Following a news conference today in which President-elect Barack Obama dodged questions related to Gov. Rod Blagojevich, NBC Washington bureau chief Mark Whitaker told Andrea Mitchell on MSNBC that journalists must continue to "press them hard."

"It's a question that is not going away and he can't, as he did in the press conference, just tell a reporter that they shouldn't even be asking the question," said Whitaker.

Politico's Michael Calderone reports Obama told Chicago Tribune reporter John McCormick, "I don't want you to waste your question," after he asked about the IL Governor.

"Our job as journalists and the fourth estate is to press them hard, ask the tough questions," said Whitaker. "We can't let up on that just because these are tough times and he's had a very successful campaign."

Click continued to see the portion of the Obama news conference today...