WASHINGTON--After a 45-minute meeting with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nv.) and Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) Wednesday morning, Roland Burris seemed set on a course to take a seat in the Senate.
Reid, who met Burris for the first time said the question will eventually be put before the entire Senate. Durbin has known Burris for more than 30 years. The mood was one of conciliation. Senate Democrats had said--before Burris was appointed--that they would not seat anyone tapped by Blagojevich, accused of trying to sell the Obama seat for a job or campaign contributions.
Burris has two hurdles to clear--none seem to be a problem-- before Senate Democrats lift their objections to approving an appointment from the tainted Gov. Blagojevich: a certification signature from the Illinois Secretary of State, expected soon one way or the other; and for Burris to testify before the Illinois House impeachment panel that he made no deal with the scandalized governor for the appointment.
Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White--in solidarity with other Illinois Democrats--did not sign the document needed to certify the Burris appointment. Reid noted that the senate rule requiring that certification has been in effect since 1884. Burris is asking the Illinois Supreme Court to expedite a ruling ordering White to sign.
President elect Barack Obama--whose seat Burris would fill, weighed in on the controversial appointment at a press conference Wednesday morning with a comment that seemed to signal to the Senate to seat Burris. "You know, that is a Senate matter. But I know Roland Burris. Obviously, I've -- he's from my home state. I
think he's a fine public servant. If he gets seated, then I'm goingto work with Roland Burris, just like I work with all the other senators, to make sure that the people of Illinois and the people of the country are served."
In a WGN interview on Wednesday, White complained that he has become a fall guy. White has been put in the middle because racial overtones have seeped in the controversy. Obama, Burris, White are African American.
Reid also addressed the race issue, having been stung as racially insensitive--and worse after a Sun-Times Sunday story reported that Reid talked to Blagojevich about the appointment and said three African-Americans from Illinois had statewide electabilty problems: Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.; Rep. Danny Davis and Illinois Senate president Emil Jones.
One of the first things Burris told Reid and Durbin, Reid said, "Hey, this is nothing that is racial. I understand that. So a lot of people have tried to make this a racial issue, but Roland Burris has not and will not."
Burris is scheduled to make a statement before cameras at 1:30 eastern time and then fly back to Chicago for a session with the city press corps. On Thursday, he heads to Springfield to testify in the impeachement proceeding.
Lynn Sweet is a columnist and the Washington Bureau Chief for the 
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I am glad that the system works with press coverage. Now if it would only work like that for the rest of us ordinary people.
We still have the problem of state employees and public officials acting on their opinions and prejudices instead of the law while being defended by the Attorney General.
Roland Burris had money, lawyers, and the press. What about the rest of us?
Durbin folded as expected. Nice grandstanding. Could you imaging the media if this was a Republican? All the idiot actors would be out screaming about how corrupt the system is.
Jesse White did the right thing. Applause to you. they made you the escape goat. You stood up for your own convictions. Burris is the one who cowed down not you my friend. His own ego proved it. He saw a chance to get something he always wanted , but we didn't want him. He could not get elected. Period. We didn't want him as our governor or senator before when he ran. Burris can think, say and do whatever he wants. I hardly care. He say a chance and took it. What an ego, He should be ashamhed. And he isn't..What does that say about him....NOT MUCH.......Burris was unelectable then and he will always be....Thats failure is on him..So, Jesse, hold you head high. You did NOTHING wrong........Consider yourself the only one who did the right thing. Even Durbin is a turncoat. Madigan to for that fact. How sad....
No more will I ever complain about Reid's duplicous, double dealing, slander and libel he used against Bush. Harry is truly an equal opportunity guy. Anyone who stands in the way of his pay for play power trip is taken off at the knees. Fitzgeral should go to Reid's home and arrest him at 6am for trying buy the Illinois Senate seat using the trillion dollar Obama-Reid Corruption stimulus package as collateral.
Wow, when you don't select who Obama or Reid tell you, its police with arrest warrant at the door three days later.
Mover over Putin, here come Barry and Larry!
This is politics as usual. Say one thing to make themselves look like they are doing the moral thing, then doing exactly what they said they wouldn't do. Nothing will ever change. Politicians are all crooks who protect each other and ensure they are never held accountable for anything they say.
I have completely lost faith in our political system. Barack you are already proving you are a typical politician.
Just seen Burris on the news at noon, and it turned my stomach, he is such a self serving political hack ! and now Reid and Durbin are all set to sell out and reverse all they had said by seating him ! The 75% of people in Illinois have said they do not want him as our senator, can't nothing be done to grant the wishes of the PEOPLE ?
Oh look at the happy picture! Smiles all around!
I guess they are only allowing the "agreeable" comments to be posted on this blog. I say that Jesse White errored on the side of "cowardice" when he refused to certify Roland Burris as Illinois' U.S. Senator. I suppose he was standing up for his "convictions" But, "convictions" aren't the "law" What were his grounds for not certifying? He had none. Furthermore, all of the cowardly political hacks who wanted that U.S. Senate seat didn't have the nerve to go after it. Instead, choosing to stand on the sidelines in allegiance with "popular opinion" Which, alas, is also not the law. Good for you, Roland for showing courage anf foresight.
Danny Davis and Jesse Jackson Jr. have experience on Capitol Hill and, along with Jan Schakowsky, would have made great Senators. Reid didn't object to them because they are black - but because they are too left. Same reason he and Obama backed that idiot Tammy Duckworth over Christine Cegelis. Burris is a machine hack - much more to the liking of Reid and Obama, with Durbin, sadly, caving in. This state's politics are really deplorable.
OK, if Burris is actually seated, then exactly how much does he have to pay Blago?
And if he isn't paid, will Blago be looking for a federal bailout of the corruption industry?
This is tragic for the people of Illinois and shows that the “Chicago way” is alive and well. We were so proud to be from the Land of Lincoln. We were so proud of Chicago. I was hoping for the 2016 games, now another black eye for the world to see. We are just looked on as the ones who mucked it all up. This is a true shame. Dick Durbin I will no longer attend events, I will no longer support any function or goal of yours. Reid and Durbin will leave their office themselves and take with them all their good work and toss it in the trash because that is where they have left their souls our souls and their party. Why should anyone do the right thing anymore, they sure don’t.
I am so sick of the whole political system. I do not trust Burris any more than I trust Blajojevich. There is a reason he was picked by Blajojevich. What happened to all the big talk; like usual when faced with a challenge they fold. At this point no one but the people of Illinois should be allowed to name the person to take Obama's seat but then again who really cares what we want.
What was the reference to "fundraising" in the first page headline about?
Lynn just said on MSNBC that she'll be reporting that Obama spoke to Reid & Durbin & told them to get the Burris matter settled (I'm paraphrasing here).
A lot of Democrats had a lot of chances to do this thing right, and they turned 180 degrees in the wrong direction every time.
The Constant Weader at www.RealityChex.com
Roland Burris' qualifications for the office notwithstanding, the antics of Harry Reid in this matter are consistent with his practice of shooting off his mouth with no regard for facts. Who is this hack from StuffScrapedOffMyShoe, Nevada to tell a legally appointed representative of Illinois that he has to testify before a committee of the Illinois legislature before he will be permitted to take his seat in the US Senate? Reid should stick to his own job of trying to run the Senate with some measure of competence which, by the way, he has been unable to do since becoming majority leader. Harry Reid, the ethically challenged Senator whose only support in Nevada comes from Clark County, home of Sin City, and from the patrons of the whore house he grew up in in the aforementioned StuffScrapedOffMyShoe, couldn't be elected dog catcher even in the tiniest hamlet in Illinois. Harry Reid is living proof that there are very few requirements to be a Senator and competence isn't among them.
Just think...Burris will complete the final 2 years of Obama's senate term and will collect a full Senate Pension....Don't be fooled....Burris is only in this for the pension...He'll gladly ride off into the sunset in 2 years and let the other Democratic Hacks scavange for the seat.
DOPES...
Poor Roland. He's looking to raise money? What else is new? Delusional. After this he couldn't win an election to sell peanuts at a baseball game in this state. We'll have very little in the way of effective representation until we elect someone new. Of course Bobby Rush will have worked hard to balance the races in the senate. He'll be pleased.
In the meantime, Burris can collect a check, keep the seat warm and pretend to be a big wheel again.
And so the voters and the taxpayers take it again.
SOS White should be removed from office as he failed to perform the duties of his position. White has violated his oath of office, as he swore an oath to uphold the Constitution of the State of Illinois.
Don-why blame Obama? Don't you think the real culprit is Bank of America? Blago had just HOURS earlier told them that unless they let the glass workers back to work the state would pull their business--particularly given the big thievery involved with the 350 billion bailout?