Feingold Pokes Fun at Obama’s Inexperience and Overexposure

ABC News’ Teddy Davis and Paul Fidalgo Report: While speaking at a Capitol Hill press conference to promote the Democrats’ plan to toughen Senate ethics rules, Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., took a dig at Sen. Barack Obama’s, D-Ill., relative inexperience and overexposure.

"I would like to turn to Senator Obama who has been working on this issue for many years, but can’t seem to get any attention from the press in general," said Feingold as a smiling Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., looked on.

Rather than flash his trademark grin, a somber-looking Obama clenched his jaw and nodded slightly seemingly oblivious to the joke that had been made at his expense. But when it was his turn to speak, Obama acknowledged that other more experienced Democratic Senators were "ahead of the queue" when Reid tapped him to be the point man on ethics.

"In part, I had the opportunity to work on this issue last year because Senator Reid allowed me to work on it," said Obama. "There were folks, obviously, ahead of the queue and he gave me free reign to come up with the strongest possible bill."