Once again the Dems shoot themselves in the foot. Listen to me.
Rod Blagojevich is the duly elected Governor of Illinois. Until he is removed from office, he still has all the powers the office brings. Roland Burris has not been accused of 'buying' the seat, nor has he proved to be incompetent. Sorry, but we'll have to live with that decision and Senate Dems had better wrap their heads around that fact pretty quick.
From Obama on down, they played this all wrong and if they push the issue, they'll just look like bigger fools than they already do. Not that I'm defending Blago, and just the appearance of such gross impropriety (I'll believe Fitz before I believe a politician) frankly makes him unfit to govern, but he hasn't been convicted of anything. Blago knows this and knows exactly how firm his legal footing is.
If the Dems try and block Burris' taking his seat, it's already been said the Capitol Police will take him away if he shows up, he will have legal standing to file a false arrest suit and maybe be able to sue for the seat itself, which he would probably win (facts reiterated: Blago is still the governor. Burris did nothing illegal to obtain the appointment nor is he unfit to hold the post). Lawsuits would only prolong the agony, keeping the Blago Show on the front page for months. Senate Dems, Harry Reid especially, should STFU and welcome Burris with open arms and put this story to rest. Look at the bright side; he coulda appointed a Chicago mobster.
Now another thing. Of all the opportunities Harry Reid's had to take a stand in the past couple years against the Bush administration, against Joe Lieberman, he has to pick this to get all principled over? This is leadership? Dude, if you were a military commander, you'd spend more time quarreling with your own troops than fighting the enemy. We had idiots like this in SAC*, who were more concerned with the length of your hair or the shine on your boots than the mission.
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It would certainly be interesting to watch the same Senate who gave convicted felon Ted Stevens a standing ovation (Reid calling him "distinguished colleague") exclude Burris.
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Harry Reid has sworn to use his mastery of Senate procedure to block the Burris appointment and protect the integrity of that very exclusive club, which nonetheless warmly embraces Joe Lieberman.
If only he had been so Johnny-on-the-spot when Bush was appointing Supreme Court Justices, ramming through telecom immunity, FISA and the Military Commissions Act, and otherwise trashing the country.
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Talk about the waste of a good Senate seat and a leadership position. If President Obama (who went along with Reid on the Lieberman issue) wants to get anything done, his first order of business should be putting pressure on the Senate Dems to replace Reid. Harry's proven he's a cowardly little twit when it comes to the Republicans and only stands up against his own.
It saddens me that after such an astounding victory in November the Dems revert to their old form instead of growing a set of balls. How much good legislation will Reid kill in fear of angering Republicans because he doesn't have that 'Magic 60' head count to avoid a filibuster? The Rethugs are already making noises they'll be obstructing everything that comes down the pike; do we really need Reid riding shotgun on progressive legislation that's absolutely needed? Do we really need Reid picking fights within his own party when there's so much 'big picture stuff' to be done?
Look, just shut up and let Burris take his seat. I'm willing to wager he'll be more loyal to the party than, say ... Joe Lieberman. Disgusted, I'm going to work.
*SAC = Strategic Air Command
Update:
Digby:
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The fact is that the Senate Dems have been reacting like shrieking, maiden aunts in a roomful of bats, lurching from one outraged reaction to the next without any kind of due consideration as to the legality or the political ramifications. One wonders where this level of energy and scorn was when the Republicans were making fools of them over and over again.
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