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Obama Defuses a Racial Bomb Ignited by Bobby Rush
It was supposed to be just another absurd day in the absurd life of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. Then Bobby Rush showed up.
Blagojevich held a mid-afternoon press conference Tuesday to name former Illinois Comptroller and Attorney General Roland Burris to Illinois' vacant Senate seat, an act that stood in defiance of both the stated wishes of every Democratic senator in Washington and Majority Leader Harry Reid's threat to refuse any Blagojevich appointee entrance into the Senate. The appointment, which the Secretary of State of Illinois stated he would not certify, would likely create weeks of legal wrangling and prolong the sideshow atmosphere surrounding Blago. So far, so bizarre, so good.
Then Congressman Bobby Rush of Illinois' 1st district stepped to the mic in support of Burris, who is black, and said, "I will ask you to not hang and lynch the appointee as you try to castigate the appointer." Lynch. That's crazy even by Blago standards.
Let's have no doubt: In a different world and at a different time, Burris would have legitimate claim to the seat. The first black man to win a major statewide office in Illinois, he served three terms as comptroller (beginning in 1979) and one as attorney general (beginning in 1991). In his era, he was popular throughout the state. He managed to serve for 16 years without scandal, which may be a record in Illinois. But despite his accomplishments, Burris cannot hope to untangle himself from the web of scandals woven by Blagojevich. And even if those scandals were not so all-consuming, few prominent politicians in Illinois would stand up for Burris: half want the seat he has been appointed to fill, and the other half would rather endorse someone who will be a future power player, someone who could repay the favor down the line. Few would see the sense in supporting a man who, though a distinguished public servant, is in his seventies and hasn't held public office in over a decade.
But one of those few is Bobby Rush, a co-founder of the Illinois Black Panther Party who represents one of the most heavily African-American congressional districts in the country. In his 60s, with his run for higher office behind him (he lost a bid for mayor of Chicago against Richard M. Daley in 1999), Rush has no reason to support a young whippersnapper seeking a bright future. He can afford to support a fellow civil rights trailblazer. And he did so in racially charged terms:
Let me just remind you that there presently is no African- American in the U.S. Senate. Let me remind you that the state of Illinois and the people in the state of Illinois and their collective wisdom, have sent two African-Americans to the U.S. Senate....
This is a matter of national importance. There are no African- Americans in the Senate, and I don't think that anyone — any U.S. senator, who's sitting in the Senate, right now, wants to go on record to deny one African-American for being seated in the U.S. Senate. I don't think they want to go on record doing that. And so, I intend to take that argument to the Congressional Black Caucus. I intend to take that argument to the senators.
Rush made an explicit attempt to recast the situation in racial terms. And he added a threat. Any senator who opposed Burris' seating as the junior senator from Illinois — for any reason whatsoever, and there are many — desires an all-white body. That is to say, they are racist or, at the very least, insensitive to the need for diversity and no friend of minorities. Having just supported the first successful African-American presidential candidate in the nation's history, Senate Democrats would feel awfully uneasy exercising an unprecedented power to lock out the man who would be the Senate's only African-American. Especially after the race card had been so publicly played.
But then that first successful African-American presidential candidate stepped in and saved Harry Reid and his compatriots an awful lot of grief. He issued the following statement:
Roland Burris is a good man and a fine public servant, but the Senate Democrats made it clear weeks ago that they cannot accept an appointment made by a governor who is accused of selling this very Senate seat. I agree with their decision, and it is extremely disappointing that Governor Blagojevich has chosen to ignore it. I believe the best resolution would be for the Governor to resign his office and allow a lawful and appropriate process of succession to take place.
Bobby Rush, who defeated Barack Obama years ago in a congressional race early in Obama's career, had his race card very calmly picked up and placed back in his pocket. The Democratic Party, to introduce another metaphor, dodged a bullet. And Barack Obama had the opportunity to play the mediator and to remind everyone that, no, not every Illinois politician is flat-out crazy. It's not clear where this saga will go from here, but because of Obama's actions, opposing Burris won't be considered racism anywhere outside of Bobby Rush's Capitol Hill office.
Blago, while clearly arrogant and quite possibly a felon-to-be, still has a middle finger that is working.
His second choice was probably Alan Keys.
Stupid, he isnt.
You glaze over his statement comparing 'not sitting Roland Burris' with
a lynching. You also seem to leave out the point that Bobby Rush was elected with multiple felony convictions, and attempted murder charges.
I am ashamed to say I am from Illinois. Paul Edwards, Chatham IL
Gee, who could have guessed that a far left "civil rights leader" is a demagogue? The victimology circus continues.
Notice the craftyly worded statement by Obama..."that they cannot accept an appointment made by a governor who is accused of selling this very Senate seat. I agree with their decision..." He was very careful to say "not to seat" Burris, which he knows the Senate has no power to lawfully do.
Reid, et al. should recognize and welcome Burris but only after getting Burris to agree to resign once a new govenor is in place to appoint someone or a special election is set up. That way both Burris and Reid fell like they are winners.
The Senate is going to need that D vote when it comes time to start passing Obama's agenda.
blue - No power to lawfully not seat Burris? What constitition have you been reading? Art I, sec. 5, cl. 1 - "Each House [of Congress] shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications of its own Members..." Additionally (though it's unlikely to be used here), cl. 2 reads: "Each House [of Congress] may ... with the Concurrence of two thirds, expel a Member." All the Senate has to do is say he's not qualified and he doesn't get seated. Or they seat him and immediately expel him.
Moose...
He meets all the requirements:
at least 30 years old; a U.S. citizen for at least nine years at the time of election to the Senate; and a resident of the state one is elected to represent in the Senate.
The Senate is going to have a tough time proving he is not qualified in the courts. But if they get to the courts, they'll run out the clock and hope the new governor recends the appointment and appoints someone else.
Its funny the D's have been crying about the Bushies trampling the Constitution, but so quickly do they do the same thing.
Everyone is playing into Blaggo's hand. This is a sideshow he is creating. While everyone fights for the scraps, Blaggo will hide in the shadows.
Just put the guy in the Senate ASAP. Then, everyone and their brother will run for what the entire state will consider a vacant seat.
We need to focus on the real job - prosecuting Blaggo.
Blue - you are funny!!! And very wrong. What is amazing is that the Republican Party in Illinois is running commercials to hold a special election.
But you are probably not familiar with the 17th Amendment:
"The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislatures.
When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of each State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.
This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid as part of the Constitution."
A special election is a very liberal interpretation by a party who (sometimes) espouses literal interpretation.
So...you want a mulligan on your post?
Kirkbrew,
No, I don't want a mulligan on my post. If your's had a point maybe I'd respond to it, but it doesn't so no response for you.
What I can't understand why any American would bother listening to or giving the weight of any credence to creatures like Bobby Rush. Shouldn't things like that just be scorned and forced back into the shadows with the rest of the vermin?
Giving them exposure just adds to the illusion of their meaningfulness. They should only be noticed for as long s it takes to insult and marginalize them. Then they and any they represent should be shunned and ignored.
You don't improve by carrying the dead wood and diseased remnants of the past.
Bobby Rush is a great and well respected progressive legislator. What felony convictions and murder charges are you talking about? What Rush said wasn't so bad.
As a tactical matter, there is no doubt that the selection of Mr. Burris works for Governor Blagoyevich and noone else. Nevertheless, I think it would be prudent for all involved to remember that there are 99 senators who are not black and that their color does not make them more qualified. Selecting a qualified black man or woman to fill out the remaining term of Barack Obama would send a good message.
Where was Bobby Rush's criticism when The Messiah said we should respect the murder of Sean Bell?
This is interesting in a larger context; Obama is indicating a readiness to consign race mongers of all stripes to the garbage bin.
The colorblind extremists want to make this about corruption. They are losing. The next governor is going to have to appoint either Jesse Jr. or Danny Davis.
As for playing the race card: They get away with playing the race card, because most politicians and voters only want symbolic change. The colorblind extremists are just as guilty (if not more) of avoiding crime, poverty, and education solutions as the "race mongers."
By the way: Any mention of a "historic election" by Obama or his political surrogates is a form of race baiting. Is he a "race monger" as well?
hey, it will never get to the courts, the constitutional seperation of powers gives the senate the sole right to decide, they can be as arbitrary as they want.
It would not be an issue if the governor were not under investigation, it could also be said if he would have offered the job to Burris, who has had a long history in public service to the state of illinois prior to the indictment, it may not have been an issue.
Obama said the right thing, but it's nonsense to think opposing Burris would be considered racist if Obama had not addressed it. Most people do not need a President to tell us how to think.
Mr Rush represents an area of Illinois with property insurance rates and crime rates higher than most parts of the USA and the streets are full of illegal drugs . Thanks to the police in that area . He has used race during every election to get reelected in an almost all black area of Illinois while doing nothing to improve living conditions for the area he represents . Prior to being elected to the House of Rep he represented the same area in the local government and never improved his area . His defeat of Obama was helped by the local machine because Obama was campaigning on improving conditions . Rush's area is where the worst police personnel is sent to work and the conditions show it . Not too long ago some police of his area were arrested for distributing drugs in his area . He is probably the worst Rep in the House .
I have believed Mother Jones to be a reasonable, honest publication. This article however and this particular comment constrain me to ask: On what basis can Mr. Burris be said to be ineligible? He meets every criteria held out to be a senator. Just because a black man will (hopefully) be inaugurated on 1.20.09 does not mean that racism is over. In fact, it is being used as an excuse to justify racism. I agree that the present Governor is a crook, but his crimes really pale in light of the real crimes perpetrated by the Wall Street gang that are being glossed over by the media. Bernard Madoff and his ilk have committed heinous crimes that threaten to send the US not only into a deep depression. but absolute economic bankruptcy!!
If you were Represenative Rush and the City, County, State and Federal Governments were giving you no financial support, how would you improve Mr. Rush's District?
No answer? I thought so.
You probably think "those poor stupid Blacks deserve their miserable lot.
Nice try.
It is wishful thinking to think that just because of Obama's statement that the race card has been picked up. I suspect that millions of African Americans think that the race card is still in play.
Obama's election is testimony to the independent thinking of the African American community. Contrary to the support that their "leaders" had pledged to H Clinton, the African American community said "h*** no" and voted for Obama. Eventually those "leaders" got on board.
The same will happen to Obama. Obama won the support of the African American community primarily because of ethnic pride. He could very easily lose it as well.
Thank you. Bring on the race card. I was not aware that with Obama's resignation from the Senate there are no African-Americans in the Senate. That in itself is a travesty! At this point in time, for some unknown reason, the body politic of the Senate, according to CNN, appears to be softening toward Burris. Good.
I am confused a bit about Bobby Rush, after reading this blog post. What does he do in Washington that he has a Capitol Hill office?
Also, my two cents: I'd like to see the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Illinois taken down, rather than Blagojevich.
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