Roland Burris, Rod Blagojevich: Illinois Politics Gets Weirder and Weirder

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I live in Chicago, and, although I don't applaud myself for much, I am proud to say I haven't gone near the Trib for the past few days. The NY Times is all over Gaza, and that's what I've been reading. Burris was dead to me ever since he said he'd except the appointment. I thought, 'Oh, another Illinois maniac...' Plus, as soon as Blago appointed him, I knew it would become a race thing. Booooring. Nonetheless, this last stunt was very entertaining. Great TV. Burris is all chest-out walking to the door, gets denied, and then he says he wasn't seaking a confrontation. Hey, at least he didn't say he wasn't expecting one, cuz he must have showed up with every black minister and politico in the state! Playing the race card? He played the whole deck.

DBettino of IL 6:50AM January 07, 2009

Hot Rod actually did the right thing here to go ahead with an appointment. We (and especially Obama) should all just move on.

of 11:37AM January 02, 2009

GRATE as in grating! As much as I admire Roland Burris (a fellow distinguished alum of my college, has a wife who is an absolute doll, and he's an all-around good guy), I'm having a hard time with why he would accept an appointment from a clown like Radioactive Roddy! Who'd even wanna be in the same room with him, let alone the same state?! None of this back-and-forth would be going on if Pat Quinn had appointed him--Burris managed to get thru stints as comptroller and atty general with no sturm und drang, and maintained his integrity. Now this! Stop the madness!!
I don't get it. All I know is, the silliness seems to have no end! I don't care how long Fitzgerald needs to get a conviction, but the STATE General Assembly needs to get this perpetual bad-hair-day idiot out of office POST HASTE! In the meantime, the Prairie State will keep the rest of the nation entertained!

tlynette of IL 4:42PM January 01, 2009

Since this nation is a constitutional Republic, I for one am glad that these idiots who think they can stop the apppointment of Burris on the presumption of Blagojevich's guilt have drawn a line in the sand. At least we know where they stand... Not on the side of Constitutional authority. I still think this is a republican plot to expose those in office who despise our Constitution. It is funny that the pre arrest was before a crime was committed or money changed hands. Kinda like tipping a criminal off that you are going to be there waiting for him. Would you show up? This is like a 3 Stooges comedy.

J. M. of WI 10:51PM December 31, 2008

Here's the text of Article 17 of the Constitution of the US:
Amendment 17 - Senators Elected by Popular Vote. Ratified 4/8/1913. History
"The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislatures.
When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.
This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid as part of the Constitution."
OK? So Blogo ain't been convicted yet, so under Illinois law AND the Constitution, he IS the govenor and he may appoint anybody he wants (except himself, since "double dipping" (holding 2 or more political offices at the same time) is illegal) and ONLY THE US SENATE may determine it's own makeup.

David Henningfeld of WI 5:49PM December 31, 2008

A sitting Gov can still appoint a man to the U.S. Senate!
Until this man Blagojevich is found guilty he can choose anyone he wants. I don't agree with him politically on most issues, but he was elected by the people of his state and he is the Gov. America is not a third world nation. We live by the "Rule of Law"
This is just another example to show that were in the last days. Our Goverment would rather give the banks 700 billion dollars then to try an seriously save our country from utter finanical doom. Now the banks say they don't know where all this money is. Talk about a black hole, or a bottomless pit!
visit my webpage if you'd like to see what the end of the world as we know it will really be like.If you do...you'll get a real Revelation!
http://www.therevelationman.com
You'll see a drama you won't believe...trust me!

Thommy Sides of FL 1:30PM December 31, 2008

What the FBI does on our tax dollars. We have all supported this investigation, so we can all put our 2 cents worth in.
But wouldn't it be to our benefit to let the states handle state business and the federal government spend our investigative dollars protecting our borders against drug smugglers and terrorists entering our country at will?
And who--except Lou Dobbs--speakes for border patrol agents serving life sentences in jail while the drug smuggler they attempted to stop continues smuggling truckloads of drugs openly because no other border patrol agents want to risk the same fate as their fellow officers?
Will Obama exercise his pardon authority that the outgoing president refused to do?

HillbillyBill of TN 5:35AM December 31, 2008

What the FBI does on our tax dollars. We have all supported this investigation, so we can all put our 2 cents worth in.
But wouldn't it be to our benefit to let the states handle state business and the federal government spend our investigative dollars protecting our borders against drug smugglers and terrorists entering our country at will?
And who--except Lou Dobbs--speakes for border patrol agents serving life sentences in jail while the drug smuggler they attempted to stop continues smuggling truckloads of drugs openly because no other border patrol agents want to risk the same fate as their fellow officers?
Will Obama exercise his pardon authority that the outgoing president refused to do?

HillbillyBill of TN 5:35AM December 31, 2008

Let Blago appoint whomever he wants. Just have the senate threaten expulsion. It only takes 2/3 vote to boot him.

Jeff of WA 3:06AM December 31, 2008

Letter sent to my Senators:
Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has appointed Roland Burris to the US
Senate to replace the president-elect, and that appointee has
astoundingly accepted this in-your-face selection, even after he has
just been quoted criticizing the governor for his overall conduct in office.
Opinion polls show that, with much justification, the public estimate of
the credibility of Congress has for months been at an all-time low.
If you vote to confirm Blagojevich's appointment of Burris to the Senate
- when the governor has been taped to the effect that the office was for
sale to the highest bidder and when all Democratic Party Senators have
gone on record as opposing any appointment to that office by this
governor - it would only exacerbate the prevailing distrust and contempt
towards the legislative branch of our Federal government, in ignoring
the corrupt atmosphere inevitably surrounding this designee.
The electorate will be counting on you, counting noses as well, and if
either of our senators capitulate here, if they do not support every
available effort to keep this contemptible, clouded appointment from
being acceded to by the Senate, this will not be the sort of outrage
that will likely be forgotten by Californians.
Ralph Johansen