Thomas Lifson reports in "Obama needs to get his story straight" that Obama claimed to have had no contact with Blagojevich or his office about the governor's criminal efforts at selling the vacant Senate seat. 

But we can't get a straight answer from the soon-to-be President. Here's David Axelrod, chief strategist of Obama's campaign and the man who conducts every aspect of Obama's political maneuverings, on YouTube stating that Obama did speak to Blagojevich about the president elect's preference to fill the vacant Senate seat.

Are we going to start the Reverend Wright denial runaround? "I didn't know. I didn't hear it. I heard only a bit and it didn't sound totally criminal. I can't disown him because he got me started in Illinois politics. Even my grandmother committed some crimes."

Why all the circumlocution? It appears to be Obama's first response to even the simplest questions. During an interview last Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press," Tom Brokaw asked a simple yes-no question: "Have you stopped smoking?" Obama's convoluted reply could have been a satirical sketch on "Saturday Night Live."

"I have." (So far that seems to be "yes.") "What I said was that there are times where I have fallen off the wagon." (Doesn't that mean "no"?)

Even Brokaw couldn't resist, "Wait a minute. That means you haven't stopped."

"Fair enough," Obama said. (Yes I lied and you caught me?) "What I would say is that I have done a terrific job under the circumstances..." (I still smoke, but I am terrific?)

Tom Lifson asks for Obama to get his story straight. Terrific as he is, Obama may not be capable of a straight answer.