It's not as if they were taken by surprise. Blagojevich appointed Burris December 30th. It did make the news and, in fact, Illinois' other US Senator, Dick Durbin, recorded a statement on the appointment that day. Since Barack Obama was elected president November 4th. As even a cursory glance at the next day's press would indicate, Barack's win wasn't exactly a secret.
With Barack being elected president, his Senate seat would have to be filled because the law guarantees each state two senators. The Constitution explains, "The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State . . ." So barring the passage of a Constitutional Amendment changing that, everyone knew November 4th that someone would be appointed -- by the governor -- to fill that Senate seat.
The governor was and is Rod Blagojevich. He is accused of corruption and suddenly the press is interested. During Tony Rezko's case -- Rezko has ties with both Blagojevich and Barack -- the press wasn't all that interested. But December 9th, Blagojevich was arrested by federal agents and charged with a variety of offenses that have been boiled down in the press as "pay to play." That means that Blagojevich is accused of attempting to sale Barack's Senate seat to the highest bidder. Accused. Not convicted.
That was December 9th. The arrest resulted in headlines and massive coverage. It was also not a secret. On December 15th -- six days later -- the state House finally took a vote (113 for, 0 opposed) and decided to impeach him.
B-b-but Burris was appointed December 30th -- fifteen days later!!!!
That's right. They took a vote and didn't act on it. No one opposed the vote but the House sat on their ass for the second half of December. They knew that as long as Blagojevich was governor, he could -- at any time -- appoint someone to fill the seat. They knew that the only legal way to strip Blagojevich of that power was to strip him of the office. If that's what they wanted at the time, they were deliquent in their duties.
Blagojevich appointed Burris on the 30th. Only then did the impeachment bandwagon sort of start rolling. Friday the state House voted to impeach Blagojevich and the state Senate has scheduled their trial to begin January 26th. No, they're not moving very fast.
And it needs to be noted again that, while accused, Blagojevich has not been convicted of any crime.
If Blagojevich is impeached, it doesn't change the Senate appointment. He was the governor and had the legal right to fill the seat. He did so. Roland Burris was his choice.
Roland Burris is a Black man. He is currently the only Black US Senator. He is Illinois' former Attorney General, has held other elected offices, is an attorney and a professor. He has experience.
So he should have glided right into the Senate after being appointed.
Meet Harry. Harry Reid is the Senate Majority Leader. Harry Reid publicly declared that he was peachy keen on Caroline Kennedy and wanted her to become the US Senator from New York should Senator Hillary Clinton be confirmed as US Secretary of State. Harry likes a lot of White people.
The Feds have wiretaps of Blagojevich. These wiretaps include conversations between Reid and the governor. In at least one of those calls, Reid offers up a list of candidates that have the Harry-Stamp-of-Approval. Strangely, all the candidates are White.
Racism.
Now you can cluck and say, "That may not meet the standard for racism." We would reply, "Oh, there's a standard now? Amazing because there was none in 2008. In 2008, you just cried 'Racist!' and someone automatically was."
But it is racism. You need to put on your thinking cap.
Though not Black, Barack Obama is bi-racial, he is a person of color. Have you looked around the Senate often? Have you noticed how few people of color there were?
Harry Reid, in replacing a Senator of color, can only think of White people? That is racism.
And it's a pattern with Harry which cause Ruben Navarrette Jr. (San Diego Union-Tribune via San Jose Mercury News) to explore the term racism:
Maybe we should broaden the criteria a bit. Let's say that, if you scheme to put your own interests above the interests of a particular racial group relying on racist assumptions about who is electable so the end result is that you exclude members of that racial group, then some might call you a racist. With that as the standard, Reid might have a shot at the title.
As the Senate's first day of business approached, Harry Reid declared that no way, no how was Roland Burris to be seated in the Senate. Based on any legal framework?
No, just based on Harry's whims and racism.
Burris showed up Tuesday to be seated. And it was a very sad sight to see what followed as Burris maintained his dignity but had to explain that he would have to continue fighting for the appointment that was made December 30th. Though appointed, Harry Reid insisted that Burris was missing the Illinois Secretary of State's signature and that meant he couldn't be seated until Jesse White (the SoS) signed off.
Senator Dianne Feinstein was asked about it and replied, "Does the governor have the power, under law, to make the appointment? And the answer is yes. . . . . If you don't seat Mr. Burris, it has ramifications for gubernatorial appointments all over America. Mr. Burris is a senior, experienced politician. He has been attorney general, he has been controller, and he is very well-respected. I am hopeful that this will be settled."
Yes, it really is that basic. Feinstein captured it perfectly. And did so at a time that people across the nation were horrified at the sight of Harry Reid denying a qualified Black man his Senate seat.
It was such a sorry spectacle that even Harry Reid grasped he now had a serious image problem on his hands.
A meeting was quickly set up for Durbin, Burris and Reid.
That actually further hurt Harry Reid and put Dick Durbin on thin ice. Durbin slid out on the ice because he was now officially part of the story, he was now officially Harry Reid's sidekick. Two White men denying the qualified Black man his appointed seat. It hurt Harry because he'd already come off petulant and yet here was Roland Burris, willing to sit down with the man who refused to seat him. Willing to go face to face with him. Willing to attempt to resolve the matter.
Burris looked like an adult. And he actually garnered even more sympathy for his quiet dignity after he'd been forced -- yet again -- to jump through hoops.
Brian Montopoli (CBS News) notes some of the hoops:
If White signs the document, Reid said, the next step involves clearing up whether Burris had any improper involvement with Blagojevich, who has been charged with effectively trying to sell the seat. Hearings are soon to be held in Illinois over impeaching the governor, and Senate Democrats had previously vowed not to seat anyone appointed by him. Durbin noted that Burris "has submitted...an affidavit that explains most of the circumstances" and noted that Burris will answer questions from Republicans and Democrats before the Blagojevich Impeachment Committee tomorrow afternoon at 3 pm.
"The other issue that I think is important is that Roland Burris appears to be candid and forthright," Reid said. "...he's not trying to avoid any responsibility, and trying to hide anything." Once those two steps are taken, Durbin said, the Senate Rules Committee will review the situation. That could take weeks. If the process gets that far, the full chamber would then likely debate the matter and then vote on whether Burris should take the seat.
The rules for White people appointed to Senate seats? That their governor appoints them. The rules for Black people? That you will be forced to make like Mr. Bojangles over and over.
Burris is not accused of anything illegal, he has not been charged with anything nor has he been arrested. No one denies he is qualified for the seat. But Reid was insisting that he, and not the governor of a state, had the power to determine who could and could not become a Senator. There is no state constitution that gives the power of appointment to the US Senate Majority Leader.
Jesse White's signature was always a non-issue. Burris took the matter to the state supreme court and, on Friday, it ruled in his favor. It found White's signature wasn't required. Joe Barrett (Wall St. Journal) explained:
The ruling would seem to throw the decision of whether to seat Roland Burris, a former state attorney general, back to the Senate.
Earlier this week, Senate leaders barred Mr. Burris from a swearing-in ceremony because his paperwork lacked the signature. A day later, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid indicated he would seat Mr. Burris, but only after he appeared before a House panel and won over Mr. White.
Mr. Burris issued a statement Friday saying, "I am very happy that the Supreme Court ruled supporting our argument that everything surrounding this appointment was legal and complete."
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan also said the appointment was valid and urged the Senate to seat Mr. Burris.
Burris appeared before the state House panel Friday as well. There was no reason he should have to but he did, he jumped through yet another hoop. What was it Michelle Obama once said about how they move the bar every time a Black person gets close?
Exactly.
Remember Dick Durbin moving to thin ice? He decided to jump and down. Andrew Malcom (Los Angeles Times) explained Durbin's snit-fit reaction to the court decision, "In Chicago last night, Illinois' other senator, Dick Durbin, No. 2 Senate Democrat after Happy Harry Reid, said that Friday's state court refusal to order Secretary of State Jesse White to certify Burris' nomination means that the 71-year-old Burris may well be at least 72 before he's allowed to sit in the back of the Senate. If ever. Durbin now asserts that no one can fill the vacant seat until the governor of Illinois, Rod 'I did nothing wrong' Blagojevich, is removed from office and his successor (presumably fellow Democrat Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn) names a senator."
It only looks more and more like racism when more than White person refuses to allow Burris to be seated. It should be noted that last week the US Congressional Black Caucus made their support for Burris known. So Dickie just knew the thing to do was to try to throw up another roadblock. It might be time to start placing bets on how long it will be before Harry and Dick attempt to make Roland Burris take a literacy test or pay poll tax?
The roadblocks are crumbling, in spite of Durbin and Reid. Tom McIntyre (WEEK TV) reports, "Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White Friday night signed a document certifying that Roland Burris is Governor Rod Blagojevich's choice to be Illinois' junior senator."
The entire process has been made into a mockery and, no, not by Governor Blagojevich. Certainly not by Senator Burris.
Harry Reid and now Dick Durbin have made a mockery of the process. A qualified person was appointed to the US Senate by a sitting governor. Reid and Durbin have repeatedly attempted to think up various ways to avoid seating him.
He long ago met all the qualifications. He met them before he ever went to DC. And he then went on to meet the newly created, just for the Black senator, hurdles. And still they won't seat him?
The Democrats have control of the US Senate. They do not, however, have sixty votes unless both independent Joe Lieberman and Socialist Bernie Sanders vote with all Democrats. To reach that number, they need Senator Burris.
Last week it was time for a press conference. And Senator Harry Reid declared in that conference, "This Congress, Democrats have one explicit goal: to deliver the change Americans have demanded. We are confronting some of the most severe problems we have faced in generations." Dick Dubrin's remarks included, "Our nation is facing historic challenges and the Senate is poised to quickly to renew the American dream. Senate Democrats will work to return accountability and oversight to the executive branch, strengthen our economy by securing our borders, and restore America's standing in the world." Really?
How is it going to accomplish anything when it refuses to seat a senator? And grasp that Reid and Durbin are willing to let one vote languish. They could use Burris' vote right now. But their racism apparently means more to them.
It means so much, in fact, that both men are willing to deny Illinois their right to two US senators. Durbin's threat that Senator Burris may turn 72 before he's seated in the Senate? Burris turns 72 August 3, 2009. Durbin and Reid are really planning on not only preventing Burris from being seated but also in depriving Illinois of two Senators -- and two votes in the Senate on their state's behalf -- up until August?
Roland Burris should have been seated Tuesday. It was in the Democratic Party's best interest to do just that. When people repeatedly take actions that are not in their best interests, it's left to others to determine why anyone would behave so irrationally? Fortunately, Harry Reid and Dick Durbin have made it very easy to reach a conclusion: They behave as they do out of racism.
Durbin will also be appearing this morning on Face the Nation (in a separate segment). Watching him attempt to toss out justifications for his actions should be highly amusing.