UMM..well actually Burris is not a senator until he is signed off by the Sec. Of State. Mr. White refused to do so therein Burris is not really a senator. No matter what you feel about it you can't deny that fact! You can't be a senator unless you are OK'd up the chain!

I can see both sides of the issue here. Blagojevich is in trouble with the law for trying to sell the senate seat. So should he really be able to seat anyone in it anyways. And yet...he still is doing his every day work as Governor so does that mean that everything he is doing is null and void. If so then why is he there? So if he can do his every day work and it stands then why doesn't him seating Burris stand? You can't say one thing is OK but not the other.

I'm sure the dems will come to a compromise on this just to get it out of the papers because it looks bad on them.

Cindy...Ga.

Absolutely he is. Now looks like even the Senate is finally coming around. That makes 59 Democrat Senators with Al Franken. All Democrats need are ONE just ONE main stream NON Neo-Con Republican to stop ANY filibuster !!!!!!

Roland

I agree with you on this one. I understand what the other side is saying but since Blagojevich hasn't been impeached, or arraigned on a crime, or found guilty of one, or had official sanctions limiting the scope of his work, then I don't see why he would not have the right to make this appointment.

I think Blagojevich went ahead and picked someone for the job to take the spotlight off himself and shove it onto the person he picked as the replacement. He would have to pick someone that is "pure" and not tainted with any of the "pay for play" deals; and with picking someone and knowing the Congress would rise in moral outrage and deny the person the seat he has moved the 3 ring circus out of his tent to Congress's circus tent. (Metaphorically speaking of course). And if this theory is correct on why he went ahead and did it then Blagojevich still had the right to do it. Like you said he's doing the other parts of the job and no one is complaining – they should let Burris's appointment stand and get back to business and let the special prosecutor take care of the Governor.

Why are we acting like this thing with Blagojevich is the first time this has ever happened. I'm sure it's not. It's just the first time somebody got caught (and we know about it). Mr. Burris is using the only way in that he can see. I mean, come on, getting into a "white senate" isn't like applying for a Target card. What does that say about us?

I don't give two figs if he's a senator or not. His pro-abortion political agenda (especially FOCA) are COMPLETELY against what I believe in. Therefore, his butt should stay out of the Senate. Anything that can be done legally to keep him out of office is okay by me. And that goes for Mr. Franken (even though I did watch him on SNL...once upon a time) too.

This is why even though I'm unenrolled I vote for Republicans.

If you guys want me to vote Democratic, you MUST become more pro-life without exception.

Officials are elected to office by the popular vote. They are also removed from office, impeached, by popular vote. It is the will of the people that elects or impeaches a politician so the power or authority of an office is the will of the people and nothing else. It is not a law or regulation that gives Blegoj authority, it is the people. Blegoj lost his popularity when he broke the law. Sure, he hasnt been convicted. He has however lost his popularity with teh people and that is enough. The Lt Gov must step up and assume the duties of the office. Blegoj impeached himself and all that is left is for the people to acknowledge it and remove him from office.

I would appreciate it if Mr. Reid would spend more of his time figuring out where the tax payers money disappeared to (with no real relief in sight) instead of dealing with yet another non issue. If this is the best job the Mr. Reid can do, then maybe his seat should be in question!

Roland thank you. I think the bottom line is – Although Blagojevich might be tainted he's apparently smarter than the average Bear!
He's knows the law and is using it and no matter how much some might wish to incriminate him for that – It's not against the law! Ha
The Saga Continues.

Looks like Burris will be a Senator. Now maybe
the press can move on to more relevant stories.

Nope, not a Senator, he does not seem to know how to follow the law. He is not a Illinois Senator until he is can show Illinois he can and will follow Illinois law. Next topic...

So, is it possible that more qualified candidates were scared to seek appointment due to Sen. Reid's statement that the senate would reject anyone chosen by the governor?

Sorry Mr. Martin: Blagojevich should not have even appointed Burris. He obviously did it as a slap in the face to EVERYONE. I'm sure he's laughing his you-know-what off about it too.

Roland – the point is that Blagojevich is alleged to have tried to sell this very senate seat. I don't think anyone is alleging that he was pardoning for pay, or taking bribes to sign bills into law. Yet there are recorded conversations that would lead the listener to think he was open to bids for Obama's vacant senate seat. It is only reasonable to not want him to fill the seat he tried to sell until we can be sure no money changed hands.

Note – I am not suggesting Burris paid for the seat. If anything, it sounds like Blagojevich went out of his way to find a pick who was not on the Short List people were lobbying for. That said, Burris' accepting the nomination, knowing it had previously been up for auction, says something not very complimentary about him.

Roland, is one of the qualifications for obama's senate seat that the candidate be african-american?

There should be another title for a senator who is filling a seat that they were not elected to. Maybe Anderson could toss around some suitable monikers:)

Looks like Roland Burris rolled the dice and won.

I totally agree, the fact that Burris accepted the nomination knowing fully the storm that hung over that appointment speak volumes of his ambition. As a person of color, I believe we should always be careful when crying foul about race related issues, and to tell the difference when a personal agenda is being championed.