* The second most powerful United States Senator says he can’t get his calls returned by his own governor…
Democrat Dick Durbin, the state’s other U.S. senator, has said he wants to talk to Blagojevich about who might replace Obama. But spokesman Joe Shoemaker said Durbin’s calls to the governor haven’t been returned.
“He has not been able to talk to him. We’ve tried,” Shoemaker said.
*** UPDATE *** Lucio Guerrero responds…
Just to set the record straight: The Governor’s office reached out to Sen. Durbin’s office on Friday to check the Senator’s availability for a phone call on Monday. We have yet to hear back from them. Although some are trying to make this a big issue, the Governor will of course talk to the Senator about finding a replacement in the Senate. I am sure the two will speak in the near future, it’s just a matter of scheduling.
[ *** End of Update *** ]
* And Jesse Jackson, Jr. wanders over to the other side of the US Capitol…
Minutes after the Senate opened at noon Monday for its lame-duck session, the only lawmaker milling around the second-floor elevator banks was … Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.).
Though Jackson is a leading candidate to replace President-elect Barack Obama in the Senate, Illinois Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich has yet to make his appointment.
So what was Jackson doing on the wrong side of the Capitol?
“MSNBC,” he said, explaining he had a TV appearance on the Senate side.
Nevertheless, it did seem Jackson was walking more slowly, checking out the Senate hallways, imagining what it might be like for him should he be tapped to fill the seat.
Asked if he knew anything about Obama’s replacement, he replied, “I don’t, I don’t.”
Jackson boarded the public elevator just to the right of the “Senators Only” elevator as a male aide explained in a hopeful tone that Blagojevich plans to announce his appointment around Christmas but definitely before New Year’s.
“We just have to wait,” the aide said anxiously.
