|
||
I Want To Play Poker With Harry Reid
I want to play poker with Harry Reid. Really I do.
Rather than call for a special election in Illinois to fill Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat, Reid sends a letter to Rod Blagojevich signed by everyone in the Democratic caucus asking him to step down. They assert that they will not seat anyone he appoints.
Harumph.
Blago wipes his ass with it and appoints Burris anyway.
Burris holds a press conference and announces he will be in D.C. on Tuesday to be sworn in with the rest of the Senate. Bobby Rush plays the race card. Reid does not see the handwriting on the wall.
He counters by calling Secretary of State Jesse White, who has already said he won't sign Burris's certification, and encourages him. What White is doing is most certainly outside his legal authority -- the Secretary of State doesn't have veto power. But Reid not only gives White a high five, he tells him they'll use this to keep Burris from being seated.
Then he smugly chortles about how he'll manipulate Senate procedure and punt to the Rules Committee, and assures everyone that they will drag things out for months if necessary until Blago is impeached and his successor appoints someone else. And he does it in the press.
Upon reading this, Cornyn announces that Franken won't have a signed certification either, and the GOP will use it to keep him from being seated,
Reuters: "Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid yielded to Republican threats and agreed on Monday not to immediately seat fellow Democrat Al Franken."
Blago laughs out loud. This is amateur night in Dixieland. He leaks to the press that he spoke with Reid before the election, and that Reid didn't think any of the African American candidates vying for the seat were "electable," while Tammy Duckworth was. He stirs up the potential jury pool and makes Reid look like an idiot -- the day before Reid is set to appear on Meet the Press.
Reid looks like a cat in a room full of rocking chairs on Meet the Press. Nobody knows how much Fitz has (not even Fitz, who is still trying to transcribe his tapes) or how much he'll need to reveal to prove his case, so Reid says he "doesn't remember" his conversation with Blago, but calls Blago a liar anyway. When asked if he supported Jesse Jackson Jr. for the Senate seat, he says he would support him. And admits that there's "room to negotiate" on Burris.
Burris appears at the Senate on Tuesday. Gets turned away. Could Reid look any worse?
Yes!
Obama stares down DiFi, appoints Panetta to the CIA, and the NYT breaks the story before she's told (but Ron Wyden already knows). DiFi's fuming.
Despite having been one of the 50 Senators who signed Reid's letter saying Burris would never be seated, she announces that as the outgoing head of the Rules Committee she thinks the Senate has no choice but to seat him.
(Good timing, because Charlie Rangel is already complaining about the Rules Committee dragging its feet.)Reid can't hold his own caucus in line. Blames Rahm. Gives interview saying "I don't work for Barack Obama."
Smooth.
WaPo: "Burris Backs Reid Into a Corner."
A seventy-one year old dude who hasn't held office for 14 years, appointed by a crook, takes the Senate Majority Leader to the cleaners.
Reid is a red state senator, up for re-election in 2010 and under pressure from the right, who is already making noise about appeasing Republicans who aren't going to be appeased. He's a hazard to Obama's agenda, which is why leading Senate Democrats tried to ease him out as Majority Leader last year.
See: Daschle, Tom.
Burris will be seated. He's not gonna deal.
Why should he?
He's playing poker with Harry Reid.
Jane Hamsher blogs at firedoglake.com
|
Senate Showdown: Burris Determined To Take His Seat Tuesday, Maintains That He's A Senator
WASHINGTON — Roland Burris failed to capture President-elect Barack Obama's old Senate seat Tuesday in a wild piece of political theater, but the Democrats' opposition...
|
|
Burris Refused Senate Seat On Capitol Arrival (VIDEO)
WASHINGTON — Roland Burris announced Tuesday he was rejected for Barack Obama's Senate seat, in a bizarre rainy-day scene on the Capitol grounds as lawmakers...
|
Loading comments…
Want to reply to a comment? Hint: Click "Reply" at the bottom of the comment; after being approved your comment will appear directly underneath the comment you replied to
Pretty devastating summation of H. Reid's senate leadership skills. Now Burris is confirmed in his IL senate seat. That settles that poker play --- Burris 1, Reid 0. The puzzling question is why the whole senate democratic caucus is not up in arms in revolt against a leader with such lack of negotiating skills and leadership. Really intriguing.
Sad that decent representation for the citizens of Illinois is so low on eberyone's priorities.
Jane's been complaining about Reid being "pwnd" for two weeks now. You figure with all that pwnage, the great Burris would be seated now. But all Burris has is a xerox copy of his SOS signature and his fellow senator from Illinois saying they won't seat him.
- Reid can't call a special election in Ill. That's the difference between state and federal government (you'd hope a political blogger knew this ... but apparently Jane needs a basic civics refresher). However, the US Senate CAN oppose seating someone IN THEIR BODY, which is what they announced would happen and are following through with.
-Keeping Burris out is more important than seating Franken immediately. It is actually hurting the GOP to have Coleman's seat vacant. Everyone knows it's because because Coleman is a sore loser. By waiting and letting the recount battle fade, it should boost Franken's favorable rating which is in the dumper right now.
-The GOP has accepted the argument that Burris shouldn't be seated by presenting it to oppose Franken.
-By waiting a few weeks or so on Franken, Reid has ensured that the GOP will have to support moves against Burris.
I want to play poker with Hamsher! She'd gamble on a hand of unmatched clubs and spades thinking she had a flush and totally get suckered by every bluff.
It's too easy: if you call him, he'll fold, and he doesn't know or doesn't want to ever bluff. Republicans must have an ace in the hole (they pretty much authorized the torture and wiretaps).
Although petty when there are bigger fish to fry (Bush-Cheney), and transparency issues to deal with (Earmark disclosure for the Senate-Reid); EVERYTHING is newsworthy if it educates the American people as to what is going on (how their tax money is being spent). President-elect Obama has heard the American people - "I will always remember..."
You are so right Jane. THANKS for skinning the cat.
Reid stinks.... (btw - so does Burris).
What would it take to get rid of Harry Reid? I'm told that he was elected to the post as a way of securing a Red state-Nevada. To me the inept leadership, failed policy and general incompetence isn't worth the dubious upside. Get someone in the position that knows what their doing.
Obviously you were told this by someone who is absolutely clueless about Nevada politics - or the politics of the Senate.
Ok, then enlighten me. It surely can't be for competence and ability to lead.
My thoughts exactly except I used the analogy of Reid playing tiddlywinks on a chess board... He is now and always has been out of his league.
Gee, Harry didn't want Burris and then in a New York minute he changed his mind. Same old Harry.
Is there something in the water west of Nevada that creates Harry's and Nancys?
Stonefaces. Could it be t hat both had face lifts and cannot laugh?
We need to eliminate everyone from congress, keep kucinich & Ron Paul, & let them build a new congress around the 2 bravest. smartest. couragesy, & honest people I know left in politics with we the grassroots of the people. Us! and them.
A sample argument between me and any conservative:
Me: Look, neither party is perfect, but after eight years of Bush and considering the current state of affairs in this country, don't you think the Democrats are in a position to bring some real change to Washington.
Conservative: Please! Say what you will about the Republicans, but at least they're not a bunch of spineless push-overs like the Democrats.
Me: Pushovers? Where'd you get that idea?
Conservative: Harry Reid.
Me: Harry Reid isn't a pushover...he, umm, well, there was that one time when he, you know, did, umm, well...damn. Point taken.
>>> A sample argument between me and any conservative:
Me: Look, neither party is perfect, but after eight years of Bush and considering the current state of affairs in this country, don't you think the Democrats are in a position to bring some real change to Washington.
Doesn't O'bama know that Reid is a hazard to his administration , Reid is enemy #1 to the Democrates maybe he's mad at Rahm because he's scared.
Harry Reid has got to go he's a do nothing democrate if he really i s a democrate and he needs to go now not tommrow but Now.
Nevada Democrats: the time and place to defeat Harry Reid is in the Democratic primary. Do the rest of us a favor and get behind a good candidate, and fund him or her! Don't just turn your back on Reid and hand the seat to the Rethugs.
Amen! For a state that has legalized prostitution and makes its money off of gambling, you wouldn't expect them to elect a Mormon as their most powerful voice in the legislature.
On the other hand, I'll bet the state makes a pretty penny off LDS members when it comes to those no questions asked marriage licenses.
Electiing a Mormon, a Catholic or Baptist shouldn't make any difference.
See Romney. You leftist ate him alive.
For once the Senate needs to "grow a pair". First they stated they wouldn't accept anyone from the Ill. Governor, and nor should they until the investigation is over. Why is the media pushing Burris to be appointed anyway? Why appoint a man who regardless of his history is acting like a man who feels entitled to disregard the Senate ruling? The Senate said "they weren't going to accept any nominee this Governor appointed and they need to stick with this until we at least find out if anyone was paid off. Besides this Governor already asked another person and they had the dignity and respect for the Senate rule to say, "No thanks". Burris should have declined, now his selfishness is getting media attention when we have more important things to focus on in Washington.
The Senate disregarded a Supreme Court ruling when they claimed they couldn't seat Burris because there was no signature from the Secretary of State. There is no legal reason for them to deny Burris.
Seat Burris and Franken immediately and give them Reid and Pelosi's leadership positions!!!! They both have tenacity and courage, something I've never seen in R and P. They both fold like wet cardboard the minute a Republican congressman gives them a dirty look.
All the Democrats are trying to paly nice with the Republicans and it is like playing with a rattlesnake.
Franken should be seated, he actually won(something novel to Repubs) and Burris should get questioned on why he was willing to accept Blagojevich's "appointment".
pelosi got two equal pay for women measures through the house today. she's doing something right.
You must be logged in to comment. Log in or connect with
