Everyone Has an Albatross

For Barack Obama, it's Tony Rezko. For Hillary Clinton, it's Eliot Spitzer.

So far, Obama has punted when it comes to offering an opinion about whether New York's governor should resign. Why doesn't he come up with a variation on the theme of "I know Governor Spitzer is going to do the right thing for himself, his family and the people of New York"? Then his aides could encourage the media to ask Hillary Clinton whether

she thinks Spitzer should resign.

That's a tough question for her -- for obvious reasons. If she says "no," it's just a reminder of the sleazy Clinton "never quit whatever the damage to others" m.o. If she says "yes," well, then why a different standard for Spitzer than for her own husband?

Not only would it make political sense for Obama to put Hillary on the ropes this way (and what does he have to lose? It's not like he's going to get a lot of N.Y. superdelegates anyway), it would also -- lest we forget -- be right. If he's serious about being the candidate of "change" and truly wants to "turn the page," isn't he obligated to speak up against the shameless example of holding on to office at all costs -- an example that Hillary's husband set?