Obama's Schedule Still Leaves An Opening

Much ado is being made in the blogosphere and the online media about the apparent lack of an Indiana stop on Obama's schedule for Saturday. As I read the schedule, his big rally at the Old State Capitol in Springfield is not scheduled to begin until 2:00 p.m. That leaves a lot of unscheduled time earlier in the day. It's a mere 3-hour drive from Bayh's old hometown in Shirkieville, Indiana to Springfield, Illinois, not that I'm suggesting such an event would be scheduled at the last minute. A couple of people on the stage last year when Obama made his announcement at this same spot will not be on hand this Saturday. That includes Gov. Rod Blagojevich and Illinois Senate President Pro Tempore Emil Jones, both of whom are tied to corruption scandals in the Land of Lincoln. Blago says he was invited but won't attend to avoid muddying the waters. No word on why Jones is skipping the event. We know Rev. Jeremiah Wright won't return. He was held up in the basement of the Old State Capitol last year when Obama decided at the last minute he wasn't fit to stand on the same stage with him. We know how that relationship ended.