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Loading ...Burris sworn in
01.15.2009 5:59pm EST
(Washington) Roland Burris took his place as Barack Obama’s successor in the Senate on Thursday, ending a standoff that embarrassed the president-elect and fellow Democrats who initially resisted the appointment by impeached Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
“I do,” Burris said with a grin as Vice President Dick Cheney administered the oath of office to the former Illinois attorney general who takes Obama’s place as the Senate’s only black member.More than a week after his colleagues were sworn in, Burris was seated without objection or a roll call vote, even though Majority Leader Harry Reid had said senators would have their voices heard on whether to accept his appointment.
Reid smiled broadly and applauded as Burris received a standing ovation from his new colleagues and accepted handshakes and congratulations from Republicans and Democrats alike. Later, the senior senator from Illinois, Dick Durbin, was throwing a reception in his new colleague’s honor.
It was a warm welcome that contrasted sharply with last week’s treatment, when Burris showed up on Capitol Hill to be sworn in with his colleagues, only to be turned away by Reid and Durbin, the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate. They argued that Burris’ appointment wasn’t valid under Senate rules.
But as the scandal-scarred Blagojevich watched, Burris dug in and the two Senate Democratic leaders ultimately relented under pressure from Obama and rank-and-file Democrats who worried that the episode was distracting from more important matters and putting the party – and the president-elect – in a bad light.
Burris has shown himself less than worthy of a Senate seat. Of course the Dems will come to regret this short-term benefit. Let ‘em suffer. Said it before…if Burris had/has any integrity, why would he take this path? ‘Nuff said.
Yeah!
The law was followed and the lawless mob lost.
Blogo… is still the governor, whether we like it or not and he has the full legal authority to appoint Burris.
I think the Demos really dropped the ball on this one by not rushing in to have an election immediately, as they were intitled to do under the law..once they let that slip by, then the Gov had every right under the law to make the appt..like it or not….
Blagobitch the crook put up Burris, apparently a very honest man and state atty general, to attempt to embarass the Dems into making a deal to save his butt from the cage. Note especially that Burris will now be the only Black in the senate.
By accepting Burris, Reid etc called Blagobitch’s bluff. Blago now has nothing between him and Jail, except time, a trial, and a jury verdict of guilty.
Sorry Blagobitch, but it is almost certainly off to the big house for you, and that doesn’t mean the governor’s mansion. But we’ll be glad to donate some KY, cuz there’s gonna be lots of bad bad guys for company, who think sex and rape are equivalent.
Crooks come in all kinds. While you are nothing like the Bush right wing and our – Glory to God in the highest – 13 hours till he is out of our govt – criminal Bush, you really, really, really {profanity ed] up. And they have been watching you for 6 years.