Political Hotsheet
January 6, 2009 11:58 AM

Burris Battles Critics and Traffic Lights

No one can blame the most anticipated arrival to Capitol Hill to be a little distracted this morning, but Senate appointee Roland Burris almost walked into traffic walking to the Senate building this morning.

Holding a big black umbrella, Burris approached a Washington, D.C. intersection as people started yelling, "Its a red light, "then, "red light! red light!" Two large men put their hands on Burris' shoulders, who bent down and puffed up his cheeks in relief. No one seemed more comforted over his good fortune than Burris. "I am just playing," he said with a relieved smile before a car screeched by and honked its horn.

Burris was accompanied by about five handlers who found the wet, 71-year-old politician an umbrella, blocked questions from eager journalists and occasionally shouted, "curb, curb."

Watch It Happen:


In church on Sunday, Burris said he believes his appointment to the US Senate was “ordained by God.” A omniscient deity or some careful handlers, someone was looking out for him this morning.
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by spinproof January 7, 2009 4:27 PM EST
Posted by trogwolf at 06:58 AM : Jan 07, 2009

US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald has satisfied a Federal Judge with enough evidence to proceed with preparing an indictment against Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and was granted an additional 90 days. Innocent until proven guilty should be honored but in the mean time the objects surrounding the pending indictment should be taken out of play and suspended until the cloud of guilt is removed, which in this case one of the objects is Pres.-elect Obama''s vacant Senate Seat. As examples of taking something or someone out of play until a matter is resolved, when there is a Police shooting the Officer is removed off the street until the matter is resolved, innocent or not, in the case a caretaker suspected of molesting a child in a Day Care the caretaker is removed until the matter is resolved, you would not leave a potential child molester around kids with the idea they are innocent until proven guilty just to make a point, you still take appropriate action until the issue is resolved. In this case the criminal cloud hanging over Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and Pres.-elect Obama''s vacant Senate Seat should disqualify Gov. Blagojevich from making any decisions involving the vacant Senate Seat until the matter is resolved.
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by trogwolf January 7, 2009 9:58 AM EST
The obection to Burris is an objection to the right of Blagojevich to make the appointment. This objection exists because of the accusation that Blagojevich was trying to "sell" the appointment. If no "sale" was made and Burris is a genuine choice based on merit, then the original objection evaporates, and everyone blocking Burris'' efforts to take his seat in the Senate is violating the law. Blagojevich has the right as Governor (until convicted and or impeached - ever heard of innocent until proven guilty?) and the obligation to the people of Illinois to make sure that they are properly represented as the 111th Senate gets under way. A valid, not "sold", appointment kind of makes the Illinois State Attorney look a little foolish. Enough with these temper tantrums already.
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by spinproof January 7, 2009 7:37 AM EST
How you acquire something is just as important as the acquisition itself and the fact that Roland Burris can''t seem to really appreciate this in trying to become a Senator shows a lack of common sense, a lack in moral sophistication. Mr. Burris needs to understand how he becomes a Senator if he does matters.
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by kansas1946 January 6, 2009 11:10 PM EST
In church on Sunday, Burris said he believes his appointment to the US Senate was %u201Cordained by God.%u201D A omniscient deity or some careful handlers, someone was looking out for him this morning.
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Oh Lord. I kinda of like this guy until he said this. We had enough of Bush thinking that God put in office. We don''t need another nut that thinks God gives a hoot about who is in the senate.
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