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* No surprise, but welcomed news anyway…
Sneed has learned U.S. Sen. Roland Burris has decided NOT to seek election to the seat he fought the government to keep. […]
The decision by Burris was based on his inability to raise campaign funds; campaign disclosures with the Federal Election Commission are expected to be filed next week…and he has reportedly only raised approximately $20,000 […]
“After 20 years in government service, Burris didn’t want the last four months in office to be that legacy,” said a source.
Too late. That is his legacy now. He screwed it up himself by taking up Rod Blagojevich on his offer of a Senate appointment and then allowing his allies and staff to use disgusting race-baiting tactics to keep him there.
Good riddance.
* 4:59 pm - The Tribune has a brief bit that appears to confirm.
* 5:19 pm - From a press release…
United States Senator Roland W. Burris to Make Major Announcement Tomorrow
CHICAGO, IL— United States Senator Roland W. Burris will make a major announcement during a speech in Chicago on Friday afternoon. Senator Burris will be addressing a group of Illinois residents at the Chicago South Loop Hotel at 2:00PM.
WHO: Senator Roland W. Burris
WHAT: Speech to Illinois Youth
WHEN: Today, Friday, July 10, 2009, at 2:00 p.m.
WHERE: Chicago South Loop Hotel, 2600 South State Street,
Chicago, Illinois 60616, Room: State Street
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 4:35 pm
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Hurrah!
I’m not sure which is better: Burris out, or Cobb unemployed.
Its a two-fer!
Comment by Yellow Dog Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 4:42 pm
I look forward to his statement tomorrow. It should be fun to count all of the different people he blames for his own decisions, behavior and self obsession.
Comment by Amen Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 4:43 pm
So its alexi vs. Chris kennedy (maybe) vs. Cheryle jackson (maybe)? Sounds like Alexi has had a couple of great days.
Comment by anon Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 4:43 pm
Too bad he couldn’t make his statement at that nightclub in Lincoln Park…
Alexi, Kennedy and Jackson that will be entertaining.
Comment by OneMan Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 4:45 pm
sorry every blago appointee is tainted for life. Cheryle Jackson may be a very nice dedicated public servant, but thanks but no thanks.
October 19,2010, last debate before the election, kirk and alexi,
alexi: “I am endorsed by obama, I will support obama. ”
Kirk: “Illinois voters know barack obama. They voted for him. alexi, you are no barack obama.”
Game over.Senator Kirk elected.
next.
Comment by Shore Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 4:47 pm
Burris would not have been serious competition anyhow. He also seemed to have some serious campaign fundraising problems = lack of funds.
He should get out while the getting is good.
Comment by Third Generation Chicago Native Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 4:53 pm
Jiminy Crickett goes to cartoon re-runs!
Comment by cartoon channel Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 4:53 pm
Shore…. you’re as bad as TA with the water carrying.
Keep reminding voters that this is “Obama’s Senate seat” and the DSCC will keep reminding voters that Kirk has continuously voted “No” on Obama’s plans.
Oh, and there’s that little audio clip floating out there of Kirk telling the Wheeling Township GOP that Obama’s agenda is badbadbad.
So go ahead and keep reminding Illinoisans (who voted in overwhelming numbers to elect Sen. Obama as President Obama) that this is “his” Senate seat so Dems can keep reminding voters of Kirk’s anti-Obama record.
Comment by Rob_N Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 4:54 pm
Just another slow week at the office, eh Rich?
Comment by SweetLou Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 4:54 pm
Shore -
Or four weeks of third party t.v. ads blasting every anti-Obama vote Kirk’s ever taken, followed by four more weeks, and four more weeks….
And 250,000 pieces of direct mail to independents and soft Republicans in southern Illinois from the third-party group “Conservatives for Life” blasting every liberal vote Kirk’s ever taken.
And Obama coming back to Illinois to hold fundraisers and GOTV events for whomever the Democratic nominee is.
Mark Kirk should’ve stayed where he was a household name, but in the other 95% of the state, he’s easily defined.
The Coulson v. Bond race will be much more interesting.
Comment by Yellow Dog Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 4:55 pm
To puppet Blago: “All in all, it’s been an up week!”
Comment by Anonymous45 Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 4:56 pm
Over/under on the amount of times he says his own name in the third person in recapping the trailblazing career of Roland Burris?
Good riddance to a largely ineffective public official and a shameless self-promoter who stands out in a business full of shameless self-promoters.
Comment by Ron Burgundy Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 4:57 pm
Rob_n
if unemployment is at 9 or 10% in November all the Obama love in the world may not help.
Also when the public service records of chris Kennedy and Kirk are matched up…..
Comment by Oneman Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 4:57 pm
Oh man 2010 is going to be some election! The Senate race is going to be wide open! Will there be a front-runner by the primaries? Well I would guess Chris Kennedy for his name recognition, but is that even a guarantee?
Comment by Levois Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 4:58 pm
Shore- maybe, but it sure would have been better for Kirk (assuming he’s in the Senate race, which still isn’t official) if Obama had to tap dance around boosting Alexi pre-primary for fear of how it would look with Burris still vying for the office. In addition, while there wasn’t much of a chance of Burris surviving the primary (maybe IF there was a large field), it clearly would have been a walk for Kirk if Burris was the candidate.
No secret that Kirk’s biggest problem is Obama’s WH coming down on him like a ton of bricks, given how losing that seat would look. I hope he’s ready for the onslaught.
Comment by Team America Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 4:58 pm
Anon @ 4:43. I am not so sure Roland deciding not to run is good for Alexi. It’s good for Cheryle and maybe Kennedy but most of those voters will probably not go his way (all 1 - 2% of them).
Comment by Been There Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 5:00 pm
There will be a finite amount of ‘White House Resources’ and I think they will be spent trying to keep control of the house (or keeping the majority close to where it is) vs. one senate seat.
If the economy is still in the tank in November it is going to be tough for the Dems, remember what Clinton used to say ‘It’s the Economy’
Comment by OneMan Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 5:02 pm
===Good riddance.===
Roland should just resign now. Hum? Let’s see. He resigns now, then Quinn gets to appoint someone. Himself? somebody we never heard of? One of those already announced? Who would help him the most? Or can we even think that way in front of the feds? I think he should appoint himself and then Lisa can become gov without running.
Sorry for the rampant speculation but the dominos have been falling fast the last two days so you never know.
Comment by Been There Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 5:05 pm
Kirk is in the catbird seat right now. Once the little annoyance of Andy McKenna goes away (from both the senate race and the state party), he can sit back, raise big bucks and watch a spirited Dem primary among a bunch of second-tier dems. Lefties hate Kirk because he isn’t one of them. Righties hate him for the same reason. and the vast majority of voters who are sick of both extremes will see a smart, experienced, straighforward, independent, and he will win.
Comment by Abe Froman Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 5:09 pm
BT, I wrote this about a month ago in a subscriber piece called “Queen Domino”…
===AG Madigan reportedly intends to announce her decision by mid to late July. What will immediately follow could be the most intensely interesting and fast-paced political jockeying we’ve ever seen in this state. ===
I’m already exhausted, and it’s bsrely begun.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 5:09 pm
I’m shocked! Shocked that Burris won’t run for re-election.
Comment by Captain Renault Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 5:14 pm
Rich we are only here to speculate. You are exhausted from researching but that is why we give you the big bucks. It never seems to take a break around here though, does it? Don’t know what we would do without this site.
Comment by Been There Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 5:14 pm
To all the kirk haters out there, let’s remember that in 1984, Ronald Reagan won 49 states including this one and yet paul simon was elected to senate. Obama won’t be as popular as Reagan in 2010.
Alexi has a steep hill to climb. With burris fresh in peoples minds, the blago trial ongoing and an election that is looking like a statewide calling to throw the bums out, we’ll see how he does. Kirk is a serious legislator who would be an instant star on the foreign relations committee.
Alexi does not know the difference between fata and fatah, and as I said, 5 senators for one seat in 13 years is a lot. We need someone serious who can settle in and fight for us.
Comment by Shore Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 5:19 pm
Abe,
As my granfather used to say “From your mouth to g_d’s ear”
Comment by 10th Indy Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 5:32 pm
Have a couple drinks this weekend Rich. I have a feeling next week is going to be even worse.
This is not “Obama’s seat”. Despite what Blago did, the seat belongs to the people of Illinois. It does not belong to the President, Burris or anyone else. We would all do well to remember that.
Comment by jwscott72 Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 5:34 pm
Burris finally seeing reality. Too bad he didn’t do that months ago. Whatever legacy he might have had is gone. 20K in donations? Pitiful. Where was all the support once he got in? Didn’t his supporters know they had to pony up?
Comment by dupage dan Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 5:35 pm
SPRINGFIELD — Former state Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka is looking to return to state government.
The Riverside Republican is eyeing a run for state comptroller, a position now held by Democrat Dan Hynes.
Via:
http://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/article_5db248b2-6cd0-11de-9ba5-001cc4c002e0.html
Comment by Anonymous Coward Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 5:38 pm
At a breakfast for local legislators today, Coulson apparently told her colleagues that she is running for re-election to her State House seat.
Comment by Nobody Sent Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 5:39 pm
shore, you’re quite the card!
now, presumably, you meant that barack won’t be as popular in 2010 as reagan is in 2010. you couldn’t possibly want to argue that barack won’t be as popular as reagan was at the same point in the election cycle. but just in case you’ve mythologized reagan’s popularity over time, here ya go:
Poll Appr Disap Unsure
2/8/82 46 43 10
11/8/82 42 47 10
the rest of your analysis seems to suffer from the same fault. calling mark kirk a serious legislator is fairly laughable, unless you think marijuana kills. or children coming across internet pornography is the greatest concern facing voters today.
then there’s his immoral vote to invade iraq and his sitting at rumsfeld’s right hand. but the fact that electing mark kirk to the senate would mean that one of our senators would consistently be trying to upend president obama’s agenda will pretty much decide this election. the difference is quite stark: kirk, who can’t seem to grasp more than little things, or someone who will support the president — who clearly understands complexity and the real world we live in…
Comment by bored now Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 5:43 pm
happy happy, joy joy!
Comment by Amy Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 5:45 pm
Amen Rich…. “Good Riddance”…. to Roland Burris.
Comment by Born in the USA Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 5:53 pm
Thank God!
Comment by Danny Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 6:13 pm
Well, at least the empty space on Roland’s mausoleum has been filled.
Comment by Rod sez I'm pork Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 6:23 pm
Burris tombstone: “US Senate Placeholder: 2009-2010″
Comment by Macbeth Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 6:30 pm
Like Palin Burris is merely advancing in another direction.
I expect him to announce he is running for Governor……….of Alaska.
Comment by irishpirate Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 6:36 pm
What a JOKE
Wake up Voters
Vote out the others who do nothing
There is NO Accountability
Only TALK !!!!!
TAXPAYERS DESERVE BETTER !!!!
MAKE IT HAPPEN !!!!
Comment by grategul Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 6:39 pm
Another GOOD riddance, together with SILLY Sarah Failin’.
Comment by KYJurisDoctor Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 7:03 pm
Another first for the tombstone: First African American Appointed to the Senate Who Subsequently Was Unable to Raise Any Money to Be Elected and Who Covered Himself in Shame in the Process
Comment by DuPage Dave Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 7:49 pm
Kirk and Quinn are both divorced — Kirk very recently. Are bachelors really electable in this age of family photo ops?
Comment by Anon Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 8:16 pm
Its great that Burris is out. Bored Kirk is at least doing something what has Blago enabler Deb Halvorson done yet, what major legislation has Davis,Rush Jackson, been writing and advancing.
Comment by fed up Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 8:19 pm
Who gave Roland $20,000 to run? The RNC ?
Comment by North of I-80 Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 9:34 pm
Shore says, “Kirk is a serious legislator who would be an instant star on the foreign relations committee.”
…Yes, telling the leadership of communist China that America is a bad investment because we’re lying to them is a surefire way to catch a rising star.
I know if you went to your company’s bank and said the owners were lying to them it would get a you promotion rightquick.
Comment by Rob_N Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 10:06 pm
Why should JBT run for Comptroller when she can have her old job back?
Comment by Little Egypt Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 10:17 pm
Judy’s high point of popularity will be the day she announces–from there on she will fade. There were problems with her administration of the Treasurer’s office that will come out. Voters who might have been happy to give her an ear as the person who ran against Blago will quickly size her up as yesterday’s public servant. Gotta admire the coffee and cigarettes shtick, though.
Comment by RFK fan Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 10:35 pm
===Anon @ 8:16 said Kirk and Quinn are both divorced — Kirk very recently. Are bachelors really electable in this age of family photo ops? ===
Can’t believe this question is even asked in this day. Didn’t we already elect a President who was divorced? And he was a REPUBLICAN!! And that was a long time ago. Photo ops are nice but as the conservative GOP’s have shown since Reagan, the picture doesn’t always tell the whole story.
Comment by Been There Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 10:39 pm
You people are assuming that just because Burris is leaving, he will be out of the picture during the campaign. He won’t be. He will still be making news and showing up at the wrong times. He will still be a poster child for the Illinois Democratic Party. He will still make news as the next Democratic nominee is trying to campaign.
So, don’t count your chickens before they hatch - Roland Burris has a few more embarrassing things to do before stepping down in 2011.
Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 10:59 pm
BrickheadJoe will jump to the Senate race and Commando Kirk will go limp
TeeHee
Comment by CircularFiringSquad Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 11:03 pm
totally agree wuth van man!
Comment by Agreed Thursday, Jul 9, 09 @ 11:25 pm
To bad, so sad (not really). I was looking forward to Burris TV ads. I can just imagine it now - Burris looking off into the sunset, talking about how much he had done for the people of Illinois (oophs wrong dream, that’s Burris’ dream). The reality would be a wave of TV ads by the other candidates running for the Senate seat showing Blago and Burris together and hearing clips of the ‘pay-to-play’ tape. Oh well, finally a good move by Burris.
Comment by this voter will remember Friday, Jul 10, 09 @ 5:46 am
Poor poor Roland his legacy will be the Sleezy Lawyer, Lobbbiest, Politition that sold his soul for the Impeached Governor’s appointment to the Senate.
Comment by Legacy Friday, Jul 10, 09 @ 6:51 am
Can’t you just imagine what it must be like for other Senators who run into Burris in the halls of congress? “Quick, here he comes, let’s get the hell out of here! I don’t want to show up in a photo somewhere with that guy!”
Comment by One of the 35 Friday, Jul 10, 09 @ 8:13 am
==There were problems with her administration of the Treasurer’s office that will come out. ==
Do they have any videos of her dancing with Blago?
Comment by Anon Friday, Jul 10, 09 @ 8:15 am
Ironically, the best thing for Burris’s so-called “legacy” would be to run again — and win. I mean, the man appears to be a bit slow. But let’s see him run a tough race and win. Then he deserves a bit of respect — especially at this point in Illinois politics.
But good god. He sure wasn’t thinking about his “legacy” last December.
Bye bye, Burris. Good riddance.
Comment by Macbeth Friday, Jul 10, 09 @ 8:25 am
Roland Burris is a victim of passing times as well as the success of Barack Obama. Throughout his career, being the black guy on the Illinois Democratic ticket has been his ticket to political success. Burris has always cautiously walked and talked throughout his public life, allowing his eventual secession after Obama in the United States Senate. What Roland Burris discovered far too late after he grabbed the golden ring Rod Blagojevich offered him, was that the black exceptionalism which served him so well throughout his career, was no match for the Post-Obama era when coupled with Rod Blagojevich’s fingerprints.
Burris, just as RNC’s Michael Steele had also learned, being the black guy was no longer enough to cover political missteps. Barack Obama’s election to the nation’s highest office has had an impact. America’s voters will be less yielding to challenging African American candidates and office holders in the Post Obama era. Roland Burris stepped out from behind Rod Blagojevich seven months ago and discovered that race card playing, and claims of US Senate seat racial quotas, couldn’t quelle the choruses of outrage, as they could have had in the past.
The Bar was raised.
As an Illinois voter, I have supported African American candidates for many local offices and national offices. My votes have helped send five different African Americans to Washington DC as Congressmen and women. While race was not the deciding factor in my choice, I considered it a plus. I expected them to face unusual circumstances to their administrations and campaigns. I was open to their explanations and suggestions, even when these ideas clashed with my personally held beliefs.
But no longer. If Barack Obama’s election to the US presidency does anything, it puts and end to a 400 year old argument regarding race in America. A black man can be elected to our highest office, even one with the least experience to become president in over a century. As a result, the card games voters had been effectively seen played, are looking increasingly similar to a deck of Old Maid cards, and having similar effects to political contests.
Roland Burris was the right guy at the right time for an era when voters of all race, hoped for a better tomorrow. That day arrived last November. For African American candidates in the Post Obama era, they will need to play by the same rules if they wish to follow Barack Obama to the Oval Office.
Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Jul 10, 09 @ 9:02 am
–My votes have helped send five different African Americans to Washington DC as Congressmen and women.–
Wow, sounds like a great carnival side show!
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Jul 10, 09 @ 10:13 am
Oh - then you also met Gus Savage?
Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Jul 10, 09 @ 11:37 am
================
==There were problems with her administration of the Treasurer’s office that will come out. ==
Do they have any videos of her dancing with Blago?
=================
AND…is JBT carrying a briefcase instead of a purse–WHILE DANCING WITH BLAGO–at one of those places that Burris uses for fundraising events?
Comment by Anonymous Saturday, Jul 11, 09 @ 1:07 pm