Will Reid, Senate try to block?
Updated, after Blago news conference:
Yeah, Bobby Rush did deal the race card; but that is why this was a politically smart appointment by Blago. That said, is Jesse Jackson Jr. kicking himself, or anybody within reach right now, about being neither the black appointee nor the black Senate seat defender instead of Rush?
Also, neither Blago nor legal mouthpiece Ed Genston has commented on this breaking Genston's promise, on behalf of Blago, that he would not make an appointment.
And, Burris pulled out his former state AG credentials to fluff the "innocent until proven guilty line" about Blago, all while saying, in essence, "Did I really give him $11K? I don't remember." Gotta love it!
Finally, can Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White really block the appointment? I view his office's legal role here as nothing more than a functionary. Speaking of state AGs, I guess he can get a legal opinion from disappointed "Candidate No. 2," Lisa Madigan.
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The Chicago Tribune reports Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich will name former Illinois Atty. Gen. Roland Burris to fill Barack Obama’s Senate seat.
Burris is 71, and seemingly nothing more than a fill-in until the seat comes up for regular election in 2010. He had indicated interest in the seat, but was not on Blago’s A list.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has said the Senate will not seat any Blago appointment, but, given Reid, per Theodore Roosevelt, has the backbone of a chocolate éclair, might soften his stance if there’s a tacit agreement Burris will not run in 2010.
The Trib has a poll on four appointment-related questions.
A couple of the questions are vague. For example, “Is the Burris appointment good?”
Good for whom? Hell, yes, it’s good for Burris.
“Should he accept?” An ambitious politician, at age 71, who wants a two-year sincecure? Hell, yes, he should accept.
“Was it a smart move?” Hell, yes, again. Appointing an African-American who is relatively plugged in on state politics, but seems scandal-free.
Trib poll voters are looking at these questions in the wrong way.
Burris appears to meet all constitutional requirements for the office. I don’t see how Harry Reid, the Senate Democratic Caucus or the full Senate can do anything BUT seat him.
The Senate could then turn around and vote to expel him, but that takes a 2/3 vote.
And, all this said, Burris’ skirts aren’t totally clean on his connections to Blago.
That said, the person or persons responding to previous Blago posts of mine where I said, “He ain’t that dumb, at least politically,” and they strongly begged to differ, might want to rethink.
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