Washington  - The scandal surrounding Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has placed president-elect Barack Obama and his advisors on the defensive, as they face questions about their contacts with the embattled governor.

While there have been no indications that Obama or any of his staff engaged in wrongdoing, the intense media interest in the scandal has been an early distraction as Obama - only weeks from taking office - assembles his team and tries to focus on the economic crisis and other problems facing the United States.