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Thursday, February 19, 2009

Burris Plays the Chicago Game Quite Well

He lied to Congress. He lied to the public in news conferences and interviews. And now Roland Burris, Obama's Senate replacement, has admitted he didn't tell the truth about his fundraising activity for disgraced Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich.

During hearings before Congress, Burris stated that he had no knowledge about any attempt by the former Governor to sell Obama's Senate seat to the highest bidder, or give favors in exchange for funds or fundraising.

But this week Burris admitted that he was asked by Blagojevich or someone close to him to do some fundraising for the Governor, and Burris says he had agreed to do so.

Then, suddenly, Burris finds himself appointed by Blago to the vacant Senate seat.

It is vital to remember at this point that Obama, Blagojevich, Burris, and Rahm Emanuel are all schooled in the infamous dirty politics of the Chicago political machine. So far Burris has played the Chicago game quite well in that despite his slippery manner of describing his dealings with Blago, he still sits in Obama's former Senate seat without any serious attempt to oust him.

The problem with Burris' words, however, is that he keeps changing his story on several key issues. Is it so difficult to remember one's contacts and conversations with the Governor on a matter of extreme importance such as fundraising and an empty Senate seat?

It could be that the problem is that Burris remembers all too well. And this, perhaps, causes him to 'trip over his words.'

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Note that Burris once held the elected office of Illinois States attorney. The highest ranking legal office in the state. The current wiki description of him is quite amusing. It seems He has a habit of forgetting things such as a handgun he kept.

Welshman said...

The hypocrisy of the anti-gun bigots never ceases to amaze...