Burris is on a pedestal because he is SHORT. He has to stand on something so that he can be seen by the cameras.

I am also short which is why I quit haling cabs. They want their money up front.

Couldn't agree with you more. I remember when the Blago scandal first erupted I thought to myself "What kind of jacka** would accept this appointment now?". I guess I got my answer.

I think the thing that bothers me the most about Burris is he's standing around acting like he's some sort of innocent victim in all of this. Truth is, he put the senate Dems in a no-win situation: if they welcomed him, everyone would get to scream about a tainted appointment; don't welcome him, well, you've seen the media narrative over the past few days.

Last night on CNN I saw a report that the Repubs in IL are planning on investigating Burris and how exactly he got this appointment. More gasoline for the fire. Thanks so much Burris for handing the Repubs a ridiculous distraction on a silver platter.

As Nate also says, Reid can be faulted for not advocating for a special election. But really, his greatest fault here seems to be that he underestimated the level of fucked-up-edness in Illinois' political establishment (a dangerous thing to underestimate, clearly).

A special election is a stupid idea and Illinois state politics in none of Reid's business. A SE would damage the prospects of any Illinois senator ever getting the presidential nomination again. Unless Reid passes a federal law or more likely changes the US constitution (good luck with that) stripping all governors of this power there's no reason for Illinois to hamstring our senators. Anybody think this wouldn't have given Clinton and Edwards a leg up in the early primaries last year if we risked losing Obama's seat to a SE?

This is a guy who, in interview after interview, keeps professing blissful ignorance of why - oh goodness me, why? - anyone would see anything untoward about his appointment.

Burris has a squeaky clean if rather lackluster record. The appointment was made legally by the unindicted sitting governor who nonetheless has been arrested for trying to sell the seat. Do you actually think with the kind of scrutiny Blago is under he sold the seat to Burris? Wouldn't Fitzgerald have gleefully arrested him without bail until the assembly quickly impeached him on new charges if he had? And where would Burris get that kind of money? He's not a wealthy man.

It's not the "fucked-up-edness in Illinois' political establishment" that's the problem. Nobody expected Rod Blagojevich to torch himself after Fitzgerald covered him in gasoline at that 12/9 press conference. I think it came as a surprise to Blago just how reviled he was around the state that day. There was a lot of pent up frustration with him and Fitzgerald masterfully turned that grumbling and eye rolling into a dam breaking flood of vitriol from all corners.

The absolute worst ploy came from his arch enemies Mike and Lisa Madigan. Her petition to the IL Supreme Court to remove him from office on grounds of incapacitation steered him on the course he took. His reaction was predictable because the Madigans and Blago almost always reflexibly take opposite stands. So for Rod there was no better way to profess his innocence and prove he wasn't incapacitated than by doing his job as if this will all blow over and he'll be vindicated in the end. And with nothing left to lose, no political allies left to offend, no bridges left to burn he decided to stick it to everybody who had turned on him and appoint a senator.

There is just something about Burris. I don't trust anyone who speaks of himself in the third person. Ask any psychologist, they'll tell you it is a sign of mental problems - an inflated sense of self.

I mean you don't engrave all of your lifetime accomplishments in marble (with room left to add more) unless you have a monstrous superiority complex.

The guy has run for office twice. He lost twice. It is obvious that the people of IL don't buy his "Let me tell you how great I am" shtick.

Of course no one can say that without being called a racist. No matter how valid the concerns about his character, anyone who voices it will be accused of using the racist "uppity".

Thanks for posting this - I think Burris is acting like an asshat, and even though he will be seated eventually because it is legal that doesn't make it right.

I'd like to add one teensy other aspect to all the faux outrage being generated by this controversy - in addition to playing the most outrageous race cards I've ever seen, Burris and his supporters also have done a shameless job of promoting his quick seating so that Illinois doesn't have to go a single day longer with only one senator.

I live in DC - how about waiting over 200 years WITHOUT ANY SENATORS OR A REPRESENTATIVE!!!!!

thanks for letting me rant - yours,

Taxed Without Representation

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[H]ow many of you saw his dilemma coming?

What dilemma?

YES, I saw the entire thing playing out, just like it has. Right on day one, when Blago was arrested.

In IL ONLY the Governor has the right to appoint a replacement Senator. So, unless they could get Blago to resign or could impeach him before he got around to it, there was not a damned thing anyone could do to stop him naming Barack Obama's replacement.

The question in my mind that morning when Fitz arrested Blago was, "How does the Senate seat get filled, if Blago doesn't do it?" That led me to conclude all of this would happen. Including Reid and the hand wringing. Blago and only Blago could legally appoint a replacement, so it was going to be Blago. Unless Illinois' legislature passed an un-vetoable law in just a few days time. And they failed to do that.

With the days rolling by for the start of the Congress, Blago HAD to give IL a second Senator. Anything else would have been dereliction of his responsibilities as Governor. I have NO idea why no one could see this coming.

As for why Burris - he is a VERY respected, but pretty un-Obama politician. Not a whole lot of personality, but also basically clean. I laughed out loud when Blago named him. I thought it was brilliant - someone they couldn't find any major fault with and unconnected with the arrest. And for all the trouble Blago is in, a completely sound decision.

An aside: Did anyone question Richard Nixon naming Gerald Ford the replacement VP while embroiled in the Watergate scandal?

Of course, once Blago caught them with their pants down, the Senate HAD to take the high road and express shock and dismay. If they had welcomed Burris with open arms, the GOP would have had a field day, not to mention Rush and Tweety and Joe, et al. . .

So, the Dem leadership had to wring their hands (as predictable as the sun coming up in the Sahara).

But they also would have to back down - "in the face of the legalities involved" - since, outside moralizing, they didn't have a foot to stand on. They HAD to moralize, and then they also would HAVE to back down. And I believe they KNEW they would be backing down, but they had to play the moralizing angle full tilt until forced them to back down.

I actually saw all this on the day Blago was arrested, but actually thought maybe I was missing something.

As it turns out, no I wasn't.

Burris will get his seat. It was never in doubt.

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