Durbin: Race Factored In Burris Seating

Chicago Tribune:

Sen. Dick Durbin, who advised Sen. Roland Burris last week to step down from the Senate, acknowledged Sunday that racial considerations were at play in the decision by majority Democrats to seat Burris.

Read the whole story: Chicago Tribune

Comments

[Margary]

This whole thing is about a man who should never have excepted a tainted seat appointed by a lier and thief. That's all this should be about! Burris should leave!

[NCRDIBULL]

Durbin, Madigan, Cullerton, Quinn are all spineless ... Blago has turned out to be the best of Illinois democrats

[mitsie]

I am disappointed in Durbin, he comes out and says this after the radicals in Chicago threatened any politician who wanted Burris removed from office. Perhaps that decision should be made by the rest of us who see nothing but problems with this guy. Wait until a conflict of interest issue becomes public involving Burris, and it's only a matter of time IMO. Even when it came out in the news he helped his son get a cozy job with the state, people still want to give him chances. If this was anyone but Burris, they would be expelled.

Burris is an old time Panther member and he's got the same threatening politicians. Why does Burris want in so bad, especially when it's only for one year?

[maddie0001]

He wants to etch "US Senator" on his tombstone. Simple as that.

Nobody's been expelled from the US Senate since the Civil War so "If this was anybody by Burris..." is untrue. I don't think Senator Burris is the first or the most ethically challenged person to set foot in the US Senate.

Put every member under the same scrutiny as Senator Burris and lets see how many conflicts of interest show up. Then throw them all out.

[aNdYtm]

The nation just votes to seat an African American to the office of President and people are still citing racial reasons to seat Burris! So now we put race ahead of cheating and double talk?

[naschkatze]

Backtracking must be Durbin's middle name.

[vh47]

Seems everyones playing the race-card,so ill deal myself in.Let see whites voted George Ryan in as governor he went jail,Blago is elected twice with more white votes than black,Blago(a white man) appoints Burris as senator,Harry Reid got elected by the white vote and called off not seating Burris,so please tell me outside of Bobby Rushs`statements how the heck is this the black races fault.This is a white problem,for years you have played this chicken-sh**t game of stereotyping the black vote on outdated so-called speakers for the black race instead of standing your when you know your opinion was what was right.I am black and neither of US Senate seat should ever be filled based on race nor should any other elected position.H­ad you held your ground and actually canvassed the state Im sure you would have found that neither Burris or Jesse Jackson Jr.(only because of his ties to his father).An­d I think it time we as blacks move to silence the elders,their messaage isnt our which is "Treat us as equal none less none more".In closing this race crap has to go,doesnt anyone realize we are about eight years away from a one party system.I dont know about you,but contrary to blow-hearted Rush Limbaugh Obama wont be the one to ruin this country beyond repair,it will be the white and black bigots who will.We are Americans First.

[ohioan73]

I wish they'd concentrate on the inadequacy of inner city schools. Bigot apologists always say success starts at home and its somehow black children's own fault that their school su cks and their family is half educated themselves. If I had to depend on my illiterate old country grandfather to help me with any educational advise, I'd have never made it to college and I'd be illiterate, too. Sometimes college is the only way out for a child in a dysfunctional home or a poor neighborhood and our schools dont prepare us for college, just a state test.

"Black on black crime", "bad parents". Its just code word for: "Nobody cares what happens to your future, poor kid. You dont deserve enough school books for your class and proper sports equipment. You'll probably just sell them for crack."

[mitsie]

We are Americans first. I don't have my negative opinon regarding Burris because he's a black, I have it because he has walked a fine line for years, between corruption and doing what's in it for him. He didn't tell all he knew to the legislature, in fact he lied. He gave Blango $20000 from his consulting company and he received over $295000 in state contracts. He is a Senator and a Registered Lobbyest, this should have been a hugh issue. Lobbyests should not be Senators at the same time, it is too much of a temptation to contact businesses coming before the Senate to see if they want to use his lobbying firm. I felt the same way about Stevens in Alaska, as well as the Senator from Lousiana who had the money in his house. I do not like corruption whether it's white, black, or any other color. We all should want to clean up our politcal system, that's the way to put American first.

[changeme09]

burris needs to go!!!

[BarackstarObama]

Although he li ed to get in the Senate, he's here to stay, and President Obama needs his vote.

[Pupster]

No, Obama doesn't.

Seat Franken and let the Republicans filibuster if they have the guts.

[NCRDIBULL]

of course race was played... Carol Mosely Braun won because of race and gender... Barack won becasue of 90 % of AA, large hispanic and huge white guilt..

[sasson]

Well, at least it is better than the republicans playing the stu.pidity card.

[justwaitandsee]

Huge white guilt, now that's rich

[Pupster]

Bitter? Party of one?

[Furby]

Whenever I'm feeling blue, I just look for one of your comments and it makes me laugh, cheers me right up. I see your point about huge whites :) No wonder they like Rush, he's a huge white too.

[jcwtts1]

I am shocked, shocked that when an all white body discusses seating its only black member, the second black male member since reconstruction a hundred and thirty years ago, that race was mentioned. Durbin is draining his capital for no reason. You can't move him out. Let it go man.

J

[sasson]

It is not that race was mentioned, it was how it was mentioned. You do know that we have other black politicians in Illinois. Kwame Rauol would be a great choice for Quinn to appoint.

[Pupster]

So all black people are perfect just because they're black? The people of Illinois don't deserve better than a perjurer?

You're the one playing the race card, as Bobby Rush did. Makes you and Burris sad and pathetic.

[JimR]

Oh please, that alleged perjury claim is bogus.

[justwaitandsee]

"Rush chastised the media and fellow politicians for "making something out of nothing." He also suggested for Gov. Pat Quinn to work "night and day to get the state in order," instead of calling for Burris' resignation. "The state constitution worked for [Quinn]. Let it work for Roland," Rush said."

Now isn't that rich, Bobby Rush wants to lecture someone about making something out of nothing; didn't know playing the race card was gonna come back to bit cha did ya. You misused the RACE CARD and now you can never go back to it again because it backfired. Bobby Rush you are in no position to lecture Gov Quinn on anything and it is because of your behavior along with Roland Burris the Clown that has turned this entire process into a mess. You and your reckless behavior have embarrassed the AA Community, the Democratic Party and the State of Illinois. And now you have to deal with the consequence unless you want to call another press conference and scream the word racism again.

This is what happens when you try to take short cuts it never pays off in the end. You outsource the civil rights movement for a mediocre inadequate politician who is incapable of connecting to the voters of his state. Illinois never wanted Roland Burris in the first place and now the rest of America knows why.

[carnelld]

A week ago, Senator Dick Durbin and Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias went on a trip to Greece.
Today Giannoulias announced he is a possible candidate for Burris' seat in 2010.

That is why Durbin is speaking of race now.He is softening up dividing the voters . Below is an excerpt from the New York Post regarding Giannoulias.


OBAMA'S 'MOB-TIE' $IDEKICK
By CHARLES HURT Bureau Chief
September 5, 2007

WASHINGTON - A man who has long been dogged by charges that the bank his family owns helped finance a Chicago crime figure will host a Windy City fund-raiser tonight for Sen. Barack Obama.

Alexi Giannoulias, who became Illinois state treasurer last year after Obama vouched for him, has pledged to raise $100,000 for the senator's Oval Office bid.

Before he promised to raise funds for Obama, Giannoulias bankrolled Michael "Jaws" Giorango, a Chicagoan twice convicted of bookmaking and promoting prostitution.

Giannoulias is so tainted by reputed mob links that several top Illinois Dems, including the state's speaker of the House and party chairman, refused to endorse him even after he won the Democratic nomination with Obama's help.

[mjb5406]

I didn't realize until now that you are not from Illinois..­. explains why you are so ignorant about Illinois politics. You have no vested interest. Time to butt the f* out.

[scorpioleidy]

S-T-F-U

[carnelld]

Does S-T-F-U stand for Stand Truth Forever Until ?

[harriscrl3]

I tried to read but couldnt get past the NY Post citation. I dont read tabolid and trash nor do I quote them as facts. So you said it came from the NY post but whether its believable is HIGHLY DOUBTFUL. In fact I'd put my odds on this being BS.

The only facts here is that you quote something from the NY POST everything else is hard to swallow.

Carol

[mjb5406]

... and look how recent the citation is... 2007!

[Truthosaurus]

Burris is making few friends in Washington, or any place else for that matter. Bobby Rush was up before the microphones again calling out the ill Ted Kennedy for Chappaquiddick. Burris was hanging out in church again, surrounded by a group of ministers with hands on him praying like something out of a bad Sarah Palin dream. For many Burris supporters, it's all about race, except when they say it isn't about race. Truth is, it's just about race when it furthers their interests. Burris will hang on like grim death and will not be driven from office, no matter that he showed horrible judgment in accepting an appointment from a crooked governor. Repubs are even more lame in Illinois than they are now in the rest of the country, so it will be up to the Dems to put up a good challenger to run against Burris in 2010. And then we will watch the whole race bating thing start up all over again.

[justwaitandsee]

Your post is spot on. And these ministers should be ashamed of themselves to you use god's name in vain for an unjust cause. In their heart of hearts they know Roland Burris was wrong for accepting this position, for using the race card and flat out lying and one of them should stand up and have some courage and tell him the truth. The more they coddle him the more he is allowed to live in fantasy. With the Roland Burris environment needs to understand is that not every voter in Illinois is AA and in fact not every AA supports him. He got this position off of false pretences and the only people who support him are his family and his circus of friends.

I am glad the Durbin is saying it for what it is and now Bobby Rush reckless words will now back fire.

It’s not good to CRY WOLF when there is no wolf around.

[Pupster]

So true. Having Burris in there diminishes every member of color who got in fair and square, through competence and accomplishment.

Bobby Rush is tired, and we are tired of him. All these relics need to go.

[Lakeview Greg]

Blago, Rush, and Burris opened up by tossing the race card. I think we're kind of stuck with Roland until the election. On the bright side, I read this morning Roland has a "re-election" site up and you can give him money. That pretty much insures there is no way he would win a Democratic primary for Senator. To be honest, I can't remember the last election the guy actually won, and he has run in a lot of them.

But "re-election" site? ack.

[justwaitandsee]

I might write Roland Burris a bounce check

[Graywolf48]

I think Burris's appointment was done as an act of spite and contempt for the Democratic party and President Obama on the part of then Governor Blagojevich. It was a calculated act of defiance and in your face politics and I'm sure, from what I've seen and read about Mr. Blagojevich, Roland Burris's race, political history and personality played a big part in his appointment. Blagojevich knew this appointment would end up an embarrassment to the Democrats and President Obama. I think Roland Burris will end up as nothing more than a tool of Blagojevich's revenge, and looking like a fool. But, regardless of how it all turns out in the end, at least on his mausoleum, he'll be able to chisel the title U.S. Senator. A win for Burris, a win for Blagojevich, an a major loss for the Illinois Democratic Party and the U.S. Senate.