After yesterday's magical, race-cardulous press conference, where tainted Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich announced that he was going to appoint former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris to the Senate, Burris went on the charm offensive, pressing his case in the media. His arguments basically boil down to: Blago's problems have nothing to do with me, the press should ask a different set of questions - especially if they are favorable to his appointment - and, maybe people ought to think about racism, not that there is any!
Of course, Burris' appointment puts him on collision course with Senate Democrats who want to avoid getting mired in Blagojevich's sleaze in any way. Asked about the dark cloud that hovers over Blago's every move on this morning's Today show, Burris sidestepped the issue, attesting to phone calls from supporters and insisting that "no one has questioned" Blagojevich's statutory authority to make an appointment. Naturally, this ignores the fact that Patrick Fitzgerald said he released his wiretap transcripts precisely because he wanted to forestall a tainted appointment. "I have nothing to do with [Blagojevich's] problems," insisted Burris.
But as Dan Conley, former speechwriter to Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, points out, it is impossible to separate Burris from Blago's problems because Burris is being used by the governor as the solution to his problems:
The appointment of Burris is a pure impeachment-defense tactic from Blagojevich. First, he's making a public case that no crime was actually committed. If Burris was appointed without any quid pro quo (highly likely, since Burris has no great wealth or influence), then Blagojevich can argue that all the talk about other possible appointments were just that -- talk. And talk is not a crime. Is anyone going to buy that? Well, even if only ten percent of Illinois voters buy it, Blagojevich will have doubled his support, so why not? There's a certain freedom in nearly complete unpopularity.
On Bobby Rush's "lynching" comment, Burris bobbed and weaved:
I think the Congressman has assessed it. It is a fact: there are no African-Americans in the United States Senate. That's a fact. And what he was indicating is we should not turn this into a situation where a qualified, dedicated, public servant will be denied the opportunity to serve. It could, then, give the appearance...of a lot of individuals, not only African-Americans, saying, "A person of Roland Burris' qualifications is not seated because of the governor's problems wouldn't be seated? Is it racism that is taking place?" That's the question the somebody else may raise.
That's the question that Roland Burris is raising, anyway! When Danny K. Davis - also African-American - was offered the appointment, Davis seemed concerned that a person of his qualifications would not be seated precisely because Blagojevich has "problems."
[WATCH.]