Reid Gives Burris A Pass On Race-Card Playing (VIDEO)

Roland Burris path to getting some new resume details to engrave on his graveside monolith got a little less obstructed today. President-elect Barack Obama suggested that Senate Democrats "reverse course and accept Gov. Rod Blagojevich's controversial appointment." And so, Burris had a sit down with Harry Reid, the Giving Tree, who clarified for everyone that the Senate is just "waiting for a court to rule whether the signature of the Illinois secretary of state is needed for Burris to take the seat."

Along the way, Reid offered this clarification, as well:

REID: Roland Burris...one of the first things he said to us..."Hey, this is nothing that's racial, I understand that." So a lot of people tried to make this a racial issue, but Roland Burris has not.

[WATCH.]

I suppose that the pre-eminent voice that made this matter a "racial issue" was Illinois Congressman Bobby Rush, who did so at the initial press conference announcing Burris' appointment, after Burris waved him to the stage. But if Reid would check out the news sometime, he'd know that the idea that Burris himself never made the matter a "racial issue" is just nonsense. Let's go to Roland Burris' appearance on the December 31, 2008 iteration of the Today Show.

I think the Congressman has assessed it. It is a fact: there are no African-Americans in the United States Senate. That's a fact. And what he was indicating is we should not turn this into a situation where a qualified, dedicated, public servant will be denied the opportunity to serve. It could, then, give the appearance...of a lot of individuals, not only African-Americans, saying, "A person of Roland Burris' qualifications is not seated because of the governor's problems wouldn't be seated? Is it racism that is taking place?" That's the question the somebody else may raise.

Yes. And the "somebody else" who was "raising" the "question" was Roland Burris, right then and right there.

[WATCH.]

Comments

[jdmba]

Why are white people so angry?

[robXdion]

Because blacks won't let them insult them and get away with it. Preemptively talking away their snide race pejoratives and designators is traumatizing for them. They NEED someone to belittle so they can feel like something. Just not fair, wwwaaaaaaa­aaaahhhhhh­!!!

Your playing the "race card" if you hypothetically describe how they'll insult you before they get the chance to. But if they do bring it up with pejoratives included, that's not a "race card" it's just "honestly discussing race".

[ohiodem250]

If Roland Burris and Harry Reid truly wanted to get all the honey out of this pot here's what they'd do:

Announce a press conference at which Roland Burris would announce a deal between himself and Harry Reid in which he would be seated the very minute Rod Blagojevich resigned. After announcing that, Burris should make an impassioned plea for Blago to "step out of the way of progress and allow the one African American Senator to rightfully take his place free of all suspicion of wrongdoing­."

Doing this would take the pressure off the Senate Dems, shift the racial pressure to Blago, would initiate a public outcry even louder than it currently is for Blago to GET OUT OF THE GOV'S MANSION(!!!), and would allow an African American to keep Obama's seat. It would also be a HUGE start to the 2010 campaign for Burris - with a media moment like that he would OWN that seat until he dies. Is there anyone in DC with logical advice like this?

[IllinoisIndependant]

Bobby Rush, my Congressperson who I rarely agree with, only mentioned the obvious. It's striking how certain people can look at a "representative" body that's nearly 100% white and say a black man is playing the race card by mentioning the the absence of representation. Unbelievable! I'm sure Jason considers himself progressive. This confirms my belief that black people have as much to fear from "well-meaning progressives" as they do from right-wingers.

Also, isn't it strange that a school superintendant from CO, a comedian from MN and a debutante from NY are seemingly more qualified than a man who has been elected to statewide office 4 times and has 40 years experience as a politician. Just never enough to be qualified or "electable". Wow!

[GeorgeP922]

Which is why the black politicians of Chicago famously rejected Barack Obama for not being one of them?

And yes, those three folks you just smeared are FAR more qualified than this turncoat we call Burris.
They all respect Barack Obama, Burris, Blago and Rush obviously do not.

Obama never ONCE capatilazied on his race, and for Burris thats all he's got.

Tell me one thing a progressive supporter of Burris can brag that he's done.

Please tell me because I have asked every chicago resident defending Burris to answer and they cannot.

[IllinoisIndependant]

Georgie, please take your pill.

Just to clarify: 1)Obama's Illinois Campaign chair was Jesse Jackson Jr., 2) His political "Godfather", the man who provided the roadmap for his senatorial run, was Emil Jones. Both are black politicians. The overwhelming majority of the support Obama received for the Senatorial primary campaign against other white Democrats was from African Americans in Cook County.

Of course, Obama runs away from this base now. He wants to make himself more palatable to folks like yourself.

Also, I guess the bar for "qualified" is set pretty low for white politicians. George Bush got his first job in his 40s.

African Americans are not surprised at how "progressive" or liberals and right wingers all have the same reaction to Burris. It's that whole reconstruction thing.

[ohiodem250]

I think the criticism of the Senate body at large is well-founded. I think it behooves the country to have the serious conversation: why is there no African-American Senators (now that Obama is gone)? The issue I have with people making race a central issue concerning the Roland Burris appointment is that the man who appointed him has been arrested for trying to sell the very same seat and is currently the focus of an Illinois legislature impeachment hearing. I know race is a powerful issue and evokes strong emotions. The Burris appointment, however, is about public corruption and equitable representation.

[Mdazes]

I am so tired of some people constantly bring up the words "race card" White Folks invited the race card. The race card was played during the days of slavery and jim crow. Heck give us black folks a little more time to use the card.

[Mdazes]

correcting myself: invented the race card.

[DaisyDooks]

Mdazes, the "r-a-c-e card" is a double entendre. It's used as reverse psychology and is cleverly spun when convenient. It's also a back-handed insult to those whom it has been applied.

It is perplexing and fascinating to hear such terms as "r-a-c-e card" and "r-a-c-e-baiting" carelessly misapplied when, in fact, there is a global system of domination in place to protect the genetic survival of those who classify themselves as "white", and at the same time, a-t-t-a-c-k people of color, specifically people of A-f-r-i-c-a-n descent, through nine major areas of activities which are:

1. economics
2. education
3. entertainment
4. labor
5. law
6. politics
7. religion
8. sex
9. war

Once you understand this ideology, then you learn how to counter it.

[Jamchinadian]

It was Reid who called Blago to name three AAs who should not be selected because (according to Reid) they would be unelectable!!! Burris may have, but Reid also played the race card.

[Mdazes]

I have been following fhis from the annonucement of Burris as the appointee. Burris did not play the race card. Rep Bobby Rush played the race card while defending Burris. Burris stood there and listen, there was no way he was going to call out Rep Rush especially after Rush was coming to his aid.

[Palemoon]

I'm pretty sure it was Reid who used a chain of "firsts" in regards to injecting race into this whole mess.

By the way, why was Reid so very offended at the appointment of Burris. Reid was behaving to the point of being irrational. Reid never acted this way with anyone, neither Bush, Cheney, Craig, Stevens, Rove, nor anyone. So what was it about Burris that got Reid so furiously offended? If war crimes can't even get Reid's blood pressure up a single point, or being lied to by the war criminal, or Stevens 7 felony convictions get him worked up, I'd love to hear a rational explanation about why Reid was so offended over Burris that his blood pressure was more than doubled.

[bichn]

I guess you weren't paying attention to the fact that Blago was caught on tape trying to sell the seat. From that point on, everyone (including Obama) said that Blago could not be trusted to fill the seat and said they would not support anyone he put forward since it would have the taint of corruption. I would think that the voters of Illinois would have the biggest problem with it since they did not see fit to elect him in the last 5 campaigns he ran for public office in Illinois.

[Palemoon]

So how come the Burris appointment isn't part of the Fitzgerald investigation? Congress is also the investigative arm of the Federal Government, why won't they even look into whether Burris was appointed legally or not? Is it because they'd be forced to eat crow and look even worse than they do now, if they could prove that there was no wrongdoing in the appointment of Burris?

Irrespective of what Blago was wanting to do, it's what he eventually did that counts. But what's going to happen if at some point, Fitzgerald drops charges? Or allows Blago to merely get a slap on the wrist with not a single second of time served, the way he allowed Libby to be the fall guy for Bush? I have a feeling that Fitzmas won't let Blago go so easily, seeing as how Fitzmas is a hardcore and lifelong Republican. But on the other hand, you gotta know that Fitzmas is clinking glasses with Bush and Rove in the backroom of the White House over how they successfully crippled Obama before he event takes office and have even Reid now hating on Obama by saying Obama is not his boss. This coming after Reid gladly called Bush his boss. Go figure.

[FanofPaine]

I just gotta say that the photo of Burris at the top of this article is soooo funny.

[humanist1]

There, you said it. No go back to your pain......­..........­.

[FanofPaine]

You mean Paine, as in Thomas Paine, one of the greatest writers and advocates in the history of America. And yes, I will go back to my Thomas Paine. I'm re-reading Rights of Man and Common Sense, and speaking of common sense: get some.

[robXdion]

So Jason,

Are you saying blacks should walk around and act like their isn't any preferences toward certain skin colors or the US Senate is void of blacks because to state so would make whites uncomfortable? Burris was making a valid point about hypothetical questions that could be raised in his circumstance.

It's an empirical fact that there are NO black US senators. Pointing that out isn't playing some "card". It's just the truth. Learn to cope. Keeping black senatorial candidates from running or simply discouraging them from trying because one doesn't think whites will support them, now THAT would be playing a "race card". Funny how no one describes it that way. I guess it depends on who's playing it, huh Jason?

[humanist1]

You have now entered The Twilight Zone......­..........­..........­....Do Do Do Do,Do Do Do Do,Do Do Do Do.

[red686]

Jason,
Responding to a question about race, which was asked by MV is not "playing the race card". He never brought the matter of race up until Meredith tried to press him on it. Burris may have danced around some of the answer but in his response he clearly said that it was not about race. It appears that he was trying not to offend his friend (Bobby Rush) and chose to be vague in his response, again not the same as "playing the race card".

[lybabash]

The one who injected the race card was Blagojevich with this "smooth" move.

[Mdazes]

Right, also Rep Bobby Rush

[yomoledet]

Burris is a cartoon. He is so power hungry, he's willing to circle the Capitol building all day, until he finds a hole. Kind of reminds me of old Tom & Jerry cartoons.
The cheese inside the building drove him nuts!
As a person, he's going to be the most boring in the building, and also the only senator not to be elected.
I'll always remember him as criminal's appointee.

[humanist1]

Burris is as legitimate as the rest of them in congress, like it or not.

[MorningJoeMikaIsMarried]

Burris mostly definitely did play the race card and continues to play the race; and he apparently needs validation from a non-black person, JimmyCarter. Who gets on TV and talks about a private conversation if for not to convince that he is more than a mediocre politician.

And every time he is in front of the cameras he continues to make a fool out him self. He is looking for someone now other than BobbyRush to validate him because he is get backlash from his own community.

Roland Burris doesn’t believe in him self.

[humanist1]

Which one are you saying is a mediocre politician?

[MorningJoeMikaIsMarried]

Ha funny ,

[Mdazes]

Dont complain about the race card now. Heck, white Americans invited the race card. The race card has been played since slavery, and during the days of jim crow.

[Mdazes]

correcting myself: invented the race card

[reelcobra]

The entire Dem party is based on Race. Why should this be any different?

[Grunty1]

Versus the Republican party, which is all about being born into money?

[humanist1]

Too much hyperbole.