Below The Beltway

In what is the first of several such occasions, Barack Obama answered questions about the Blagojevich scandal:

President-elect Barack Obama said on Thursday that he never spoke to the governor of Illinois about Mr. Obama’s replacement in the United States Senate, and that no one on his staff had been involved in any deal-making regarding Mr. Obama’s successor.

“That would be a violation of everything that this campaign has been about,” Mr. Obama said at a news conference in Chicago which was called to announce an appointment to his Cabinet.

In his first extended comments on the unfolding political scandal, Mr. Obama said he was “appalled and disappointed” by the details of a complaint filed by federal prosecutors, who have accused the governor, Rod R. Blagojevich, of trying to profit from his power to choose Mr. Obama’s successor. Mr. Obama also restated his call for the governor to resign.

“I think the public trust has been violated,” Mr. Obama said. “I hope that the governor comes to the conclusion that he can no longer effectively serve and that he does resign.”

Mr. Obama said he was compiling information on any possible contacts between his transition team and members of Mr. Blagojevich’s staff. “I want to gather all the facts about any staff contact that may have taken place. We’ll have those in the next few days and we’ll present them.”

He added, “Our office had no involvement in any deal-making around my Senate seat — that, I’m absolutely certain of.” Mr. Blagojevich was arrested Tuesday on charges that included trying to cash in on his power to name Mr. Obama’s successor in the United States Senate. According to excerpts of transcripts of taped conversations provided by prosecutors, Mr. Blagojevich wanted to parlay his appointment power to secure an ambassadorship, a Cabinet position, a high-paying nonprofit job for himself or a lucrative spot on a corporate board for his wife.

The governor’s lawyer denied the charges, and Mr. Blagojevich returned to work to address the state’s $2 billion budget gap, a spokeswoman said.

Prosecutors have made a point of saying that Mr. Obama was not implicated in the investigation. Indeed, Mr. Blagojevich is quoted angrily cursing Mr. Obama and his staff in the criminal complaint, saying “they’re not willing to give me anything except appreciation,” according to prosecutors.

Still, for the past three days Mr. Obama and his transition team have been forced to distance themselves from a hometown political scandal, one that has shifted public focus away from Mr. Obama’s Cabinet appointments and plans for the new administration.

And that’s going to continue for some time, I would imagine. First, it’s a hell of a news story and the media’s not going to drop it. Second, it’s a slow news period right now and the Blagojevich story is the sexiest news story out there.

Think of it this way — Obama is learning how to deal with a scandal before he even becomes President.