Roland Burris Says He Won't Be "Rubber Stamp" For Obama In Senate

In a Tribune interview, Roland Burris sketched the outlines of his positions on key issues for the first time, acknowledging that he has much to learn as he seeks to enter the U.S. Senate at a momentous time in the nation's history.

Burris offered general support for the programs offered by the man who created the vacancy, President-elect Barack Obama--backing a stimulus agenda for the nation's troubled economy and removing U.S. combat troops from Iraq while increasing the military presence in Afghanistan. But he said Obama should not count on him as a "rubber stamp."

At the same time, Burris said he would support the expansion of O'Hare International Airport, a pet project of Mayor Richard Daley, after staking out an ambivalent position when he ran for mayor in 1995.

Read more on Chicago Tribune