Barack Obama must already be trying to figure out how to walk away from this:

On a day that Sen. Barack Obama moved closer to clinching the Democratic presidential nomination, embattled Rep. William Jefferson, D-New Orleans, Tuesday became the first of Louisiana’s four Democratic congressional members to back his candidacy.

The news was announced yesterday — the same day that Obama pal Tony Rezko was convicted of 16 corruption counts, and Jefferson’s sister, brother, and niece were indicted on fraud charges.

The hope and the change — they are calling to me. Are they calling to you?