First whiff of scandal for Obama?

For UK-based US journalist Michael Carlson, the Tony Rezko case is a reminder of how different British and American attitudes are towards their politicians.

The start of Tony Rezko's corruption trial in Chicago has brought the first whiff of scandal to Barack Obama's presidential campaign.

When Obama bought his requisite mansion in Chicago's Kenwood neighbourhood, Tony Rezko gave him advice, and his wife bought an adjoining parcel of land, later selling part of it to Mr Obama.

That Mr Rezko engaged in a great deal of property development, which needs political support, barely needs to be explained to the American public.

"Sweetheart" land deals are nothing new in American politics.

Ronald Reagan sold one house at an inflated price and bought his ranch at a discount from two of his backers in his first gubernatorial race in California; Richard Nixon engaged in a similar move up the property ladder to acquire his "Western White House" in San Clemente.

In fact, the only major American political figure hurt by a land deal was Bill Clinton, who actually lost money on the Whitewater deal which led eventually to the start of impeachment proceedings.

Polls showed consistently that the electorate was not bothered by the Whitewater deal.

And of course, when the impeachment vote came it was not because of land development, but because the investigation had led Kenneth Starr to Monica Lewinsky, and a chance to trap Mr Clinton in a lie about his Oval Office sexcapades.

Americans seem to expect their politicians to be grafting.

Why else would ambitious lawyers turn to politics in the first place? If they are not hustling for themselves, the theory goes, they will not be hustling on behalf of their constituents.

The beloved traditions of "log-rolling" and "pork-barrelling" - which refer to deals done in Congress - have their equivalents on the personal level.

Moral majority

What aggravates Americans and engages their righteous fury is sex.

Consider the recent New York Times analysis of John McCain's efforts on behalf of lobbyists.

Although the story detailed a long history of Mr McCain, who leads the fight against special interest lobbying, actually exerting considerable effort on behalf of those interests, it was a throwaway reference to his staff worrying he had become "too close" to a female lobbyist that immediately became the focus of all the reaction.

"In the UK, things are different. Sexual scandals can topple politicians, or governments, but only if they are foolish enough to lie about them "

All the Times had to do was hint coyly at an affair, and the media ran with it.

The substance of the story was lost quickly in the smokescreen of aggrieved denial, and the paper had no-one to blame but themselves.

In the UK, things are different. Sexual scandals can topple politicians, or governments, but only if they are foolish enough to lie about them.

London mayoral candidate Boris Johnson is half-American, but could he be elected mayor of New York after admitting his affairs?

Well, maybe in New York or San Francisco, but in few other American cities.

Don't get caught

Of course, in the UK, few politicians campaign on a platform of "moral values".

America has no established church to deflect moral issues; in the UK, the equivalent of America's "moral majority" is widely seen, like Mary Whitehouse, as part of the amusing but lunatic fringe.

In the UK, however, financial scandal usually proves fatal, unless you are Peter Mandelson, whose two resignations led to his being put in charge of trade policy for all of Europe.

The "sleaze" which was decried by Labour during the Major years, and now is similarly the core of David Cameron's attacks on Labour, is about taking financial advantage of privilege, and not being punished for it.

Cash-for-questions-type scandals resonate because members of Parliament are, after all, expected to do their more important jobs during the day, leaving the country's affairs to be settled after lunch.

Those who have to scuttle for payoffs or loans are not gentlemen, and Parliament remains, first and foremost, a gentleman's club, not a flea market for hustlers, like America's Congress.

Yet however different British and American attitudes to political scandal may be, in one key area they are the same.

The real fault lies not in transgressing, but in getting caught.

This implies ineptitude, and no-one wants their rulers to be bumblers when the pressure comes.

Lying and denying merely exacerbates the situation.

Where Bill Clinton's admission that he smoked pot, but "didn't inhale", was viewed at best as lawyerly equivocation, Mr Obama "confessed" his youthful druggie past, and put it behind him.

Furious digging

The Obama campaign has thus far faced up to the Rezko case, without actually saying why, apart from friendship, their candidate felt it acceptable to accept advice and donations from Rezko, if not for a return gift of influence.

In the end, this will not be the mud that sticks to Obama.

Neither will the attempts to turn him into an Islamic terrorist, by accentuating his middle name, Hussein, or leaking photos of him in Arab dress.

You can rest assured that the Drudge report and the right-wing talk radio shows are digging furiously, trying to find a cocktail waitress or legal assistant or congressional aid whose shoulder felt the pat of Barack Obama's hand in an "inappropriate" fashion.

And when they do, the tabloids already have the headline ready.

Mired in sexual innuendo, Mr Obama could be stigmatised in Middle America for ever, portrayed as both immoral and a terrorist with just three well-chosen words: Obama Sin Laden.

Remember, you read it here first.

Michael Carlson is an American writer and broadcaster who has worked in Britain for the past 30 years.