Burris takes on DC: "It's all theater!"

Monday January 5, 2009

Categories: Public Issues

Roland Burris has been good for Illinois, but he's been sipping too much of Blago's juices of late and took on DC today.

Even as Senate leaders continued to challenge his appointment to the seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama, Roland W. Burris headed to Washington on Monday, setting the stage for a public showdown on Capitol Hill.

In a news conference at Midway airport in Chicago before his scheduled 2:20 p.m. flight to Baltimore, a defiant Mr. Burris told reporters that he was not concerned about the fact that the Illinois secretary of state, Jesse White, has rejected the paperwork that would officially send Mr. Burris to the Senate.

"Why don't you all understand that what has been done here is legal?" he said. "I am the junior senator from Illinois, and I wish my colleagues in the press would recognize that."
He later added, "This is all politics and theater, but I am the junior senator according to every law book in the nation."

What about the one that says Jesse White has to endorse your name?

Comments (8)

Filed Under: Politics

posted by Scot McKnight @ 5:49pm Permalink email icon

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kent

January 5, 2009 11:49 PM

You couldn't make this stuff up. Seriously, this is better than anything the writers of LOST or 24 have ever conceived. It has taken what could be a dull time of year and given it a spice and pyschosis rare seen.

This makes Jesse Ventura look like a genius.

Mark Baker-Wright

January 6, 2009 12:02 AM

http://transformingseminarian.blogspot.com

But, unless I'm mistaken, the senate does have the authority not to seat him.

So Burris isn't "junior senator from Illinois." Not until/unless the senate chooses to recognize him.

Jim

January 6, 2009 6:00 AM

I can't imagine why anyone from Illinois would seem to be upset? They elected this governor not once but twice. It seems funny that the one time something is going to be done by the law, allow the governor to appoint a replacement, everyone is up in arms. Burris is correct. He has the appointment. The job is his.

Mark Baker-Wright

January 6, 2009 12:24 PM

http://transformingseminarian.blogspot.com

Jim,

Whether or not the governor is guilty of the current charges against him, the severity of them--no to mention the amount of "proof" already in the media--seem to me more than enough reason for people to be upset, if not an actual answer to the legal question.

Your Name

January 6, 2009 4:55 PM

If I were Burris, I wouldn't have accepted the nomination on the grounds that I would rather wait out the investigation. Doing otherwise, seems to have bought Burris some headaches. 'Course if Blago is cleared, he would probably move on and pick someone else on his list, leaving Burris out in the cold. This is the rubber meets the road in situational ethics and sacrifice for the greater good.

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Scot McKnight is a widely-recognized authority on the New Testament, early Christianity, and the historical Jesus. He is the Karl A. Olsson Professor in Religious Studies at North Park University (Chicago, Illinois). A popular and witty speaker, Dr. McKnight has given interviews on radios across the nation, has appeared on television, and is regularly asked to speak in local churches and educational events. Dr. McKnight obtained his Ph.D. at the University of Nottingham (1986). Click to continue reading Scot McKnight's Bio...

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