Blagojevich appoints Burris

Really?

In my 22 years of life, never have I witnessed a more widely broadcast act of defiance from a holder of public office since George W. Bush's ongoing refusal to acknowledge the misleading evidence that led us to war in Iraq after more than five years and no WMDs.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich appointed former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris to replace President-elect Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate today despite the strongest urgings from members of both parties to hold off on the appointment until the allegations regarding his attempts to sell Obama's senate seat had been settled or dropped.

Blagojevich opened the conference with a disclaimer that the legitimacy of his appointee should not be tainted by the recent accusations made against him.

If there is anything Burris or Blagojevich should be worried about it is not whether or not his seat is "tainted" but whether or not he will be allowed to maintain it at all. Blagojevich's own lawyer said there was no point in naming somebody because the appointment would be rejected. Does Burris actually believe that Blagojevich is doing him a favor? I suppose its kind of a twisted, backhanded way of paying Burris back after he has consistently donated thousands of dollars to Blagojevich's campaign over the last several years.

The conference did make for some great television, however, sans the circus music and unicycle jugglers. As soon as Burris took to the podium, Rod - this isn't about me and my crooked dealings - Blagojevich hovered closely in order to readily dive in and answer questions from reporters that were clearly more interested in the controversy over the appointment rather than the appointment itself.

"I've enjoyed the limelight I've had over the last couple of weeks I think uh its been um I don't want to hog the limelight this is Roland Burris's day so I don't think its appropriate for me to really get involved in answering any questions."

After this not-so-brief interjection by Blagojevich, Burris became so thoroughly flustered by the frenzied reporters that, like the honorable, attention-fatigued governor that he is, Blagojevich stepped in once again to - you guessed it - respond to reporters' inquisitive jabs that seek only to tarnish his good name and threaten his presumption of innocence.

The festivities continued as Congressman Bobby Rush stepped up and further obliterated any chance of Burris actually being able to make a coherent case as to why anybody should take his appointment as anything less than an illegitimate last chance political Hail Mary on the part of Blagojevich. Rush carried the conference along by emphasizing the worthiness of Burris for the senate seat and reminded the American people that he would be the only African-American in the senate. Might I remind you, Mr. Rush, that Mr. Burris is potentially also the only African-American member of the senate appointed by a governor currently under investigation of criminal conspiracy. Bravo.

One might ask which of these men is more politically suicidal? Burris or Blago?


On a side note, I offered Blago $30 for the senate seat and he promptly turned me down. Can anybody see a tunnel or a light? No? Me neither.