Barack Kwame Kilpatrick Obama

Michigan's Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm says "it would be incredibly cynical and wrong" for the GOP to take advantage of the scandal surrounding Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, who has been charged with conspiracy, perjury, obstruction of justice, misconduct in office, and felony assault.

Kilpatrick is a Democratic super-delegate whom Barack Obama has praised as "doing an outstanding job":

(Via Hot Air.) The Kilpatrick scandal is apparently one reason Obama hasn't been able to pull away in Michigan -- polls show him leading, but barely outside the margin of error.

It's easy to see how Kilpatrick being front-page news would tend to heighten racial sensibilities in the state. If Obama throws Kilpatrick under the bus, it would alienate some black voters. But as long as Kilpatrick is on the bus, it tends to alienate some percentage of white voters in Michigan. Team Obama's hope is that the Kilpatrick scandal will go away without requiring Obama to take a stand.

UPDATE 9/4: Kilpatrick pleads guilty, resigns.