Bobby Rush: Don't "Hang Or Lynch" Burris Because Of Blagojevich

In a wild press conference where Gov. Rod Blagojevich introduced Roland Burris as the Senate-appointee to replace Barack Obama, congressman Bobby Rush came to the lectern and firmly offered a racial basis for seeing through the appointment.

Noting that without Obama there would be no African-American members of the Senate, Rush, a former Black Panther, warned the press not to "hang or lynch" Burris by associating him with the ethics scandals plaguing the governor.

"I would ask you the not hang or lynch the appointee as you castigate the appointer and separate the appointee from the appointer," said Rush. "Roland Burris is worthy and he is the only one who can stand in the gap during this time and gather the confidence, re-establishing confidence of the people of the state of Illinois."

Rush went on to essentially challenge the United State Senate to not seat Burris -- a course of action that the Democratic Caucus has said it will pursue.

"There are no African-Americans in the Senate, and I don't think that anyone, any U.S. Senator who is sitting right now would want to go on record to deny one African-American from being seated in the U.S. Senate. I don't think they want to go on record doing that.

Rush promised to take his case to the Congressional Black Caucus, and he said he intended to lobby Senators as well -- including his Illinois colleague, Dick Durbin.

"Let me remind you that the state of Illinois and the people of the state of Illinois in their collective wisdom have sent two African-Americans to the U.S. Senate," Rush said. "That makes a difference. This is not just a state of Illinois matter ... but indeed, by this decision, it has tremendous national importance."

The remarks capped an incredibly dramatic press conference in which Burris and Blagojevich struck a tone of defiance, insisting that the Senate seat should be awarded to the former Illinois Attorney General despite charges that Blagojevich was trying to sell the seat to the highest bidder. The legal dynamics of the affair were already highly charged. A firm dose of racial politics injected into the proceedings seems likely to make the situtation even more contentious.

Comments

[iswideopen]

Bobby Rush, Roland Burris, please, just go away with Rod Blagojevich. Yes, I am an African-American and you have embarassed me to no end. What was done today at that press conference was not necessary. African-Americans of Chicago, use your BRAINS. Blago has no friends or support in the political arena so he has chosen to use you as puppets to get what he wants. Open your eyes. You are much more intelligent than that. Rush is opening up old Jessie Jackson wounds and rage of the past and Roland Burris is lapping it up like syrup. We, as a people have moved on. Please don't take us back there. Ask Burris to reject the appointment. He lost credibility when he accepted. Please stand with PE Obama on this one. Hasn't he been basically right so far?

[Eyewideopen]

Why be embarrased???? When a white woman, like Hillary Clinton, openly suggests her seat should go to another woman (read: white woman), do we even blink an eye?????????

[Matt7]

Bobbie Rush has always been about black empowerment and has always said so.

The fact that you are embarrassed by the talk of race shows that we have NOT "moved beyond" it.

"Rage" doesn't just go away. It can be addressed, then put in its proper place. But it doesn't disappear.

Burris lost credibility? That's one of of looking at it. Another is that he'd bring credibility back to the seat.

I love Barack. But HIS is not the only political career under consideration.

[TNFarmer]

Don't be embarrassed. I'm white and have a LOT more white politicians to be embarrassed about! It's the individual, not the race, that one should take issue with in these kinds of stupid political moves.

[WeWon]

One thing we seemed to have lost sight of in this country is the simplistic understanding that one is considered innocent until proven guilty,

[reverendadam]

Only in a court of law. They are entitled to no such presumption in the court of public opinion.

[illville latino]

People are too often sucked into the blame game to realize it.

[FirstShirt]

Not guilty does not mean innocent. and ethics are important in government service.

[Kartoffel]

Rush can go suck a lemon. The only reason we no longer have a black senator is because somebody broke his promise to serve out his senate term and decided he wanted to be president instead. Now that guy is the president-elect. If Bobby Rush has a beef it's with the PE and nobody else. That empty Illinois Senate seat is not a designated "black guy" seat.

[postman606]

Are you kidding? All politicians make that determination during their term and redetermine according to circumstances. It's called an audible.

[TNFarmer]

It's actually answering a higher call. Thank goodness Obama heard and answered his!

[calickizzle]

Boo hoo hoo.

[Icantbelieveher]

Sour grapes!

[BEHM777]

Interesting "logic". Wow.

[Eyewideopen]

You are correct. Bobby Rush made a political calculation. I think he accomplished exactly what he set out to do yesterday. It was a cynical and crass political ploy, but it worked. If Burris is not seated, you better believe that the Illinois Democratic Party will scour Chicagoland to find some "clean" Black Democrat with statewide appeal to fill the seat.

The politics of this move is fascinating.

[Mygirl]

I am dissapointed to know that Roland Burris would let Blavojeevich drag him into this. I think that Burris is a quilified person who has allowed the Govenor to pat him on the head and pit him aganist Obama and the Democrats. As an African American I am ashame. The Govornor is playing the race card with the party in order to thumb his nose at being impeached. I have to give it to the him it was a devious move. I think it's time for Bobby Rush to go away.

[Eyewideopen]

Both Bobby Rush and Blago were playing Burris. The politics are devious and delicious.

[BarackstarObama]

Rush shouldn't have injected race into this mess... but, of course, that was Blago's strategy all along with this press conference.

[brassminnie]

What we may have is a refusal to accept because of who made the appointment, then the same appointment made, 'vetting' Burris. Blagojevich may have chosen him specifically because he wasn't among candidates 1 thru 5 and his campaign contribution is 'ordinary.'

[tcuoohjohn]

I can';t imagine why Burris accepted the nomination. He knows he will not be seated and he just shattered his own reputation by accepting.

[sandra56]

BURRIS DID WHAT HE WANTED TO IS TO SERVICE THE PEOPLE OF ILLINOIS AND I LIVE IN CHICAGO . REMEMBER ROD BLAGOJEVICH IS STILL THE GOVERNOR HE HAS A EVERY RIGHT AND HE IS DUE HIS DAY IN COURT STOP BEING THE JUDGE AND JURY.

[FirstShirt]

He will be seated. The Senate cannot choose who to seat and the Governor can appoint.

[tcuoohjohn]

Burris hanged himself when he accepted the nomination from Blagojevich. It means he will never be the US Senator from Illinois and he has smeared his own reputation by his association with Blagojevich.

[jazzdrummerb]

"Burris hanged himself when he accepted the nomination from Blagojevich."
That's it in a nutshell.

[guajiro]

Mr. Burris is a good choice as he has good experience in office. Furthermore, he has no ties to any improprieties that have been alleged in the governor's office and so he has been vetted. Good choice for Senator.

[pir anha]

that was the weirdest press conference i've seen in a while. burris, who seems to be a decent politician, made himself look corrupt and glib by the way he handled legitimate questions, and rush sounded like a religious nutcase who didn't just play the race card ineptly, but apparently saw nothing worth considering here other than race.

everything blago touches turns to crap. something burris and rush apparently didn't realize. too bad.

[realitycheck7]

boy do we have some stellar politicians in Illinois

this guy Rush is just another example

[realitycheck7]

the comments by bobby Rush are ridiculous and inexcusable

[Matt7]

Yours are uninformed and dismissive.

[realitycheck7]

you are accusatory and judgemental

why not state your opinion instead of impugning someone else's

[banja]

Shhhhhhhh ! US senate in session, controversial black folk need not apply. It's an exclusive country club.

[jnik]

Whatever happens now, there won't be a white male getting this seat!

[nibblybits]

That wasn't a possibility anyway, but Burris just sided with the most reviled politician in the country (other than Bush and Cheney).

[realitycheck7]

and Burris won't get it either

[BryantG]

...because?????

[TheIndependenceParty]

Nothing that Blago can do now may be done without smear and smell. For anyone to use the words hang or lynch in the context of this appointment is wrong. This is not a racial issue, nor has it EVER been. The Governor brought this upon himself. Anyone with half a bit of sense would stand at arms length from this fool and disavow any hint of interest except to the People of Illinois.

$ 14,000 donation stinks to high heaven to me and even if he or his firm had given nothing, there would be no reason to accept this ill-gotten gain. Sadly, Burris will serve 2 years and be gone. He was played for the fool, and took it to be a coronation!