Mr. Burris Goes to Washington (Finally)

The debacle is over.

Roland W. Burris, 71, will be seated as the junior senator from Illinois, becoming the lone African American in the U.S. Senate.

The appointment of Burris to the U.S. Senate should have been a seamless. But Burris' plight became an international spectacle, thanks to a seedy political scandal that involved charges of corruption, back room bartering, alleged high-profile bidders and a relentless prosecutor armed with a suitcase of secret tapes.

The only thing missing from this scandal is sex. (Oh, wait. U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald is an alum of People magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive" hall of fame, so there ya' go.)

And yet another chapter of The Chicago Way has been written.

Let's recap: President-Elect Barack Obama vacated a U.S. Senate seat. Illinois law states the governor has the sole authority to fill the vacancy. Gov. Rod Blagojevich became the instant kingmaker.

Politicians threw their hats into the ring, wish lists were drawn. Battle lines were drawn, too, as Congressman Bobby Rush and other community organizers voiced concerns that if the appointee wasn't black, there would be a complete white-out in the U.S. senate.

The governor was taking his time naming the Senate appointee, right up until he received that 6 a.m. wake-up call from the FBI agents stationed at his door. They were there to arrest him on charges of wire fraud and bribery.

Federal Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald told the world that the governor attempted to put the Senate seat up for sale, sparking a buying frenzy on eBay (of course other jokesters also had senate seats to sell). And then the late night talk show circuit noticed the governor's swagger and his luscious mane of news anchor hair. Add Blagojevich's hypnotic surname to the mix and our governor became a late-night talk show sensation all by himself.

Deep in the midst of the scandal and fresh after posting bail, Gov. Blagojevich went about business as usual and appointed Roland Burris to fill the vacant seat. And, by now, you know the rest of the saga.

So, is the U.S. Senate ready for The Ironman?

If the Senate knew nothing of him before, they know it now: Roland Burris is a fighter. Born in Centralia, Ill., on August 3, 1937, the son and grandson of railroad workers, Burris met opposition head on.

At 16, Burris (who stands five-foot-six, slight but athletic), was the first African American to dip his toes into the Centralia public swimming pool. Even today one can envision the racially charged reaction to that. But instead of hindering Burris, such challenges set the stage for his entry into law and public service.

This man, who will now sit as a U.S. Senator from Illinois, by all accounts, is an excellent choice for the seat. He received a B.A. in political science from Southern Illinois University and a J.D. from Howard University School of Law. As an exchange student, he studied International Law at the University of Hamburg in Germany. During his professional career, Burris has served on several high profile boards.

Burris has not shied away from touting his credentials--and his legal right to fill the vacant Senate seat. Speaking in third person, he said before it became official, "Roland Burris has been legally appointed to the United States Senate. I am currently the junior senator from our state."

True to form, he put in the leg-work--testifying before the House Impeachment Committee that there was absolutely no sweetheart deal between him and the governor; and he argued his validity on the sets of news talk shows and even withstanding a face-off with Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White, who refused to sign his certificate of appointment.

The move stalled Burris' appointment, but it was White who emerged with far more battle scars. Burris came to White's defense: "Some have criticized Jesse, and I think somewhat unfairly," he says. "He stood for what he believed was right and in our state's best interest. His actions only reinforced what I have always known him to be, an honorable man."

Finally, Democrats Harry Reid and Dick Durbin, the two top leaders in the Senate, released a joint statement verifying that Burris' appointment to the Senate was valid.

While giving his first press conference since learning that he is officially the junior U.S. senator from Illinois, Senator-designate Roland W. Burris was the complex character he's always been--hurried but controlled, excited but contained--as he explained his decision to fight the good fight.

"The single most important reason why I fought to defend this appointment, was because I believed Illinois people didn't deserve to unfairly be punished again, by delaying their right to have full representation and equal voting rights at such a crucial time for our state and our nation," he said. "My motivation is to serve, was pure, and had nothing to do with the scandal that preceded my appointment."

This Chicago scandal surely affirms the legacy of Prohibition-era gangster Al Capone, the most celebrated symbol of Chicago's lawlessness, and one of many reasons why Chicago will never shake its reputation for political corruption.

Burris, however, says things are looking up for the state's tarnished image.

"If you are among the many in Illinois, who are disheartened by the cloud that hangs overhead and darkens our state's image," Burris says, "I ask that you join me in remembering the old saying: "It's always the darkest before the dawn."

Perhaps he's right.

Even as you read this, the world's focus is shifting away from the underbelly of Chicago politics and is re-focusing on our prominent, unifying voice of change--President-elect Barack Obama.

Roland Burris is heading to the U.S. Senate, and the political rumbling has subsided.

For now.

Comments

[ChicagoSpook]

Zondie

Please fact check Burris's dipping his “his toes into the Centralia public swimming pool. Burris states, "on the hottest day of the year", while his towns Black leaders anguished over not being allowed to swim, he just “just jumped in” and it was a done deal, the town moved forward with out controversy”.

This lie insults Martin Luther King, the Civil Rights Movement, and anyone who suffered/ was killed fighting segregation. Should we belive that Burris had a magical ability to end segregation where others failed. Like those countless Black and white students who in the 1960’s had hot coffee poured on them as they attempted to eat a meal at segregated lunch counters? Or the activist beaten by armed white mobs after fleeing Greyhound buses set on fire that they had tried to integrate?

I guess Roland did what MLK could not do, just “just jump in”. To bad Roland didn’t live in Ford Heights Illinois when instead of allowing Blacks in the public pool the town officials simply filled it up with cement.

And I notice that you fail to mention any thing that Burris has actually done in office. Maybe its because he only did what the Chicago Machine told him, which was not to empower any body but the Machine and himself. As attorney General, he fought the appeals of death row inmate Rolando Cruz, even though it was clear that Cruz was innocent. Just who do you think he was protecting?

[easarsfield]

thank you for speaking the truth!

[Zondra Hughes - Huffpost Blogger]

ChicagoSpook,

It is true that Roland Burris was the first African American kid to integrate the pool. In this blog, I am just reviewing his past and how it may have shaped his decision to enter public service. As an alum of Ebony magazine, and a mentee of Chicago historian Lerone Bennett Jr., never would I compare a politician's swim in the neighborhood pool to the Civil Rights struggle, that still exists. You and I are on the same page and I thank you for bringing this issue to the forefront.

[carnelld]

The following is an excerpt from an Associated Press article regarding the U S Senate vote to release the second 350 billion Tarp funds. The vote was close, but was a victory for Obama.

"In his first Senate vote, Roland Burris voted with his leadership, Harry Reid and Dick Durbin, who had just last week been blocking him from taking his seat. Burris, Reid and Durbin chatted amiably on the floor and Durbin even polished Burris' senatorial pin for him."

The attempt to deny Burris the Senate seat was a Republican fueled attempt to get the Senate seat(vote). The "tainted" talking point was started by the Republicans, repeated by the media, and adopted by the public . The Democrats fell for the trick.

[easarsfield]

I would love to know where you get your information from.

The 'tainted' talking point started when the senate democrats told Blago that they would refuse to seat ANYONE appointed by Blago. The republicans had nothing to do with this. Get real.

[Zondra Hughes - Huffpost Blogger]

What, do you think, contributed to the Dems falling in line and going ahead with the appointment?

[stell]

A poison (in this case R) creates it's own antidote. Blago is no fool, understands the race problem, and no doubt used it to his advantage. There was no way that Reid could have kept Burris out, and Durbin addressed this when he said it wasn't about race. It was a matter of perception. Reed and Durbin don't even have to necessarily be R.
Post R society? I think not.

[LITNUP]

racism is the reason he went to Washington....A sad day .... Racism and sexism is the reason Carol Mosely -Braun went and she was dismal.

[easarsfield]

agreed. Today is a sad day for IL.

[Zondra Hughes - Huffpost Blogger]

Litnup,

Could you elaborate on how racism and sexism paved the way for Carol to go to Washington? I'd love to know your thoughts...

[M1]

Allowing him to be seated and admit being punked by Gov. Blago was actually the best move. Burris needs to answer to the citizens of his state. They will let him know if he is to return to the Senate....It is up to them to be the deciders. We are a nation of laws and if the appointment was legal and Burris committed no crime and was qualified.­...well...­..it goes to his constituents to decide.

[stell]

The Governor was well within his right to appoint Burris, regardless of your feelings. It will be up to whites like you to make sure that he is "electable" when he is up for re-election. He's not some quota hire. He served as both Comptroller General and Attorney General, what have you done?

[timm0]

Thanks for proving that racism has more than one flavor.

[easarsfield]

wow bitter much?

Burris will not be 'electable', but because Republicans are going to be able to play off the fact that our current sitting senator was appointed by a corrupt governor with whom he has some suspect ties to (like how Patti got the job she currently has).

[stell]

Refined r a c i s m's home is the Democrat party. Hillary Clinton skated through the nomination process with a laundry list of conflicts of interest, while Eric Holder (who served under Clinton) has his nomination held up in Congress. I think the allegations that Reid didn't want the three blacks in question to be selected, because they're "unelectable." Senate Democrats capitulated BECAUSE of race. They say that Bobby Rush injected race, or played the race card, but the truth is race was always there; it's the only game in town.

[Zondra Hughes - Huffpost Blogger]

Stell,

How has racism become refined in your opinion? Is it more covert, or is it a last-minute ploy when nothing else works? Please elaborate...that is interesting.

[stell]

Excellent question. You're on the right track, the more overt segregation, and direct violence (like hanging and fire hoses) has gone only to be more replaced with a far more insidious (and more covert form). Refining R involves making it more palatable to it's victims. For example since one can no longer legally prevent a person from attending a good school because of their color, so they do so buy ensuring that schools are never on equal footing. If someone won't treat you correctly, why would they teach you correctly?

With respect to Democrats and Republicans, the Republicans have been less refined in their R, but Democrats (H R C's campaign) haven't been above using dog whistles, pitting groups against one another and so forth to win an election. The same thing happens in every area of people activity, economics, education, labor, law, politics, religion, sex, and war.

Saying what I'm about to say will probably draw everyone's ire but I'll say it anyway: Barack may very well be here as a refinement of R as well, the empire is exhausted, and lacks credibility, so they've turned to a member of an oppressed minority group to sell their policies, violence and deceit both here and abroad.

It's time to replace the current system with justice; which is guaranteeing that no one is mistreated, period, and that those that need help the most, get it.

[easarsfield]

The last time I checked, it was the REPUBLICANS who were making a stink about Eric Holder.

Reid denied those allegations made by a Blago associate, and although I am not a fan of Reid, why would he lie? He knows that if he did in fact talk to Blago, the feds have that conversation on tape and it could come out. So why would you take Blago's word over Reid's??

and Bobby Rush DID inject the race card, and Roland Burris went along with it. The only reason Democrats caved is because they have quite the legislative agenda on their plates for the next coming weeks and months, and they need all of the votes they can get. They decided to tolerate Burris for two years and that's it. And that has NOTHING to do with race.

[carnelld]

What a difference a day makes. Finally readers are given some information regarding Burres' background

The nature of politics requires the ability to move to the next level. Politicians are good at getting the public emotionally involved in issues. They sometimes leave those on the wrong side of the issue confused, angry, and drained of dignity.

Burris is a U S Senator for the State of Illinois. He will represent the citizens of Illinois.

The Democratic Senate leadership, Illinois Democratic leadership and the media have given Burris a high profile in the Senate. I would think Burris is now better known in the U S and around the world, than most Senators.

Against daunting odds, Burris has developed the aura of "David vs Goliath. There was a strong attempt to deny Burris, but he prevailed.

With the media hype and mis-information campaign against Burris, many did not realize Burriss is an experienced politician. He demonstrated that experience through his tenacity.

[Zondra Hughes - Huffpost Blogger]

Carnelld,
Do you think the hate campaign was against Burris, or was it more against Blago's audacity to appoint him? I'm willing to bet that anyone appointed by Blago would have been thoroughly whipped... what do you think?

[moAb]

MR. BURRIS GOES TO WASHINGTON (Unfortunately)

or

SENATOR TAINT, THE MAN THAT AIN'T (MY SENATOR)