Breaking: Blago Picks Burris for Senate

Do we know yet if he is a LGBT ally?

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by: dstavro @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 13:23:02 PM CST

well he's well certainly experienced, but...

i have no idea what his politics are.  

btw, whoever gets appointed will finish out obama's term, which expires in a few years.  thereafter, they will have to compete in an election (albeit as an incumbent).  so, how vital is it who gets the job as long as they are competent and not conservative?

Lurleen on Twitter

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by: Lurleen @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 13:45:01 PM CST

who it is depends a bit more than usual

because of the circumstances by which that person was appointed.  Blago taints everything and everyone he touches right now and, by default, that taint impacts the party

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by: ol cranky @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 13:47:06 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Roland Burris

is, in my opinion, a great choice.  He's an honorable man, a squeaky clean politician, and a reliable friend to the LGBT community.

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by: Naperville Mom @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 13:48:39 PM CST

Ditto.

Louise, it's Roland, not Ronald.
He was the state treasurer for a long time before becoming AG, and people liked him.  He ran for governor, and I voted for him then.  What's funny is that I mentioned to my sister when the whole Gov. B thing was starting that he should make sure to appoint someone who the public likes and is considered trustworthy.  I think that Mr. Burris fits the bill, but I would have also have liked Jesse White to have been named.  

My America includes LGBT families.

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by: Mena @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 14:10:29 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Started to take down diary

when I went back to glean more info and saw the discrepancy between what MSNBC was reporting his name to be and other agencies- but Pam's fingers were more nimble than mine! ;)

I guess when MSM gets your name wrong, especially in a story of this size, it says alot about how little "dirt" there is?

Major kudos for the Fast Finds info, Pam- outlines his career and qualifications very nicely. He sounds on paper like an excellent choice.

That Harry Reid appears to be taking a stance of dismissing the selection based upon "who did the selecting versus any other real reason" speaks volumes about Reid, doen't it?


"It goes on one at a time, it starts when you care to act, it starts when you do it again after they said no, it starts when you say We and know who you mean, and each day you mean one more."

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by: Louise @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 14:16:42 PM CST

[ Parent ]

GAH!

That has GOT to be about my millionth typo today... (re: "DOESN'T" not doen't)

"It goes on one at a time, it starts when you care to act, it starts when you do it again after they said no, it starts when you say We and know who you mean, and each day you mean one more."

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by: Louise @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 14:18:00 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Me too!

I realized that I used "Treasurer" and not "Comptroller", but didn't go post about doing that.  Sigh.

My America includes LGBT families.

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by: Mena @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 18:33:43 PM CST

[ Parent ]

sorry not accepting that...

"an honorable man, a squeaky clean politician"

Honestly, it's hard to believe that anyone being nominated to this position could be squeaky clean and impossible to consider someone doing accepting it to be honorable.

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by: kathygnome @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 15:02:59 PM CST

[ Parent ]

A great choice, but...

Here in Illinois, Burris has a spotless reputation and is known as a progressive. Why he would agree to let Blago nominate him is curious. Burris has to know that his nomination is going to be tossed by Reid.

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by: zenrain @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 14:01:27 PM CST

Is it known whether Burris has agreed to the appointment?

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by: mcc @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 14:22:24 PM CST

[ Parent ]

i've heard no confirmation, but...

blagojevich wouldn't embarrass himself by not confirming that first.  this is top flight poker he's playing.  he wouldn't make such a stupid mistake.

Lurleen on Twitter

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by: Lurleen @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 14:24:38 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Uhhhh

...spoke too soon. Yes, it is.

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by: mcc @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 14:25:13 PM CST

[ Parent ]

forget what i said

about blagojevich not making any more stupid mistakes.  could that press conference have been any more ham-fisted?  omg.  "lynch" ?!

Lurleen on Twitter

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by: Lurleen @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 14:41:03 PM CST

[ Parent ]

this makes me more than a little uncomfortable with Burris

via NowPublic, he not only accepted, he seemed to have increased lobbying after Blago's arrest

Shortly after Obama's Nov. 4 victory, Burris made known his interest in an appointment to the Senate but was never seriously considered, according to Blagojevich insiders. But in the days following Blagojevich's arrest, and despite questions over the taint of a Senate appointment, Burris stepped up his efforts to win the governor's support.  chicagobreakingnews.com

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by: ol cranky @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 18:33:18 PM CST

[ Parent ]

the senate letter

the letter that the senate sent to blagojevich does leave them with plenty of wiggle room to accept this nomination if they want to, imo.

Dear Governor Blagojevich:

We write to insist that you step down as Governor of Illinois and under no circumstance make an appointment to fill the vacant Illinois Senate seat. In light of your arrest yesterday on alleged federal corruption charges related to that Senate seat, any appointment by you would raise serious questions.

It is within the authority of the Illinois legislature to remove your power to make this appointment by providing for a special election. But a decision by you to resign or to step aside under Article V of the Illinois Constitution would be the most expeditious way for a new Senator to be chosen and seated in a manner that would earn the confidence of the people of Illinois and all Americans. We consider it imperative that a new senator be seated as soon as possible so that Illinois is fully represented in the Senate as the important work of the 111th Congress moves forward.

Please understand that should you decide to ignore the request of the Senate Democratic Caucus and make an appointment we would be forced to exercise our Constitutional authority under Article I, Section 5, to determine whether such a person should be seated.

We do not prejudge the outcome of the criminal charges against you or question your constitutional right to contest those charges. But for the good of the Senate and our nation, we implore you refrain from making an appointment to the Senate.

emphasis added.

Lurleen on Twitter

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by: Lurleen @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 14:32:16 PM CST

Show me the money!!

Here, via HuffPo.

This is gonna be interesting to watch. Frankly, I think ANY Dem is gonna have a hard time being uninvolved,  thanks to Blago.

"It goes on one at a time, it starts when you care to act, it starts when you do it again after they said no, it starts when you say We and know who you mean, and each day you mean one more."

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by: Louise @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 14:35:24 PM CST

Burris was a fund raiser for Blago

He donated personally and hosted major fund raising dinners. Which pretty much screws Burris's political future and his chances for actually being seated in the Senate.  

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by: Natasha Yar-Routh @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 14:51:16 PM CST

I grew up in Chicago - where politics is as much a spectator sport as the Cubs

This has got payback written all over it.  I'm just not sure who is paying back who, and whether it's a positive or negative payback.  Either someone stupid really likes Burris, or someone smart really hates Burris.  

It could also be a brokered deal of some sort.  It would be REAL interesting to see who the players are, if that's the case.

From what I've seen over the years, Burris is a man of integrity and a progressive.  Why he would allow this is beyond me.

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by: Phil @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 14:57:27 PM CST

Most people in Illinois like Roland Burris

Though he has the taint of being picked by Blago.  I think if Rod endorsed God, people would start seriously considering atheism.

He also has (and this is a clue to his politics) associations with Jesse Jackson.  For some people, that'll be a plus; for me, not so much.  But overall, solid choice even if it is from Blago.

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by: george.w @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 15:03:39 PM CST

Blego and Burris

Harry Reid after inviting Joe Liarman and alround KAPO back to the party says volumes about his judgement.
As to Blego, as a nonconvicted crook he has the power to appoint Burris regardless of what everyone thinks. Burris undoubtedly knows Obama and which side his bread is buttered on and as Obama needs votes to avoid "drama" w/ his agenda every Democrat can live w/ it. It keeps the seat out of a general election which Democrats might be hard to pressed to win given the situation(although personally given how Southern Republicans treated the car companies the seat is relatively safe) given the tarnish of Blego. It is a poke in the eye to Fitzgerald given he overplayed his hand and made every aspect of the case more political than he need have(given that he will not release any meaningful info to the impeachement committee guaranteeing a long drawn out process to decide what the impeachable offense is is proof of that). African Americans are going to take it, reformers probably know Burris is clean and posters here says he is friends of the LGBT community, so that leaves the republicans. given the mess they left the country through nonfeasance who cares what they think.

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by: Robert M @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 15:29:38 PM CST

Still scratching my head over how this has played out.

The Republicans gave the people of Illinois George Ryan (now inmate Ryan).  This guy actually enjoyed the support of the GLBT community, because the Democrats put Glen Poshard on the ballot (an admitted homophobe.  Poshard hailed from Southern Illinois, which is worlds away from Chicago liberalism).  Being an Illinois voter means that standard operating procedure is holding one's nose while casting votes.

The last serious competition Blagojovech had was Judy Baar-Topinka, a Republican, but a staunch ally of the GLBT community.

I am no fan of the Republican party at the national level, but Judy would have been a far better governor than Blago turned out to be.  And believe me, I am a Democrat, but Blago is a classic Chicago Machine politician.

I am still scratching my head over why Burris accepted this.  He's only 71, but I have to wonder if he's getting funny in his old age.  

The guy is viewed as a "Mr. Clean," as far as politics goes in Illinois.

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by: Phil @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 16:43:15 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Amused

I'm honestly just amused, because one of the Burris kids went to my grade school, and they lived across the street from my godfather.

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by: Darkrose @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 17:38:08 PM CST

Mr Burris speaking live with Rachel Maddow

later on tonight on her show.

"It goes on one at a time, it starts when you care to act, it starts when you do it again after they said no, it starts when you say We and know who you mean, and each day you mean one more."

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by: Louise @ Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 20:05:14 PM CST