Enough About 'Roland Burris, Good Guy'

Harry Reid, Dick Durbin and Roland Burris are meeting in Washington on Wednesday to discuss ending the distraction that is Rod Blagojevich's attempt to make an appointment, and Lynn Sweet has "a well-informed hunch that if Burris wants to [be accepted by the Senate], he needs to say he won't run for the seat in 2010."

For his part, Reid would not rule out that Burris might be seated after Wednesday's meeting. He even stood up for the man's character on Meet the Press. "I think everyone that I've talked to said that Burris is a good guy," he said.

Really? How has Roland Burris' actions in the last two weeks not proven how flexible his integrity is?

Sure, he may not have done anything illegal, but the guy is absolutely complicit in a crooked man's scheme to cling to power and embarrass President-elect Obama at the expense of attention toward the real problems facing this country. He's even stooped to having his spokesperson smear Reid as a racist for talking up Tammy Duckworth and Lisa Madigan in his conversation with Blagojevich.

Meanwhile, Reid says, "I don't know a thing wrong with Mr. Burris." Come on.

Frankly, it doesn't matter how clean his record was when he was in office a decade ago or if he didn't pay a cent for his appointment: Roland Burris is a willing pawn in a very corrupt game. He's already made a bad deal for the people of Illinois, lending Blagojevich his credibility for a chance to be a United States Senator. How can Majority Leader Reid think he wouldn't lie to get his way?

Burris has previously been unwilling to cede his chance at a full term, saying he'll be a strong contender since, "I'm the incumbent." He will probably be singing a different tune on Wednesday if that's what he thinks Reid and Durbin want to hear. They simply cannot trust him and any agreement that fails to keep Burris out of the Senate is as morally bankrupt as the man who sent him there.

Comments

[ChefLito]

This is truly the tragedy of Mr Burris - he allowed himself to be used as a pawn, and then actively participate in this shameful exercise by showing up in Congress and claiming his seat knowing all the controversy. Whatever respect he has earned in the past all went down the drain. I guess Mr Burris really wanted to be a senator, and since he cannot get voted in (he lost like 3 times?), he'll take this position no matter shameful it is?
To make matters worse, his supporters, which he did not denounce, claimed race as a factor, forgetting that the person he was supposed to be replacing is also a black man. Hello??
Now the Senate says, they will seat him?
Anybody here in our new Democratic Congress has any guts or principles at all? the Republicans must be rolling on the aisles laughing on how the Democrats are handling this soap opera.
Absolutely disgusting!!

[lstl4]

Seat the man for God's sake. Blago is innocent until proven guilty and he is getting a big laugh over this whole thing. He picks a black man so that it will also become a race issue also, and the Senate leaders played right into his hands. From all reports, Burris is an honorable man and has the credentials to be a Senator. If he doesn't do a good job, he will be voted out in 2 years, so why make a big deal of it? We have bigger fish to fry right now, and dont need to be "blagged" down with this.

[pbkritek]

Thank you for this post. While I think that he is legally appointed and should be seated, the MSM's willingness to ignore his overt willingness to create this uproar because of personal ambition and blatant self-absorbtion, including playing the race card with his governor and pretending he has not is deeply unsettling. The MSM should at least acknowledge that his self-serving behavior is hardly an indicator of a deep commitment to service. I also think the MSM's fixation on his every move, along with a cynical amusement about his behavior is irresponsible. The lip service of saying nice things about him while actually smirking at him does have some sort of unsavory backstory tone that is also informative. Somehow, I keep sensing a subtle racial tone in this behavior. I look forward to getting this soap opera out of the news.

[DBJay]

Harry Reid has, I suspect, had all the constitutional lawyer advice he needs. But his actions now are politics. Blogojevich has put Dems in a horrible position. If Reid accepted Burris with a smile and a handshake, the info-whores of Fox and Lush-land would hve a field day (they'll have one anyway, I'm afraid.) I suspect Burris will be seated, Reid will smile ruefully, shake Burris's hand, and whisper in his ear "you know the game."

[Dixiepopulist]

I hear that Roland Burris and Joe Lieberman are going to form a new political party. They're going to call it the Weasal Party of America. They've asked Joe the Plumber to be their national chairman.

[funkybella]

I am a black female and I am truly embarraased by Roland Buris. This is not racism but unfortunately they ( whoever they are ) will try and scream racism. It's True that we need more people of colour and other ehtnic grroups int the senate. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT BARRACK O WAS THE ONLY BLACK PERSON IN THE ENTIRE SENATE?? WTF?? That alone is scary but that's a whole other issue and nothing to do with this current situation.
Roland is the black version of Sarah Palin ( hate myself for saying that ). He loves the spolight and he doesn't care how he gets the Senate Seat..he wants to end his career on a high note but he's looking a little foolish.
I'm all for fighting for one's rights..but if he had even asked the LT Governor to appointment him instead...it would look so much better. I feel sorry for him because this may be a chance of a lifetime but come on .........is it worth the Drama and divisivness. The Rep are loving this for sure.

Funny thing is that this whole situation might just bring the Republicans and Democrats together... how ironic would that be.
BURRIS NEEDS TO SHUT UP and GRACEFULLY STEP ASIDE!

[maab76]

Great Post! Burris belongs to the generation of Danny Davis, Bobby Rush and Leon Finney. Today is an entirely different ballgame: one of consensus building and cooperation with younger players. The old world of confrontation and angry rhetoric is gone.
If you will examine the Fox News Chicago program of Tuesday night, you will find interesting information regarding money, "service" organization, State fundings, jobs granted, and favors awarded. This may be the money trail that needs to be examined in greater detail to determine if this was, truly, a Pay to Play operation.

[mnyegele]

I agree. Had Roland Burris any degree of real integrity, he would have taken a rain check on his appointment. Or better, asked the lientenant governor to appoint him. I also am sick and tired of the press coverage. Now they are blaming Obama for leaving Burris out in the rain. Had Obama approved Burris' appointment, they'd have a hizzy fit over Obama's corrupt deal with Blagoyevich. The hypocrisy of the media knows no end.

[sue805]

Mr. Burris has not held any office for 14 years, because the voters of this state (IL) would not vote him in. It was not for a lack of trying. He was REJECTED by this state's voters, numerous times. What has he been doing for 14 years? he has become a lobbyist. He has donated much money to the govenor's campaign fund. His clients have also donated to the govenor's campaign fund. His clients have recieved lucrative state contracts handed out by the govenor of Illinois. That he has aligned himself with the govenor and accepted this appointment shows that hehas only his own ambitions at heart, not the voters. this seat does not belong to the govenor, the democrats, or Mr. Burris. It belongs to the citizens of the state of Illinois. There is not racism in this rejection of his "claim" to the senate seat. There is no support beyond a small enclave of people that see personal benefit in this appointment and helping Mr. Burris press his claim. His insistance that he is the senator from Illinois is delusional. He does not represent me, and he hopefully never will. Let the voters in Illinois decide who should sit in that seat-NOW. We're about to vote on a replacement for Rahm's seat. let's piggy back the senate seat onto this ballot. The money, at this point, for this special election, is minimal compared to the damage this govenor and faux senator are doing to this good state.

[joedabear]

Oh really.
Then every American that stood up and claimed that which is their just right is complicit in some scheme.
The truth of the matter is that this is beginning to look more and more like the Governor Siegelman situation in Alabama.
Attorney Fitzgerald does not have even enough evidence to get an indictment much less a conviction. If he had this evidence, then he would not have had to ask for an extension to dig up some more dirt.
In my opinion, he was completely out of line when he arrested and intentionally humiliated a Governor of the opposition party and then held a press conference where he attempted to try and convict Governor Blagojewich through the news media.
I think that President Elect Obama would be a fool to hang to this Republican Hatch man any longer than it would take to show him the door and kick him out.

[THINKB4USPEAK]

The rejection of Burris is the first major step in a new and better direction; no more politics as usual. If the Senate caves on this, that will be no change, and you can believe it.

[Soniafaye]

While this comment is true on one hand, I still can't seem to find anyone talking about Blago being unethical and legal at the same time. He hasn't been convicted, he has the legal right to make an appointment for the senate seat, and Burris is within legal rights to be seated (if all his ducks are in a row). MUCH more important stuff going on that deserves our full attention, not this crap. I say seat this man, then when all the hubub is past, we deal with it.
Just because you can doesn't mean you should. Thats true in every direction. and just because Blago's appointment is legal, doesn;t mean he is ethical. Crazy how politicians can be unethical and still legal.

[Pretzel1]

Roland Burris has been repeatedly rejected by the voters of Illinois. Except for his victory as State Comptroller, he has failed to make it out of the primaries of any state-wide election. His entry into the governor's race in 2002 helped lead to Blagojevich's victory when the Black vote was split and Blago beat a much better candidate, Paul Vallas.

Burris has proven to basically be a non-entity in politics. He is a career "wannabe" and would sell his soul to be anything of significance in politics, Which he did to Blago, who can now play the race card and further divide and conquer Illinois politics and by extension, the U.S. government and President-Elect Barack Obama.

Our Illinois government's inaction has allowed this to happen and Roland Burris will be seated by the U.S. Senate, because they also do not have the chutzpa or in the words of our Governor, "the testicular virility" to be seen as racist by not seating Mr. Burris. Governor Blagojevich has no moral compass and will create as much collateral damage as possible along the way and everyone who has been in his path and those who are currently in his path will be fair game when he starts naming names. Ask Senator Harry Reid.

Burris is being used and the sad thing he doesn't seem to care as long as he can gain some political power that he couldn't garner on his own by way of the Illinois electorate.

[shel3364]

I was willing to give him a chance... and then he opened his mouth. I'm still waiting for him to shut it.

The more he speaks, the less impressed I am. "ordained by God"??? Nope, dude. Ordained by a governor under investigation. If you don't know the difference, you have no place in the Senate.

[RRundbaken]

Burris, who's career was over, is just another opportunist. How can he say Blagojevich's problems do not concern him? Once he accepted this painfully tainted nomination he became one with Gov. Hair. Most self respecting people would have turned this governor down. It's an embarrassment. The hubris of this governor to stand before the people, and act as if he's done nothing wrong is an insult. And for Burris and his supporters who scream racism is even more insulting. What a mess. So petty and cheap. The governor and his shrill wife should be removed from office as quickly as possible. Here we are at the doorstep of history and this tawdry affair has to intrude. Impeach this bum, reject his nominee, and let the next person select the senatpr.

[lynettema]

f Burris were such honorable, idealistic senator (which he is not yet), he would have turned down this appointment. I see him as no better than Blago. Voters and others should put pressure on Burris to step down - and run and hide for a while. He should be embarrassed.

[leeoakfire]

full agreement with that!

[DWSouthern]

It's simple: anyone who accepts a nomination from Blago is tainted. Burris is an ambitious pol who knows he is causing good people and the state of Illinois a lot of grief. Damn him.