In rsixing's defense, I don't see the use of "sort of" as equating to "a similar systemic corruption problem that Illinois has...." I really don't.
Actually, perhaps let me be a bit more exact to explain why I had an issue with it. And it was further backed up in his next post showing what i thought was true...he was just trying to get back the "other side".
Lets say you have a kid in a family. Lets say that a load of his brothers and sisters all have spent time in jail. Then lets say both his dad has spent time in jail and brothers/sisters on both his mom and his dad's side have spent time in jail. His cousins as well. Then lets say even his grand parents and some of their siblings have spent time in jail.
Now, not EVERYONE in the family has a history of it...but a great great many of them do, and not just his immediete family but his extneded as well.
That does not necessarily mean that that kid is going to end up doing criminal things...but it may make those familiar with that family have doubts about him.
That family is kind of like Illinois politics, and Obama is the kid. Doesn't mean that Obama is corrupt, or has some dark streaks from his time there...but it makes some familiar with Illinois politics have some doubts.
Then lets have another kid, whose parents, siblings, and the majority of their familiy has stayed out of trouble. Perhaps a few misdameanors here or there but nothing real bad save for say an uncle close to the family that has been to jail.
That family is kind of like Alaska in comparison to Illinois politics, with the uncle being Stevens and the kids being Palin.
They're not "sort of alike" in any real way save for a common link that at least SOMEONE in the family has had some big law problems. But that's like saying someone with 1 dollar is "sort of" like someone with 100 dollars because he has at least 1 dollar in common with the 100.
No one was playing "guilt by assossiation" with Obama to just this governor. All the talk was about "Illinois Politics" in general. And none were saying Obama WAS guilty, but it made you wonder about him because SO MUCH of Illinois political structure is filled with corruption. That isn't "sort of" like condemning Palin due to the corruption of one single person in her state.