Gov. Rod Blagojevich is expected today to name former Illinois Atty. Gen. Roland Burris to replace President-elect Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate.
The action comes despite warnings by Democratic Senate leaders that they would not seat anyone appointed by the disgraced governor who faces criminal charges of trying to sell the post, sources familiar with the decision said.
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.Damn Blagojevich must have balls almost as large as those freaky bangs of his!
Here he is under indictment for corruption, under intense scrutiny by the media, being vilified by his own party, and he still has the temerity to pick the Senate replacement for the next PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES!
Hey look I think the guy's a crook, but I am beginning to develop a grudging admiration for this little bastard.
And he chooses an African American! Which means that if the Democrats refuse to give their blessing, and then choose a white guy, they will look like they have turned their back on the black community in Illinois and will guarantee that their candidate will lose in 2010.
Well played Governor Blagojevich, well played!
Update: Here is the video from MSNBC.
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The Democrats are definitely NOT happy!
Harry Reid: "It is truly regrettable that despite requests from all 50 Democratic Senators and public officials throughout Illinois, Gov. Blagojevich would take the imprudent step of appointing someone to the United States Senate who would serve under a shadow and be plagued by questions of impropriety. This is not about Mr. Burris; it is about the integrity of a governor accused of attempting to sell this United States Senate seat."
And it looks like Obama
agrees with the Democrats on this subject as well.
Blagojevich has the Democratic party in a very unenviable position. If they reject this appointee and then hold a special election in which the seat is taken by a Republican they lose a Senate seat. If they allow this to take place then they look toothless because they demanded that Blagojevich NOT make this appointment.
If this were a chess game the Democrats queen would be in deep shit.
