The Dems say they will keep Burris from the floor, so says CNN:
Senate Democratic leaders think Roland Burris, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich’s pick to fill President-elect Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat, will likely show up on Capitol Hill Tuesday for the opening day of Congress, according to a Democratic aide familiar with Senate Democratic leaders’ plans.
They have prepared a contingency plan in case he does, the aide added.
Burris will not be allowed on the Senate floor, according to this aide and a Senate Democratic leadership aide.
The aide familiar with Senate Democratic leaders’ plans said if Burris tries to enter the Senate chamber, the Senate doorkeeper will stop Burris. If Burris were to persist, either trying to force his way onto the Senate floor or refusing to leave and causing a scene, U.S. Capitol Police would stop him, said the aide.
“They (police) probably won’t arrest him” but they would call the sergeant-at-arms,” the aide said.
When asked about what would happen if he shows up and tries to be seated, Burris told the Chicago Tribune that he’s, “not going to create a scene in Washington.” He added, “We hope it’s negotiated out prior to my going to Washington.”
Burris told CNN that, “We’re certainly going to make contacts with the leadership to let them know that the governor of Illinois has made a legal appointment. And that I am currently the junior senator for the State of Illinois. And we’re hoping and praying that, you know, they will see the reason in appointing me as a very qualified, capable, able and ready-to-serve individual.”
Yeah, Right. They don’t want to make a scene. You believe that and I got land to sell you in Texas, cheap! That’s what race-baiting Democrats do, make a scene. Because we all know, it’s all about “struggle” for them. (whatever that is….)
Way I see it, the so-called “struggle” ended when America elected that…. THING for President. So, Al Sharpton and his ilk should be out of a job.
So, this should be quite interesting to watch.
Update: Video (via Breit Bart)
Update 2: Even Pat Buchanan is thinking along the same lines: (H/T WND)
Here we have an African-American elder statesman of the Democratic Party, an honorable and distinguished man, appointed by the governor according to law and the Constitution, to fill a Senate seat. There has been no hint of illegal consideration asked or given by either the governor or Burris.
Yet Harry Reid, who presides over a Democratic caucus of some 60 senators, with not a single black member, is going to refuse this black man a seat to which the law entitles him?
One hopes Burris will stay firm and march up to that Senate, and, if nothing else, expose the hypocrisy.
Our president-elect is from a party that champions busing to integrate public schools but bypasses D.C. public schools to send his girls to exclusive private schools in far northwest Washington.
We have a Democratic Senate that champions affirmative action. Yet not one white Democratic senator, in a caucus that has not a single black member, has ever volunteered to step down and let the governor of their state replace him or her with an African-American.
Not one. That would be liberals leading by example, not exhortation.
If Democrats believe our institutions of power should look like America, why don’t they make their Senate caucus look like America? Why do not a dozen Democrat senators resign, to be replaced by 12 appointed black Democrats, giving one-fifth of all Democratic Senate seats to a minority that gave Barack 97 percent of its vote and Barack and Joe Biden one-fourth of all the votes they received?
Why does not Gov. Paterson follow Gov. Blagojevich’s lead and name an African-American of Burris’ stature to the U.S. Senate?
Fellas, let’s start practicing what we preach here.
There are times when I totally disagree with Pat, but he’s dead right here. If the Democrats have any sense, they will approve this guy. Pat says in this article that this Governor has not been convicted, and yet the Democrats are acting like the Governor is in Prison! Something stinks, and it’s not my body. 😀
Update 3: To expand this even further; what you are seeing here is two wings of the Democratic Party clashing. The Honorable Part of the Party that seeks to be above any sort of scandal, bumping up against the Identity Politics wing of the Democratic Party. It’s more than just “Racism” or whites vs blacks, it’s two independent Political ideologies under the same tent. It’s quite the thing to watch.
Others: Hot Air, Sister Toldjah, Chicago Boyz, Althouse, PoliPundit.com and Viking Pundit (Via Memeornadum)