Wow. Guess it's time to take Fredo out on the boat, then?

I didn't think that slight was nearly as a bad as !) e-man invo0king Clinton with the comment OB realizes "this is not all about him" and 2) O'malley. Martin STFU-it was cold out there! Nobody came to hear you.

Would you step into someone’s home – someone that supported you in your campaign to achieve personal greatness at a time when others were riding you off and literally hoping for your demise -- even if that homeowner was accused of doing something illegal and distasteful (but that had not yet been proven guilty) – and not at least acknowledge that homeowner? Particularly after acknowledging the homeowners in the neighboring “homes” you visited that same day, in front of all the world to see?

Not only was President-elect Obama's obvious snub of Mayor Dixon petty and uncool, but more fundamentally it showed a disrespect for her and her staff, who went to great lengths to make his visit in Charm City a welcome one, and it showed an inexcusable disregard by a respected attorney, legal scholar, and champion of community and grassroots efforts of perhaps the most important principle of our legal system: An accused person -- any person -- is innocent until proven guilty.

Didn't we vote to get rid of eight years of petty, unprincipled politics? Is this the message that the incoming President wants to send to start of his tenure? Is this what the folks that voted for him should expect?

On-the-ground impression: I was amazed by how many people were willing to wait int he cold for four or five HOURS to see President-Elect Obama only to snap on their phones once he arrived to chat with friends or family at home---completely oblivious to the words coming out of his mouth. I guess I shouldn't be too surprised.

FSK - Obama was entirely within his rights to avoid someone who passed 4k in cash to an employee to deposit in his personal account to then pay her amex bill. Forget the other stuff. That smells worse than a fish kill! I'm proud of him for avoiding any appearance of connection with her. He doesn't need her stink on him.

And you want to talk petty? How about taking gift cards meant for the needy? That's petty.

I thought the snub was interesting and part of why I watched the speech, but it's not a big deal.

There's innocent until proven guilty and there's knowing that praising her 3 days before taking the office of President of the United States could possible derail the momentum he's hoping to build. Can you immagine Fox News and Rush running with that? It's a distraction that would hurt America. Anyone in Baltimore that feels bad for her should get over it. She'll get her day in court just like everyone else and until then she made her own bed with this mess.

Obama did the right thing, the same way he has steered clear of his home-state Gov. Blagojevich and his former pastor Jeremiah Wright. This is nothing new in how Obama does business. That's why I voted for Obama. Keep your nose clean. Many of us are tired of shuck-and-jive politics where indictments and charges of political corruption are winked at and dismissed as 'part of the territory' by preachers and supporters.

This is a time that Americans, and especially politicians, need to start taking personal responsibility for their actions and not put themselves in compromising positions. These politicians are not retarded. Most of them are highly educated and law school grads. They know what the rules are. They know their every move is being watched by law enforcement and the media and yet they still take foolish chances because they are rich with ambition and greed and criminally deficient of integrity, morality and character.

Their political mode of operation is to keep the electorate 'dumb, blind and stupid and they'll never know they can have better.' Give them sand and convince them with flattery and attention that its water and they'll drink it.

I welcome this new day in American politics. May God be with President Obama.

Cool or not, when you are days away from being sworn in as President, you cannot afford to be linked to lawbreakers, or suspected lawbreakers.

I wish that someone would advise our governor that quoting poetry at length may encourage comparisons to the soon-to-be ex-governor of Illinois.

Obama was entirely in his rights. Dixon was allowed to at least view him from the VIP section. What I found that was another in your face move on Dixon's part was that she was wearing a fur coat. Now I'll give her the benefit of a doubt and not say that was "the" mink coat that mysteriously dissapeared, but it's one of those things that make you go, "hhhmmmm"

Do you think the President-elect said at the end of his speech "let's get out of here" out of fear Dixon would try to sprint down to the other end of War Memorial Plaza for a photo op?

Who would want to be near a person that stole gift cards for the needy?