* The tapes of Roland Burris talking to Rod Blagojevich’s brother Rob a month before Burris got the US Senate appointment aren’t exactly flattering. Here’s the Tribune’s coverage…

Burris said he would make a personal donation but worried that both he and the governor could eventually “catch hell” for any campaign help Burris gave as he lobbied for Blagojevich to choose him.

“And if I do get appointed, that means I bought it,” Burris was recorded telling Robert Blagojevich, the governor’s brother and chief fundraiser, in a Nov. 13 call captured during the federal probe that led to Rod Blagojevich’s December arrest on corruption charges.

Burris even mentioned having his attorney make the donation — a notion that could have violated state election law against hiding donations. Burris’ attorney said he advised against such a move, and Burris never made such a donation and held no fundraisers for Rod Blagojevich. […]

“God knows number one, I, I wanna help Rod,” Burris said on the recording. “Number two, I also wanna, you know, hope I get a consideration to get that appointment.”

And…

Burris ends the call saying: “I will personally do something OK? And it will come to you before the 15th of December.”

Rod Blagojevich was arrested Dec. 9 on charges that included trying to sell President Obama’s vacant Senate seat to the highest bidder.

Burris didn’t make the contribution (at least not directly and as far as we know), which is to his favor. But Burris never mentioned that conversation with Rob Blagojevich in any of his sworn statements or affidavits to the Illinois House Impeachment Committee, which works heavily against him.

Mark Brown…

While Burris may have forgotten the details of their talk by the time he went before state legislators, it could hardly have slipped his mind that less than two months earlier he had been on the phone practically begging to be chosen to replace Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate while promising to do what he could to get some money into the Blagojevich campaign coffers.

His omission only confirms what has been evident for some time now: With the crowning achievement of his political career within reach, Burris was willing to do whatever was necessary to reel in the big prize and deal with the consequences later.

Yep.

More…

But Burris didn’t want to close the door and take a chance on getting on the governor’s bad side.

Instead, as the discussion proceeded, Burris told Robert Blagojevich he would:

1) Be willing to help with a fund-raiser if it was being hosted by some other Blagojevich supporter with whom Burris had worked in the past, in effect, someone to give him cover.

Sneaky, eh?

* Take a look at the transcript and you’ll see Burris goes right into the Senate stuff at the very beginning…

BURRIS: I, I know you’re calling telling me that you’re gonna make me king of the world, and uh …

BLAGOJEVICH: (laughs)

BURRIS: … and therefore I can go off to, you know, wherever and do all these great things […]

BURRIS: ‘Cause I’ve been, I’ve been trying to figure out what the heck, you know, I can do. Go ahead.

Blagojevich then mentions the need to raise campaign money by the end of December for the January filing period and Burris goes right back to the Senate seat…

BURRIS: Yeah. Right, right and, and now how do, answer me this question because I’m very much interested in, in trying to replace Obama, okay. Now I …

BLAGOJEVICH: So you, let me just tell you Roland, …

BURRIS: Yeah.

BLAGOJEVICH: … you and 1 million other people.

BURRIS: That’s right, that’s right so …

BLAGOJEVICH: Of every race, color, creed and faith, it’s amazing.

Again, from the transcript, it looks more like Burris is finding a way to reconcile the need for pay to play than just be an honest person…

BURRIS: If I don’t get appointed then my people who I’m trying to raise money from are gonna look at me, yeah, what, what’s that all about Roland. I mean, so, Rob, I’m in a, I’m in a, a dilemma right now wanting to help the governor.

BLAGOJEVICH: Yeah.

BURRIS: I mean I, you know I, I have been with him on all of the, all the issues and I’m now trying to figure out what the hell the best thing to do.

And Burris was mighty persistent throughout the conversation. Here’s the end…

BLAGOJEVICH: Hey, you’re a good friend. I’ll pass on your message.

BURRIS: Please do and …

BLAGOJEVICH: Okay.

BURRIS: … tell Rod to keep me in mind for that seat, would ya? (chuckles)

BLAGOJEVICH: I’ll let him know.

BURRIS: Okay.

BLAGOJEVICH: Bye Roland.

BURRIS: Alright. Bye-bye.

BLAGOJEVICH: Bye.

Bye.