Burris, Obama’s Bookend
A newly released transcript shows the President’s Senate replacement craven but just short of corrupt in his slavering for the appointment by the former Gov. Rod Blagojevich–more “pray” than “pay to play.”
“In the call,” the New York Times reports, “he seemed almost in a crass negotiation with Mr. Blagojevich’s brother–also his chief fund-raiser–over how he could help the governor, win the appointment and not run into trouble over negative connotations that he might be trying to buy an appointment by fund-raising for him.”
Burris, an embarrassment to the President and his party who may well escape the grasp of prosecutors and serve out the term, is a bookend to Obama in exemplifying the range of American politics from superb to sleaze.
In his phone call to the governor’s brother soon after the seat opened up, Burris shows an exquisite sensitivity to the line between being crooked and appearing crooked by trading fund-raising for the position:
2 Responses to “Burris, Obama’s Bookend”
The Congressional Black Caucus couldn't wait to get Burris seated and the Democrats acquiesced. They should be embarrassed, including Obama. He came out of the same Illinois political machine and I refuse to believe he didn't know what kind of man Burris was.
Well, I am no Burris defender, but a politician trying to walk right up to the line of ethical/legal conduct without quite going across to achieve their personal aims really is almost a definition of politics, as practiced in the real world.
Sausage and politics.