Corruption probes won't be an issue, Obama says

One day after his friend and former fund-raiser was convicted, Barack Obama said Thursday he does not expect corruption investigations in Chicago to be an issue in his presidential campaign.

"I don't think so," Obama said in an interview with FOX-TV Chicago. "I mean I was not ever considered to be part of that particular culture. I knew folks, I worked with them. But you know. I think my reputation has always been somebody who took the integrity of my office very seriously.

"And people will judge me ultimately on what I do and not on what other people do."

Obama granted a series of interviews to Chicago television reporters as he campaigned in Virginia. He said he was saddened by the fate of Tony Rezko, the former fund-raiser.

But Obama shrugged off Fox Political Editor Jack Conaty's question about whether his friendship with Rezko raised concerns about his judgment.

"People have a lot of different facets in their lives, and what it says is he never was involved in anything with me that was inappropriate," Obama said. "So, I'm saddened to see what happened to him, but I think clearly the jury deliberated, they passed down their verdict, and he needs to serve his time, and I hope his family will be well."

Obama has not been accused of any wrongdoing, but Republicans are already blasting him for his friendship with the now-convicted felon. Rezko has known Obama since at least 1990, and financially supported his state Senate and U.S. Senate campaigns.