The Occasional Observer

Update: McCain camp responds

“Does a guy who made more than $4 million last year, just got back from vacation on a private beach in Hawaii and bought his own million-dollar mansion with the help of a convicted felon really want to get into a debate about houses? Does a guy who worries about the price of arugula and thinks regular people “cling” to guns and religion in the face of economic hardship really want to have a debate about who’s in touch with regular Americans?

“The reality is that Barack Obama’s plans to raise taxes and opposition to producing more energy here at home as gas prices skyrocket show he’s completely out of touch with the concerns of average Americans.”

Update 2: Drudge says McCain is developing a "hard-hitting" ad in response

Here's what a commenter at Race 4 '08 had to say on the topic. I can't verify the trutfulness or source of what he writes, but I wouldn't be suprised if it became the main topic of McCain's counter-strike:

Obama has opened himself up for the Rezko/Auchi commercial now…
He bought his house, with a shady land deal on the side with money from a convicted felon….Rezko btw apparently got money from this guy Nadmi Auchi - who have been a bagman for Saddam Hussein.

Auchi was a member of the Baath Party in Iraq before Saddam Hussein came to power.[2]. While he denies any ties to Hussein’s government, British media rerports indicate he sold naval ships to Hussein’s government in the 1980s.[2]
He is of the largest shareholders in BNP Paribas, a French bank involved in the United Nations Oil-for-Food Programme for Iraq.
In 2003, Auchi was convicted of fraud, and given a 15 month suspended sentence and a £1.5m fine for taking illegal payments from French oil company Elf Aquitaine.[3]. Following the verdict, Elf (by now merged with TotalFina and re-named Total) decided to take legal action against Auchi in France; Auchi responded by suing Total for £200m in turn, this time in the UK.[4]
In recent years he has entered into several partnerships with Chicago-area businessman Tony Rezko, effectively coming to his rescue as his various investment schemes began collapsing. Auchi bought about 15 of Rezko’s pizzeria’s in Wisconsin, according to court records.[5] In 2005 he took a stake in Rezko’s South Loop development at Roosevelt Road and Clark Street, a deal estimated by observers familiar with the details at $170 million.[2]
In 2008 Stuart Levine, the government’s star witness in the corruption trial against Rezko, asserted Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, were among the guests at party in Auchi’s honor that took place at Rezko’s residence April 3, 2004.[5] While Obama has acknowledged his ties to Rezko, a spokesman said that the senator responed that “Sen. Obama does not recall meeting Nadhmi Auchi at any time or on any occasion, and this includes any event that may have been held for Mr. Auchi.”[5]
In 2008 the Times of London reported the discovery state documents in Illinois recording that a Panamaian company by the name of Fintrade Services lent money to a funderaiser for Obama in 2005. Fintrade’s directors included Ibtisam Auchi, the name of Mr Auchi’s wife. Spoksespeople declined to answer when questioned about whether he was linked to this business