The Illnois circus about Obama's Senate successor may be drawing to a close. Obama continued the habit he showed throughout the campaign of taking a position, then reversing it without ever admitting he had changed his position. And the media dutifully declines to take note of it and ask why he had taken the position in the first place and then changed.
Senate Democrats said Burris, an African-American former attorney general of Illinois appointed by the Democratic governor of Illinois Blagojevich, who is immersed in accusations of political corruption but not formally charged by prosecutors, would not be seated in the Senate. They had no legal ground for their position. Obama immediately agreed with the Senate Democratic leadership that Burris should not be admitted as the junior senator from Illinois, even though Burris' record had no blemishes on it.
Burris then made a rain-soaked appearance at the Capitol surrounded by black supporters, drawing much national and international television. The lawlessness and political stupidity of the Democratic position were aired for all to see.
Suddenly, Democratic leaders found that just maybe Burris could join their ranks. And Obama also reversed himself. and agreed. The king can do no wrong, so the press merely nodded. After all, the alternative, a special election in Illinois in which, who knows, a Republican might win, was out of the question.
Even the press is protective of Obama in its headline, making it appear as if Obama took the lead on admitting Obama. Not a mention of Obama supporting the rejection of Burris in the first place before all the media attention arose until the sixth paragraph of the story.
Senate Democrats yield to Obama, retreat on Burris
By LAURIE KELLMAN, Associated Press Writer
Thu Jan 8, 2:21 am ET
WASHINGTON – Senate Democrats beat a hasty retreat Wednesday from their rejection of Roland Burris as President-elect Barack Obama's successor, yielding to pressure from Obama himself and from senators irked that the standoff was draining attention and putting them in a bad light. Burris said with a smile he expected to join them "very shortly."Though there was no agreement yet to swear Burris in, he posed for photos at the Capitol with Senate leaders, then joined them for a 45-minute meeting followed by supportive words that bordered on gushing. The events came one day after Burris had left the Capitol in the pouring rain in a scripted rejection.
Obama had spoken to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on Monday on the need to find a quick solution to defuse the dispute, according to Democratic officials. Reid was told by Obama that if Burris had the legal standing to be seated — despite controversy surrounding his appointment by Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich — it should be done "sooner rather than later," said an Obama transition aide, speaking on condition of anonymity because the conversation was private.
The dispute had taken on racial overtones after comments by some Burris supporters. The former Illinois attorney general would be the Senate's only black member following Obama's departure.
"My whole interest in this experience is to be prepared" to lead Illinois, Burris, 71, said after meeting with Reid and assistant Democratic leader Dick Durbin, himself an Illinois senator. "Very shortly I will have the opportunity to do that."
Neither Reid nor Durbin disputed that, though they had declared with certainty a week ago that Democrats would not seat a senator appointed by a governor now accused of trying to sell the seat. Obama said then, "I agree with their decision."
On Wednesday, only words of good will, with photos, poured forth.
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