More Christmas Drama From Blago

I gotta hand it to Blago. He's definitely giving the news media and the blogosphere something to talk about during a traditional slow news period.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7805412.stm

Barack Obama says Democratic senators should reject the man proposed by Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich to replace Mr Obama in the US Senate.

Mr Blagojevich is the subject of a criminal inquiry and has been charged with attempting to "sell" Mr Obama's now-vacant seat to the highest bidder.

The governor defied pressure to pick Roland Burris, the state's former attorney general, to fill the position.

Democratic senators have vowed to veto anyone appointed by Mr Blagojevich.

The president-elect said he agreed the Senate "cannot accept" a new senator chosen by Mr Blagojevich, adding that Mr Blagojevich himself should resign.

Mr Blagojevich denies wrongdoing and has rejected previous calls for his resignation.

Mr Burris, 71, became the first African-American to be elected to statewide office in Illinois when he won the 1978 election to be state comptroller.

He was state attorney general from 1991 to 1995 and made unsuccessful bids for the US Senate in 1984 and Illinois governor in 1994.

"Roland Burris is a good man and a fine public servant," said Mr Obama.

"But the Senate Democrats made it clear weeks ago that they cannot accept an appointment made by a governor who is accused of selling this very Senate seat. I agree with their decision."

Appearing with Mr Burris to announce his choice, Mr Blagojevich said: "Please don't allow the allegations against me to taint a good and honest man."

I'm afraid it's too late for that. Like I wrote in an earlier post, Rod Blagojevich is a gift that keeps on giving--just like a sexually transmitted disease. Right now he has a more hellish version of the famous Midas Touch--everyone he associates with becomes publicly tainted. Jesse Jackson, Jr. is experiencing this first-hand. Unfortunately, it's Roland Burris' turn to experience the Blago Touch From Hell.

Ironically, the TV news broadcasts have mentioned that Burris is NOT among the people that Blago bragged about approaching regarding selling the Senate seat on that infamous tape. But now Burris faces the prospect of either being perceived as being a tainted Senator with a constant cloud of suspicion over his head or experiencing first-hand the possibility that the Senate will refuse to seat him. He is definitely in an unenviable position.

The TV news broadcasts also mentioned that, with Obama's recent resignation, there are no African-Americans currently in the Senate. If the Senate Democrats refuse to seat Roland Burris, then they could possibly face charges of racial discrimination despite the fact that race has absolutely nothing to do with it.

I have to admit that Blago is pretty clever on that one. With his selection of Burris, he has forced the Senate in this position. In some ways it's almost like he's daring the Senate to refuse to seat Burris and risk being accused of racism. He even picked the perfect time to announce his selection of Burris--the day before New Year's Eve. Machiavelli would be proud of Blago.

Since this drama is going to spill over into the new year, I would advise everyone to go to the store and grab some popcorn and soda right now. This story is better than any political drama movie that Hollywood could cook up.

As for Burris, he's basically a pawn in all this and, based on his distinguished record, he doesn't really deserved to be in the middle of Blago's mess like that. Personally, I think he should have just said "No" to Blago's offer and avoided all this trouble.

Which leads me to the moral of this story. If you're an Illinois resident and Blago asks you to serve in Obama's old Seante seat--RUN IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION!!! Move to another state if necessary. Heck, be safer and move to another country. Don't even THINK about touching that Senate seat with a ten foot pole. The taint surrounding that seat definitely overpowers the usual prestiege that being a Senator carries. Stay the hell away from Blago and his Blago Touch From Hell or you'll be sorry.