Roland Burris! Huh.
Okay I'm mixed on this one. On one hand, Blagojevich is psycho. I've never wanted him for governor and only voted for him in the general election because the Republicans didn't have anyone better. And, yeah he's under indictment and pretty crooked. Not a good guy.
But, I don't want that senate seat to go vacant. In his press conference today Blago pointed out that we're entitled to representation and I personally don't want to be underrepresented while the state either a) fights over who gets to make the appointment if Blago can't or b) spends way too much money on a special election that will leave us without a senator for the few months it will take to get one set up. And for those of you who think option a) is a good idea then I would ask you - do you really think the people leveraging for the power to appoint or receive the appointment are any less corrupt? Certainly they are not, they're just more subtle about it.
And here's where it gets murkier - I kind of like Burris. I think he'd be a good senator. I've actually voted for him in a few primaries (including 2002 when he ran against Blago). He's done a good job, and unlike most of the representation we get to D.C., he's from downstate, not Chicago. It is HARD for a politician from downstate to achieve a statewide office because of the close-knit Chicago machine and the expense of running ads in the Chicago media market. This is pretty much the only way a dude from downstate can get spot as a US senator in Illinois.
That said, this press conference is a joke and Burris, despite his resume, doesn't seem prepared for the spotlight he's been pushed into (and what's with Bobby Rush rushing the stage?!?). I also would like to know more about the campaign contributions Burris' firm made to Blago.
However, I sincerely hope Harry Reid does ONE thing right and does not dismiss Burris out of hand because of Blago - that would be doing the people of Illinois a big (and expensive) disservice.
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Too late - let the dismissing begin:
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/senate-dems-refuse-to-seat-blagojevichs-pick-2008-12-30.html
Not that the Democratic Caucus *shouldn't* be cautious on this one. It just ticks me off that Reid is being tough on a fellow Democrat and is screwing over Illinois in the process. If only Reid would throw stand up to Republicans this way - I might actually have some respect for him.
December 30, 2008 3:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
As Kos says, Reid is the best friend the republicans have in the senate
December 30, 2008 3:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ugh, it's so true. I really think that congressional leadership positions should be open to a general, party-wide ballot. I makes me angry that I can't vote against that idiot, but he can still make decisions (like this one) that impact my life. What an ass.
December 30, 2008 3:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
As that great politician of old once said: I do not give a shit as long as he is a Democrat.
December 30, 2008 3:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Burnedout: What happened to Bobby Rush? I watched a documentary on Obama's earlier days and they showed a clip of Bobby Rush (when he ran against Obama) and he looked sooo different than he does now. Was he sick, is sick or just older than I thought?
December 30, 2008 4:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
He's recovering from cancer treatments, I think.
December 30, 2008 4:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
I have to disagree with you BODem--on a few points.
First, I think Dick Durbin is from downstate, at least orginially. Also, Paul Simon, who Durbin replaced, was from Carbondale, which is about as downstate as you can get.
Also, I can't stand Burris. And I think that he and Blagojevich could give Jim Carrey and Jeff Bridges a run for their money in a remake of Dumb and Dumber.
Burris is about Burris and he always has been.
I didn't see the press conference, but in the reports I've read, Burris was described as "beaming." Although I think that the circumstances called for more circumspect behavior, I am not surprised that Burris was unable to control his glee. For decades, he's wanted to be governor or senator or anything that would elevate his standing. The voters of Illinois repeatedly denied him his wish, which I'm certain he thinks is his due.
Today, he's the cat that ate the canary. As if the Blago saga couldn't get more disgusting. Ugh.
December 30, 2008 4:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
hahahahahahahhahahhahahha
December 30, 2008 4:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm glad you're laughing. The thought of Burris as a United States senator makes me want to cry.
December 30, 2008 4:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
I was not laughing at you. Your prose is so funny sometimes--especially when it takes me a second or two to get the joke. Dumb and dumber is funny.
I know nothing about Burris. I just want as many Democrats as possible sworn in next Monday. But if he is that bad, maybe these Dem voices in the Senate should be demurring.
Now you have me arguing with myself.
December 30, 2008 4:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
I know you weren't laughing at me. I'm just in a state of absolute shock over this Burris thing.
December 30, 2008 4:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Weeelll...Simon's story is different. He WAS from Carbondale, but his big "in" was that he worked well with Republicans. He was Lt. Gov. to Ogilvie. That hurt him with some Dems (which was why he didn't become Gov.) but helped him with his Senate run because he might have lost some Dem support but he picked up suburban republicans. Also, being former Lt. Gov. helps with the name recognition you need in the Chicago market. Probably the bow tie and big ears helped, too. Illinoisians LOVE politicians with big ears (look at Lincoln and Obama).
Durbin was from East. St. Louis and practiced law in Springfield. He got around the downstate thing because he worked for Paul Simon. Simon endorsed Durbin for his seat, so it was pretty likely he'd get it.
As for Burris - like I said in the post, I'm interested to learn more about what's going on with him. It could be that there's something skunky there, and I do have unanswered questions.
I guess my undies are in a twist because some folks are have no problems leaving us un-represented just to spite Blago. Since the seat in question is only two years and Burris has a decent resume, I don't see an issue. How dare Reid grow a pair on this matter but suck up to the Republicans on everything else! If Reid wants to have a seating inquiry or something that would be understandable, but to just dismiss the appointment without question seems stupid and counter-productive (especially when we still don't have a clear Dem majority).
December 30, 2008 4:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
I just can't see Burris being a good senator. He has what I consider a delusional view of his own importance.
I was visiting with some friends in Chicago over the weekend. They live in Rahm Emmanuel's district. They joked that they didn't currently have any representation. But I can't believe they'd pick a Burris appointment over a special election or a little more time to force Blagojevich out of office to let Pat Quinn make the appointment.
If Illinois wanted Burris as a senator, he would be one. He's run often enough. And he has been elected to anything since 1990. I think Blago is doing this as a gigantic eff you to the Illinois Democratic party and the people of Illinois.
December 30, 2008 4:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
For sure it's an F-you. Absolutely. And I don't think Rush storming the stage to point out that there are no African Americans in the Senate was as impromptu as it was supposed to look.
All politicians have larger than life egos. And, even Obama has been a little opportunistic in his rise to the top.
I think Burris has been the wrong guy at the wrong time (I mean, he tried running for mayor against Daley) and he has very little charisma. And he's a little creepy. But that by itself doesn't disqualify him from doing a good job.
I just wish Reid, et.al. would calm down and read the guy's vita. Shooting him down because they don't like Blagojevich is pointless (especially with the impeachment taking forever). And if Burris sucks we'll vote for someone else in a year and a half. It's not ideal, but at this rate they'll be fighting over this seat until 2010 and that doesn't help anyone.
December 30, 2008 5:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Also, I'd point out that having a Dem Senator who is a well established suck-up means he'd pretty much toe-the-line on party issues, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. It's not like we'd appoint Burris and get another Lieberman.
December 30, 2008 5:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't think he's qualified.
Here's a link to a whole bunch of articles about Burris from the Chicago Sun-Times:
http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4375040.html
December 30, 2008 5:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oops, sorry. You have to pay for those articles. They're from the 90s.
December 30, 2008 5:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Here's something interesting (and you don't have to pay for it):
http://blogs.chicagoreader.com/politics/2008/12/30/can-he-manage-lose-one-too/
December 30, 2008 5:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, I found that one, too. But again, desperate doesn't necessarily mean unqualified. It could just mean he'd be a hard working suck-up.
And I've been running into the same issue with finding free articles that dig into his resume.
I'll hit up Lexis and see what I find. I'm really not totally sold on the guy, but he's better than I thought we'd get from Blagojevich. Mostly I want it over!
December 30, 2008 6:52 PM | Reply | Permalink