Like we said, the White House is being run by Chicago

Edward Luce of the Financial Times has an incredible article up on Barack Obama's White House, an absolute must-read for all Obama Watchers. Luce talked with dozens of Obama's allies and discovered that the old Chicago gang is running the show in Washington. Of course, we told you that months ago, but it's great to see a journalist finally do some legwork on this. Luce found that, other than the president, the people who command the president's attention are Rahm Emanuel, David Axelrod, Valerie Jarrett, and Robert Gibbs. This Gang of Four has unprecedented power in Washington. Luce writes:

"And barring Richard Nixon’s White House, few can think of an administration that has been so dominated by such a small inner circle."

With the exception of Gibbs, the members of that inner circle are all old cronies from Chicago.

"The president, who is the first to keep a BlackBerry, rarely holds a meeting, including on national security, without some or all of them present."

Emanuel used to be a congressman, but how the hell do the other three know anything about national security?

Luce also reveals that Obama's cabinet members are often shut out in favor of his Chicago dream team, particularly Emanuel who has alienated many others in the administration with his bullying and profanity.

John Kennedy trusted his talented brother and attorney general Bobby. Richard Nixon was advised most closely by the brilliant Henry Kissinger. George W. Bush turned to Dick Cheney and Condoleeza Rice. When Barack Obama needs advice about governing, he turns to three old Chicago hacks and a pompous press flack from Alabama.

Obama's wish is granted: Illinois Senate heir is long-time crony

Remember the Blagojevich scandal? Valerie Jarrett, Rahm Emanuel, and Mr. Blago himself were all caught on tape plotting to sell Barack Obama's Senate seat. As far as we know, Blagojevich wanted money while Jarrett, Rahm, and Obama wanted something else: a loyal crony to keep the seat warm in Obama's absence.

It looks like they'll get their wish. The Democratic nominee to run for the seat in 2010 is an old Democratic pol entangled in the slimy web of crooks and cronies that lurk in Barack Obama's Chicago.

His name is Alexi Giannoulias. So far, he's received the most flack for his boneheaded management of Bright Start, a state-run Illinois program that helps parents invest for their kids' college bills. The program ultimately lost $85 million. But as with any Obama Chicagoan, there's always cronyism in addition to incompetence. Giannoulias is a close friend of Obama's. The two of them both broke into major league Illinois politics in 2006, Giannoulias as the state treasurer and Obama as a senator. They were friends and played basketball together.

Giannoulias was Blago's treasurer, but the connections between Giannoulias and Bond villain Blagojevich run deep thanks to a familiar face: felonious Chicago developer Tony Rezko. At one point, Rezko's company, Rezmar Corp., needed financing to build a new 24-story condo building. The money was provided by Broadway Bank, which is owned by Giannoulias' family. Another Giannoulias, Alexi's brother Dimitri, was appointed to a state board position by Blago that ultimately lasted three years, from 2005 to 2008. Tony Rezko wanted Dimitri's star to rise even higher, pressing Blago to appoint him to the Illinois Finance Authority board. Meanwhile, Rezko was meeting frequently with Obama and getting him plum deals on his new homes.

Hell, in some cases Giannoulias associated with people even Obama wouldn't touch. He personally approved $12 million in loans from Broadway Bank to Michael Giorango, a notorious Chicago mobster.

Broadway Bank has become a huge liability for Giannoulias. Its fortunes plunged after the real estate bubble collapsed to the point that the FDIC ordered the Giannoulias family to pump $19 million in capital into Broadway. Why? The bank was straggling under "mounting delinquent loans." In other words, Broadway made loans to poor people who couldn't pay them back -- just as Chicago community organizers like Obama and the fine folks at ACORN were demanding.

It's no wonder ACORN's kissing cousin, the SEIU, enthusiastically endorsed Giannoulias. Giannoulias is following the footsteps of Blago, whose entire political career was bankrolled by the SEIU. The mega-union has even been named in Blagojevich's indictment...good company for Chicago slimeballs like Giannoulias and professed SEIU ally Barack Obama.

The best way to stop this Chicago machine is to elect the GOP challenger, Mark Kirk, to Obama's former Senate seat. Not only would it stop the advance of another corrupt crony, but imagine the look on Barack Obama's face if his old job goes to a Republican!

Surprise! Obama's newest ambassador a Chicago fundraiser

Except for Great Britain, America has no greater friends than the former Soviet republics of central and eastern Europe. But leave it to Barack Obama to insult one of them with another laughingstock of an ambassador.

Theodore Sedgwick has been nominated to be the United States ambassador to Slovakia. It's a position he paid dearly for. He raised $28,000 for 2008 Democratic candidates, $200,000 for Obama's campaign, and $10,000 for Obama's inauguration. Sedgwick is also an avid hunter and made waves trying to present Obama as friendly to sportsmen -- the people who cling to guns.

Sedgwick lives in Virginia, but originally hails from Chicago and his connections with Obama go way back. In other words, he's just another crony.