Roland Burris: Reid Embraces Him, Says No Deal (VIDEO)

WASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says Roland Burris will not likely take Barack Obama's Senate seat until a court in Illinois rules on a dispute surrounding his appointment.

While Reid embraced Burris, he said the Senate is awaiting a court ruling in a case that tests whether the signature of the Illinois secretary of state is needed for Burris to take the seat. He suggested that would be a step toward seating Burris.

"One of the first things he said to us was, 'Hey, this is nothing racial, do you understand that?'" Reid said. "A lot of people tried to make this a racial issue. Roland Burris has not, and will not."

"He's not trying to avoid any responsibility to hide anything," Reid added.

Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, who also met with Burris, praised the man and said he hoped the legal matters would be resolved "so we can fill all the vacancies and have a full compliment of the Senate."

"That decision will be before the Illinois Supreme Court today or tomorrow. We are hoping that they act on it in an expedited fashion. I called the Attorney General of Illinois, Lisa Madigan, yesterday, as well as the Secretary of State, and urged them not to delay the decision," Durbin said. "Whatever the decision of the Supreme Court, we want it to be made on a timely basis, and we both agreed that was their intent as well."

Democrats had claimed the appointment was tainted by allegations that Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich attempted to sell the seat.

Comments

[citizensrus]

Personally, you can't get much better than Burris. He's the Gerald Ford (as far as clean) of Chicago.

[gmlaster]

Oh please! Tell that to Rolando Cruz, the man accused of killing a little girl who was proven innocent when another man confessed to the murder and was tied conclusively to the evidence. In spite of the fact that the PROSECUTOR in the case begged Burris to set Cruz free because he was innocent, Burris (who was Attorney General at the time) was running for governor and decided to let Cruz die so that he could look tougher on crime.

We can do MUCH better than Burris. Our state deserves better than that desperate little toad.

[britethere]

Except we all know that Danny Davis also African American had too much integrity to accept the first Blago appointment, and be used by Blago . It is also questionable as to if anybody paid Blago to get Burris in there and OWN themselves a US Senator

[samerbayer]

by seating him the Democrats will avoid FACING SOME ugly facts. instead of their senate leaders spend the time lobbying governors to appoint qualified black candidates for diversity they got caught doing the opposite of that. Whoever says that race should not be a factor is very much wrong. The issue of race here is not related to burris actions and it is more related to the democratic leadership who is happy to talk about diversity but in practice doesn't want it because of the soft racism veiled in the wrong idea they have about "black candidates are not electable"
Instead of Reid running around encouraging governor to appoint qualified balack candidates he did the following:
1- he was not "lobbying for" a candidate. he was lobbying against black candidates. That is not the job of the majority leader. as a matter of fact you could argue his job is to lobby for black candidate in the senate and support them.
2- he denied legally appointed senator from his seat against the constitution on the flimsiest ground

[MsMargaret]

Danny Davis must be feeling rather foolish for declining the seat when it was offered to him first, out of respect for the state of Illinois and Reid's and Obama's statements on the matter.

[BlackYowe]

Poor Danny, he was honest and look where it got him.

[gmlaster]

Danny Davis doesn't have a damned thing to feel foolish about. It was the right thing to do. Who's to say that when Blagojevich is impeached and the Lt. Governor takes charge, he won't appoint Davis, who will have shown some integrity by declining an appointment our current disgraced governor should never have made.

[lynettema]

When/If Burris is "seated," all of a sudden all those who are calling Burris a victim will be calling him a villain. I think you take this to the bank.

[lynettema]

The media should VET Burris like they vetted Palin. I'm worried the guy will be "seated" and then we are going to find out the bum made big promises to Blago.

[DogTown]

senator Burris is an educated attorney and has been elected to statewide office 3 times amoung other public service. Burris is admired by most people from Illinois. He is a man known for his honesty and integrity. He loves public service and is a party GOOD democrat.

Harry picks odd fights?

[britethere]

So admired that he can't even win a primary . Ran 5 times for Mayor, State Senate, among other offices...­.defeated each and every time....th­e only way to get in is to have sombody pay Blago. Wait and see.......­.the GOP was pushing for him hummmmm.??­?????

[davidwayneosedach]

Buris is an ineffective clown. Not Senatorial material.

[Czoe]

Ineffective clown, not Senatorial material..­.This statement may apply to at least 99% of the current members of the Senate. Okaaaaay, 100%.

[Seven7s]

They really had no legal standing to not seat him. The governor is not yet a convict and has not been convicted of any wrong-doing and not yet been so much as impeached or censored.

The Sec. of State not signing the document is a good legal question (does he have the legal option not to?)

Anyway, I think the courts will say that he must be seated as a matter of law.

[gmlaster]

The legal standing you speak of was never intended to be used by a corrupt governor facing indictment as a way to hold the senate seat hostage.

Clearly you do not live in Illinois. This man was under federal investigation when he was elected (and no, I did not vote for him). He was the power behind Tony Rezko. The senate seat issue is just ONE of the many charges being brought against this man. Nobody is setting him up here. There is a reason why this is happening to him. He's a racketeer.

He's been riding roughshod over the people of this state for WAY too long, and as far as the people of Illinois are concerned, we don't want him picking anybody, because he's nothing but a pimp, and anyone he'd pick would surely be his personal Blagojebitch.

[ChiProgressive]

Jesse White and the Dems in Washington are just posing. They know that Burris is going to be seated, but they felt they had to "fight it" for political reasons.

I remember Burris from when I was a kid growing up in Chicago. He would be on the news all the time, even though he was just the comptroller and clean as a whistle.

I like him and look forward to the hilarious media coverage to come during the next 2 years.

[Czoe]

I'm enjoying the hilarious media coverage right now. I like Burris too, he has a sweet smile but don't be fooled. He's a tough old bird isn't he?

[Ronju01]

Reid was incoherent at the press briefing. How can he possibly running the Senate? Time for Reid to go.

[bachart]

I agree....R­eid is getting on my nerves....­there is something wrong with him, that he seems so wishy-wash­y......His leadership leaves alot to be desired for a long now? Soft spoken people give me the creeps because I never know if they are just trying to be passive agressive or what?

I don't know...but when I get the creeps on someone I usually end up right? He needs to give someone else a chance to lead!

[dianhow]

Chi progressive & Ronju You're correct. But Reid is not really running the senate-he's just going thru the motions. Of course Burris should be seated. Blago has not been indicted or found guilty YET-so it's legal. Then he will run in the next election. Hope he's still ' clean as a whistle '. It's not Obama's place to get involved in this mess. Yep..Blago had the last word- he gave all of them the finger. Thats the kind of guy he is...stree­t smart & profane. Illinois' own Gov Blago. Remember the Dems do not have the power yet. After Jan 20th..We can decide after a 12-18 months, what kind of job they're doing. Lets not ' rush to judgement.­' AFter all- Bush had a Repub congress his first 6 years ! Fact " During those 6 years- Bush vetoed or the Repub Senate filibustered to obstruct any progress. by the Dems.

[Halfwit]

Blago 1
Senate Democratic Leadership 0
Whatever else I think of Blago, this was the best public F@#* You ever.

[Eric-in-the-Red]

Here's how it works. Reid and Dems save face by pointing at the Illinois Supreme Court. The Illinois Supreme Court rules that a signature isn't necessary to seat Burris, Burris gets to sit as a Senator, and every one washes their hands. Mind you, no one addresses that a state court has just determined a federal issue. Welcome to politics and passing the buck.

[Freedomscap]

Isn't it a state issue in deciding whether the Govenor could properly appoint Burris?

[ReesieKitty]

TribunusPlebus you have it dead on. I live in IL and I do NOT want Burris sat just to 'stop the circus' Let the circus drag on as long as it wants. I understand that a lot of people are hating on Harry Reid, quite possibly with reason, but if he caves in to Blago and Burris on this, I will respect him less, not more. The Senate can go about its business quite nicely without Burris sitting in it. If the charges against Blago had nothing to do with the senate seat, it might be a different story. But since he is accused of SELLING A SENATE SEAT- you can't really take that out of the equation and say 'oh he's still the governor'. Burris knows this and knows he has no way of getting into the Senate other than through this shady appointment, so he is pressing on, playing the race and God cards and generally embarrassing himself further. Seating him will just compound problems for IL, not solve them.

[NHMOM63]

Guess what,RessieKitty,
The governor of your state has the constitutional right to appoint whomever he wants..It is the same in NY, but I do not want to see Caroline Kennedy seated, I rather have Andrew Cuomo, but it is still up to the governors.

[dianhow]

Kitty The law says Gov Blago has the power to pick Burris. Until he is found guilty, impeached or indicted. I wish it were not so.but we are stuck with it.

[gmlaster]

I'm a Chicagoan, and I couldn't agree more. I DO NOT WANT THIS MAN FOR MY SENATOR, especially because he's been appointed by our gangster governor. I don't care how long it takes. Circus or no, let it run its course. Blagojevich should NOT get to make this appointment. There's a difference between a governor in good standing and one accused of corruption. He has the legal right to appoint the senator, but that legality was never intended to be used to hold the state hostage to corruption.

Obama has shown what politics can and should be. I don't want to see our state go backwards. That race card thing Bobby Rush pulled is totally old-style and it left an ugly taste in my mouth. Burris says it's not his fault what his supporters say and do (he said that about Blagojevich too), but if you don't like what they're saying or doing, you shut it down and distance yourself from it. Burris was fine with it when he thought it would work for him.

Yes, the governor is innocent until proved guilty, but the people of our state have the right to a resolution of these corruption charges BEFORE allowing him to appoint anybody. A corrupt governor CANNOT be allowed to choose our senator. How can we possibly clean up this state if we keep letting crooks represent us?

[bdl0715]

I live in IL and have lived in Chicago. I say he needs to be seated. We can not pick and choose which laws we want enforced. I like Jesse White, but I am a little concerned that he thinks he has veto power over the governor. Rod B is the governor. He has not been indicted and still has the power of the office.

[oldbrit]

Blago had no legal obligation to appoint the best person or even someone who is electable in 2010.

Blago's only legal requirement is to appoint someone who is constitutionally eligible. The appointment is his and his alone.

If Blago thinks Burris will not make a good senator and is not electable in 2010, I'd say that Blago has gotten some revenge on his accusers.

And, Feinstein exacted a pound of flesh herself when she did an about face on Burris and led the charge to get him seated.

[Aesthete]

Burris will probably be a interim replacement anyhow. In two years he will be 73 and I don't forsee him running for the seat in 1210. Blago will be gone in 1210. In 1210, Illinois will have an opportunity for a fresh start.

[Czoe]

In 1210? Gosh, that's 800 years ago.

[djsi]

Reid is now on Burris' payroll.

[radical1]

"Tit for Tat," whatever, but there is already so much of a "stink" in the air over Blogo, that I see nothing wrong with seating Burris for the time being and see what he can do for the rest of the term. Obama wants to get going on correcting the Bush & Company bad judgements and CORRUPT decisions, so get all possible Democrats seated and "take off," and we can hope there'll be less mess to get through. We certainly NEED less garbage lying around just due to Blago. I've often been anoyed with actions or inactions of Reid, but I believe he has the good of the Democratic Party and this nation at heart.