Huffpo editor Thomas Edsall is worried about the political fallout for Obambi of Burris pursuing the Senate seat. And after his pay to play investigation downfall, who will replace Bill Richardson at Commerce? Will it be Bill Daley?Edsall suggests eeevil conservatives are making politial hay. But maybe if you leftie new media plus the MSM had even done cursory vetting of your Dem candidates some of this could have been forestalled.Then again, as Edsall admits, the Obambi team is having to cast a

From the Illinois GOP:USA Today/Gallup Poll: Majority support Special Election and reject Roland Burris"Interest in the dispute is high — six in 10 are following it closely — and support for Burris is scant. By nearly 2-1, 51% to 27%, those surveyed say the Senate should block him from taking his seat. A similar majority, 52%, say Illinois should hold a special election as soon as possible to fill the office." USA Today 1/6/09To read the full article, click hereTwo-thirds of Illinois voters alrea

Now that we've said farewell to Rahm and set the date for elections to replace him, it's time for speculation on who will take the reins in the 5th congressional district, the former seat of our beloved Governor. The field is crowded now with counts of as many as 18 people running, but Ald. Patrick O'Connor (40th) appears to be pulling ahead of the pack, since he is poised to receive the critical Democratic Party endorsement after Ald. Tom Allen (38th) dropped out, citing his desire to remain on

National EmbarrassmentDemocrats are to blame Burris rejection should not lead to back room deal The Illinois Republican Party today condemned Blagojevich Democrats for fostering the national embarrassment that has come from the Roland Burris Senate appointment. “Blagojevich Democrats have made Illinois a national embarrassment,” said ILGOP Chairman Andy McKenna. “Blagojevich Democrats could have stripped the Governor of his senate appointment power and passed a special election three weeks ago bu

Outrage! Dictatorial and slimy, in Chicago and now DC, it's the backroom Democrats. Democrat Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi tosses out the reforms instituted in the 1994 GOP-run Contract with America Congress to term limit committee chairmen and protect the rights of the minority--opting instead for one-party backroom dealing, business as usual. Over on the Senate side Democrat Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, along with his No. 2, Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois is maneuvering to deny the vote

A recent column pointing out the crucial role racism has played in nearly everything the Republican party has done over the last several decades got a lot of attention, and rightfully so. To what extent is racism the underlying strain that runs through all of Republican policy and thought?Me? I've always recognized the intense strain of racism, both overt and coded, that ran through nearly every Republican policy position. And it's probably that fact that has spelled it's downfall.Read the piece

by Frank James Reports that President-elect Barack Obama intends to make Leon Panetta director of the Central Intelligence Agency not only surprised some key Capitol Hill Democrats but left them questioning the former congressman and Clinton Administration official's bona fides...

* This may happen, but don’t bet too much money on it yet… Ald. Tom Allen (38th) said Monday he would not be a candidate in the March 3 special primary election to succeed former U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel, opening the door for City Council colleague Pat O’Connor (40th) to nail down the Democratic Party’s [...]

In what will come as little surprise to many, the Illinois Republican Party today disclosed Rod Blagojevich’s handpicked choice for the United State Senate, Roland Burris, as the newest member of the Blagojevich web on FriendsofBlago.com.Mr. Burris, like many before him, stood silent as myriad federal investigations swarmed the Governor. In fact, when asked about Blagojevich's performance as Governor, Burris responded that he was doing, "a helluva job."“Roland Burris is emblematic of the problem

The Illinois Republican Party today condemned Blagojevich Democrats for fostering the national embarrassment that has come from the Roland Burris Senate appointment.“Blagojevich Democrats have made Illinois a national embarrassment,” said ILGOP Chairman Andy McKenna. “Blagojevich Democrats could have stripped the Governor of his senate appointment power and passed a special election three weeks ago but chose, instead, to play politics and allow Blagojevich to make this appointment.”McKenna also

For entertainment purposes only. And office pools. Updated as events warrant.The chance that . . . Roland Burris is the junior senator from Illinois: 50 percent. The Democrats botched this by putting party first.Roland Burris will run for re-election in 2010: 90 percent. Unless he's in bad health, regardless of what he says today. Dems will find him a useful primary spoiler anyway.Rod Blagojevich is impeached by state House: 50 percent. Only open to chance because state pols are so inept.Rod Blag

Nice pick Barack:New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson on Sunday announced that he was withdrawing his nomination to be President-elect Barack Obama's commerce secretary amid a grand jury investigation into how some of his political donors won a lucrative state contract. Richardson's withdrawal was the first disruption of Obama's Cabinet process and the second "pay-to-play" investigation that has touched Obama's transition to the presidency. The president-elect has remained above the fray in both the c

Burris likely won't get in; state panel queries him Roland Burris and Democratic Party leaders headed toward a symbolic showdown at the door of the U.S. Senate today as the former Illinois attorney general presses his claim to a disputed seat.

He's annoying, but he's not a nitwit, a kook or a criminal The Democrats have turned a neat trick.

Start: 01/15/2009 - 7:00pmEnd: 01/15/2009 - 10:00pmMeetup Niles Township

UPDATE: Gov. Blago sets special election dates for Rahm Emanuel's 5th congressional seat. Crain's.***Illinois Lt. Governor Pat Quinn calls Illinois an "international laughing stock" and calls for a special election. Well, at least that's something. This should happen now. Quinn should not be appointing a temporary replacement--he's tainted too--plus we could have two tainted picks vying for the same seat, bogged down in legal challenges. And his idea of an "ethics commission" is a joke.Statements

(AP) — Defiant and upbeat, Illinois U.S. Senate appointee Roland Burris said Monday that upon arriving in Washington, he plans to tell Democratic leaders: "I'm here to take my seat." But Burris faces an uphill battle on Capitol Hill, where his fellow Democrats have pledged not to confirm ...

The Village Voice scans the righty blogosphere on the Blago imbroglio, suggesting I am making casual associations between Rod and Barack.Well, I would suggest a few notable connections.Along with Rahmbo, Barack Obama ran the strategy for Governor Blagojevich's election campaign. (Does this sound familiar?):During the primary, state Senator Barack Obama backed former Attorney General Burris, but supported Blagojevich after he won the primary at Burris' suggestion,[22] serving as a "top adviser" fo

Governor Blagojevich's choice for Senate, Roland Burris, appeared last night at a campaign rally, uh, church to defiantly state "I am now the junior Senator from Illinois":The prayer service was organized by U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.), who has accused Senate Democrats of using racial motivations to refuse to seat Burris, Illinois' first statewide elected black official. On Sunday night, Rush called the Senate "one of the last bastions of plantation and racial politics in America" and said Sena

Reid and Durbin tee up on Blagojevich’s claims regarding Reid’s conversations with Blagojevich: Reid accused Blagojevich of “making all this up” and denied saying “who not to appoint.” Durbin, on ABC’s “This Week,” likewise pointed the finger at the two-term Democratic governor. “It’s an outrage that the Blagojevich people, in the last days of their administration, facing [...]

Illinois Republican Party Chairman Andy McKenna today expressed serious concerns over reports of back room deals regarding the appointment of Rod Blagojevich’s Senator, Roland Burris. CNN reported this afternoon that “some in Democratic leadership” would be open to seating Roland Burris in the Senate as long as he agrees not to run in 2010.“Enough is enough - the people of Illinois have already had their Senate seat sold to the highest bidder, they don’t need more back room deals surrounding Gov

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Illinois Republicans say the special election to fill an empty congressional seat is a chance to replace a U.S. senator too.Gov. Rod Blagojevich has set an April 7 special election to replace Rahm Emanuel, who left the House to become President-elect Barack Obama's chief of staff.GOP party chairman Andy McKenna says that's the date Illinoisans should choose a Senate successor for Obama too.Democrats initially backed a special vote for senator after Blagojevich was arrest

Illinois Republican PartyStatement from Illinois Republican Party Chairman Andy McKenna on April 7th Election Date set for 5th Congressional District:"Once again, Illinois Democrats have another reason to support a special election for Barack Obama's senate seat."The special election for the 5th Congressional District will coincide with the already established municipal elections in Chicago and Cook County."If Democrats in the General Assembly do not act quickly to pass a special election in tim

Good morning, President-elect Barack Obama meets with congressional leaders in Washington today. Roland Burris, appointed to Obama's Senate seat by Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, arrives to prepare for the swearing-in of senators on Tuesday -- a ceremony which Democratic leaders...

Greg Hinz, Crain's Chicago BusinessIt's going to be an uncommonly eventful week in the world of Illinois government and politics, and the first move comes from--who else--Gov. Rod Blagojevich.The embattled governor just announced Monday morning that the primary election to fill Rahm Emanuel's North Side seat in Congress will be held on March 3, with the general election between the Democratic and GOP nominees on April 7.For once, the gov is playing good guy. The April 7 date fits into the consol

“Today’s rejection of Blagojevich Democrat Roland Burris in the United States Senate is another reminder of the need for a special election in Illinois.“Democrats refused to strip Rod Blagojevich of his appointment powers resulting in the current constitutional crisis so lawmakers need to act immediately to avoid making the same mistake twice and give the people the power to choose their next United States Senator.“A vote of the people is the only way to avoid tainting the Illinois Senate seat."

Editorial, Wall Street JournalStrange things keep happening in Minnesota, where the disputed recount in the Senate race between Norm Coleman and Al Franken may be nearing a dubious outcome. Thanks to the machinations of Democratic Secretary of State Mark Ritchie and a meek state Canvassing Board, Mr. Franken may emerge as an illegitimate victor.Mr. Franken started the recount 215 votes behind Senator Coleman, but he now claims a 225-vote lead and suddenly the man who was insisting on "counting e

Editorial, Chicago TribuneIf the Illinois House votes to impeach the sitting governor of this state, will the resulting trial in the Senate be fair?No, we don't mean fair to Rod Blagojevich. He'll be fine. Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas Fitzgerald will preside and he has always run an honest and unbiased courtroom.The question here is whether the people of Illinois can get a fair trial. Many of the next legislature's 59 state senators have been serial enablers of the governor.The Se

by Mark Silva ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- Tim Kaine, Democratic governor of one of the long-red states that gave President-elect Barack Obama his electoral college landslide, will serve as chairman of a Democratic National Committee attempting to build upon Obama's success....

Candidates looking to fill the seat of former Congressman Rahm Emanuel have a busy few months ahead of them. Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has called a special election in the Fifth Congressional District on April 7. Charlie Wheelan is a senior lecturer at the University of Chicago and a Democratic candidate for that seat.WHEELAN: Usually you've got years or at least months to build a war chest, decide how you want to spend it, strategize. We've got to do what you would normally do in about t

Audio AvailableRoland Burris says he intends to be sworn in Tuesday in Washington, D.C. as the junior senator from Illinois. But Senate Democrats appear determined to stop that.

Bill Richardson withdraws from the Obama team., "citing a pending investigation into a company that has done business with his state."Charlie Rangel and Chris Dodd are still there. Roland Burris is on his way.The Democrat culture of corruption reeks. The Chicago Swamp meets the DC Swamp.UPDATE: The Politico on the Dems tough spot. Heh: “He's exercising his constitutional responsibilities and authority,” Burris said of Blagojevich in an interview on PBS on Friday. “One other example is with my goo

by Mike Dorning Former Illinois Atty. Gen. Roland Burris and Senate Democratic leaders determined to block his seating in the U.S. Senate plan to sit down Wednesday in the U.S. Capitol for a face-to-face meeting. Aides to Senate Majority Leader...

This has gotten too ridiculous for words and is starting to make Illinois and Chicago look like the last bastion of pure above the board politics. One thing it does prove, wherever there are all democrats like Illinois, Minnesota and Now Washington there is fraud, criminality, waste and deception all wrapped in one dirty package, filth galore.This voter sham is just about equal to the one Hussein Obama just pulled off with the media's full fledged full court press. The damn Palestinian elections

Steve Forbes, focus brainpower for job growth, cut corporate taxes. Ireland Gets It: If the incoming Obama Administration is serious about squeezing more money from businesses, it should follow the example of Ireland and slash corporate tax rates. The U.S. has one of the highest profits levies in the developed world: 35% at the federal level, with another average of 5% from state and local taxes. Only Japan has worse. In contrast, Ireland's rate is a mere 12.5%. Imagine the howls from congressio

(AP) — An attorney representing Roland Burris has written to U.S. Senate Democratic leaders asking them to seat his client, the man embattled Gov. Rod Blagojevich has appointed. Attorney Timothy Wright tells the Chicago Tribune he plans to go to federal court if the Senate refuses to seat ...

President Bush layed down the law and the truth as he usually does in his own well meaning but often unorthodoxy fashion regarding the terrorist organization known as Hamas, a group that the uneducated and therefore mostly ignorant people of the fictitious land of Palestine chose to lead them in their first ever democratic elections.Sadly one of president Bush's screw ups in office was expecting such people to actually make the right choice when presented one as he fought for and encouraged, when

Not Dirty Harry but Filthy Highbrow Harry, the one who can't stand the smell of peasants in Washington you'll remember from this incident If you don't believe my headline still after Reid has stated vociferously that he will not seat Rod Blagoyevich's pick for senator, African American Roland Burris, maybe this will enlighten you a bit since you may need it:Word has leaked out that he secretly gave "Blago" a list of people not to name to the position right before "Blago" was yanked from his home

Welcome to new Obama world, skids already greased by outgoing president Bush sadly, where all the deadbeat liberal states are asking for bailouts, states that house most of our country's lazy unemployed, unintentionally layed off /unemployed union employees, and especially tens of millions of illegals now drawn into the country since these states also house sanctuary cities welcoming illegals with open arms, (Illinois included and in our case Chicago is the illegal magnet).They're all now asking

Monday promises to be a fun filled day when the government releases portions of the Blago tapes:Days before Gov. Blagojevich was charged with trying to sell President-elect Barack Obama's U.S. Senate seat to the highest bidder, top Senate Democrat Harry Reid made it clear who he didn’t want in the post: Jesse Jackson, Jr., Danny Davis or Emil Jones. Rather, Reid called Blagojevich to argue he appoint either state Veterans Affairs chief Tammy Duckworth or Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, so

Open letter to President-Elect Barack Obama, Senator Reid, and Senator McConnellIllinois Republican Leaders including Congressman John Shimkus, House Republican Leader Tom Cross, Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno, ILGOP Chairman Andy McKenna, and Illinois Republican County Chairman's Association President Randy Pollard released the following open letter to President-Elect Barack Obama, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell urging them to demand