Sorry, the original statement had Obama claiming there was "No Contact"!
The "No Contact" statement was made on December 11th!
[edit on 11-12-2008 by aquiesce]
OBAMA: What I'm absolutely certain about is that our office had no involvement in any deal making around my Senate seat. That I'm absolutely certain of. That would be a violation of that everything that this campaign has been out. And that's not how we do business.

"I had no contact with the governor or his office, and so I was not aware of what was happening" concerning any possible dealing about Blagojevich's appointment of a successor.
Sensationalism, I guess. 
Just on of those guilty pleasure of bipartisan politics.
Chicago -- The firestorm surrounding Governor Blagojevich is putting some heat on Barack Obama’s transition team. Fox Chicago News has learned about possible conversations between a top Obama aide and the governor regarding the open senate seat.
I hope so!As Gov. Rod Blagojevich was trying to pick Illinois' next U.S. senator, businessmen with ties to both the governor and U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. discussed raising at least $1 million for Blagojevich's campaign as a way to encourage him to pick Jackson for the job, the Tribune has learned.
Blagojevich made an appearance at an Oct. 31 luncheon meeting at the India House restaurant in Schaumburg sponsored by Oak Brook businessman Raghuveer Nayak, a major Blagojevich supporter who also has fundraising and business ties to the Jackson family, according to several attendees and public records