By now you have heard about Jesse Jackson's crude comments about Barack Obama, whispered off-camera during an appearance on Fox News.

Here's Regina Waldroup's report from this morning:

Regina went down to Hyde Park this morning to get reaction there.

What do you think? Text us at CLTV24. Or, you can leave a comment below.

Governor Rod Blagojevich could be called the Rain Man of presidential history with his encyclopedic knowledge of the nation's top executives. He's a known admirer of the late President Richard Nixon and even got his picture taken with the 37th president.

Back in the early 70's, as the wolves of Watergate pursued him, eventually driving him from office, Nixon made his now-infamous declaration, "I'm not a crook."

Blagojevich has his own Nixonian problem, with his administration under siege by federal prosecutors.

And today he gave what could be called his "I'm not a crook," statement at a news conference in which he denied he's a target of the fed's probe:

"The answer is I am not, and, and, and, it's a ridiculous question. And you know it's a ridiculous question. Because if you carefully look at the things that have happened, and you're not just interested in sensationalizing something so you can, you know, do your big news story, you wouldn't even bother asking questions like that." - Rod R. Blagojevich

Here's the raw video we shot:

Does anyone but his staff believe him? And does it even matter? Whether he is ever charged or not, the fed's investigation has undoubtedly weakened him and emboldened his political enemies in Springfield like House Speaker Mike Madigan.

More importantly, in the eyes of many, all of this has put his ability to govern in question.

What are your thoughts?

If I had a dime for every time Governor Rod Blagojevich showed up late, I'd be retired and living on my family's ancestral farm in Puerto Rico.

But alas the only recompense for the governor's tardiness is an unwelcome spike in my blood pressure.

Today more than a hundred folks are waiting in a sweltering shack on the West Side for the governor to announce a summer jobs program for young people, at the same time he's planning more than a billion dollars in cuts to the state budget, something most see as a scare tatic to get his nemesis, House Speaker Mike Madigan to give him what he wants.

Anyone watching might notice these sort of announcements of help to targeted constituencies seem to come at curious times, often after bad news (like maybe his pal Tony Rezko's conviction).

But back to punctuality or lack thereof.

For those keeping score the gov was 38 minutes late today and that's not including the half hour by which he pushed the event back.

Anyone not living under a rock knows that with a few rare exceptions, Mayor Richard M. Daley's word is law in Chicago (Chicago Children's Museum anyone?). And if that's not enough, his brother John holds Cook County's purse strings as Chairman of the county board's finance committee.

But could their younger brother Bill be in line to head state government? Word is he's considering a run for governor in 2010. With federal prosecutors probing every one of Governor Rod Blagojevich's pores, to say he's a long shot for reelection is to state the obvious.

Bill, the youngest of Mayor Richard J. Daley's children, served as U.S. Commerce Secretary in the second Clinton administration and is now Midwest Chairman of J.P. Morgan Chase, something that wouldn't hurt in the fundraising department.

Bill Daley is currently an ad hoc advisor and fundraiser for presidential hopeful Barack Obama's campaign. He's also regarded as one of the few whose advice the mayor actually heeds.

Still the pool of potential 2010 Democratic hopefuls is growing. There's Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who could rely on the muscle of the state Democratic party headed by her father, House Speaker Mike Madigan. There's the up and coming State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias; State Comptroller Dan Hynes; Lt. Governor Pat Quinn; and State Rep. Julie (transit funding) Hamos, just to name a few.

A Bill Daley gubernatorial candidacy would likely (as it did when he flirted with the idea for 2002 cycle) inflame sensitive nerves and reopen the old resentments of many over the unchecked political power of the Daley family.

And that brings me to this question. Would a Daley in the governor's mansion equal too much power concentrated in one generation of one family?

Let me know what you think.

Image is everything when it comes to politics. Everything you say, don't say, do and don't do is scrutinized ad nauseam. That also goes for the politician's other half.

Take these two ladies for example, Michelle Obama and Cindy McCain. We know they are the wives of the presumptive presidential candidates of their respective parties. But for the most part, we don't know much else. We’ve heard a few sound bites from them and have maybe read a few articles about them.

Then there are the photo spreads.

In these two pictures, it looks like they are trying to let the photos tell who they are or at least who they want to be seen as. And as you can tell they are projecting very different images than they do on the campaign trail.

Both were photographed for Vogue magazine. Michelle Obama in September of '07 and Cindy McCain for the June '08 issue.

In one picture, McCain is chillin' on a chaise lounger, with her hair down, wearing jeans, no shoes and red polish on her toenails.

The Washington Post writes "the implied message is unmistakable: I am not a Stepford wife."

On the other hand, Obama is shown in a more formal, classy pose. She’s in a little black dress with pearls and pumps. The Post believes "the implied message is unmistakable: I am neither subversive nor threatening. I am not some scary 'other.' I am Camelot with a tan."

The Post surmises "McCain’s image aims to excite the eyes. Obama’s offers reassurance."

Just goes to show you, pictures do speak louder than words.

Black women who plan to vote Democratic in the upcoming presidential primary COULD find themselves faced with a dilemma. Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton? Man or Woman? Black or White? Either choice has history making potential. Of course this is only a dilemma if you generally agree with both of them on most issues.

But if race and/or gender factors into your decision-making, consider this.

Barack Obama is the first Black candidate to have a real shot at winning the nomination. He’s smart, passionate, politically experienced on the state and federal level, a “people person” who comes from humble beginnings. And let’s be honest, he’s good-looking! His colleagues, both friend and foe consider him someone who can bring “both sides” together.

Hillary Clinton is the first woman to have a real shot at the nomination. She’s tough as nails (even though her softer side has come through recently), she has experience on Capital Hill and in the White House, she’s spent her adult-life in politics and she can count a former, 2-term president as her “better half.” Not to mention, maybe it’s time this country had a woman at the helm to tone down the testosterone dominating the world political scene right now.

It's a tough choice! Black women are asking themselves, "Should I be loyal to my race or my gender?" I’m willing to bet many of them won't know which way they’re going to vote until they walk into the booth. Either way it looks like history is about to be made. The first (fill in the blank) Democratic candidate for president will happen in 2008!