The Delusion of Roland Burris

Former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris hasn’t won an election since 1991. After finishing his term in 1995, he’s lost four elections (three for governor and one for mayor). He hasn’t won any.

Nevertheless, Burris is now on his way to Washington and claims that, “We hope and pray that they [U.S. Senate] won’t be able to deny what the Lord has ordained. I am the junior Senator from the state of Illinois.” The problem is that the Lord had nothing to do with it. Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was caught trying to sell president-elect Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat to the highest bidder. At the state and federal level, no one is willing to accept anyone appointed by Blagojevich, pending his impeachment and criminal indictment on a number of charges.

Even Burris acknowledges that Blagojevich seems to have done some despicable things, but the ambitious Burris couldn’t refuse the tainted appointment. It’s been too long since he’s felt the thrill of victory in any election. He’s promised to try and win his argument in court if the U.S. Senate won’t seat him. The law is on the Senate’s side, because the Illinois Secretary of State has to certify the appointment paperwork and that’s not happening. Burris and his lawyer may sue him, too.

So Burris plans to show up in Washington, declaring that, “I am a United States Senator.” Time for a reality check here. I could declare that I’m Elvis reincarnated, but that doesn’t make it true. Burris has allowed his aspirations to overload his abilities.

Making matters worse, Illinois Democratic Rep. Bobby Rush threw out the race card. He depicted the U.S. Senate as the “last bastion of plantation politics” and declared that blacks had been “excluded systematically for too long.” I suppose he’s forgetting the vacancy was created when black Senator Obama was elected to the highest office in the land.

As he was boarding a plane for Washington, Burris told reporters, "I cannot control my supporters. I have never in my life, in all my years of being elected to office, thought anything about race." I guess he was forgetting his interview on last week’s NBC Today show. On that show he said, “It is a fact that there are no African-Americans in the United States Senate. Is it racism that is taking place? That’s a question that someone may raise.”

Mr. Burris is a liar and a laughing stock. Pity him, and hope he never gets that Senate seat.