, Orszag and Co. have actually convinced themselves that every other financial projection is wrong.

Sounds familiar. If you'll recall, the Flobee trimmed former governor in December:

"I will fight this thing every step of the way," Blagojevich announced at a raucous press conference this afternoon in Chicago. "I will fight. I will fight. I will fight."

Blagojevich added that he had "done nothing wrong" and said he had no plans to step aside from his post simply due to "false accusations and a political lynch mob."

No matter taped phone conversations, Blago was playing by Chicago rules, quoting Kipling and ignoring that the train was completely off the tracks. In Chicago, they keep score of favors, and Blago had IOU's to cash in.

Meanwhile in D.C., Obama may have a better haircut, but he still plays by the same rules. Spoiler alert, in a Cabinet full of tax cheats and Chicago pols they're not going to make it 4 years without someone going to jail.