CNN

Idiots .... idiots ....and idiots.

Way to go, Mr. Burris. Put on a dunce cap and sit in the senate. Enjoy your 2 yrs if you can because you will never be elected in 2010.

reid , dubrin what a couple lieing two faced co - suckers barring
objections from republicans. since when has the rep. had any thing
to do with seating a dem sentor . racist reid an durbin rember 2010
elections.

Burris is so disgustingly ambitious. He ran for office so many times and failed and now the only way for him to get in is by appointment from a crook like Blago! Face it Burris, you're just not senate material – now go have a nice retirement somewhere.

and my journey of disappointment begins

I don't have a problem with Burris per say, but this should not happen

Please don't disappoint me like Bill Clinton did democrats

Griff, your mother is an alien.

DEMS ARE SUCH A JOKE.

In the end, they will always cave in to partisan politics. It's the same old stuff, whether or not we've been promised otherwise. America has been duped once again.

P.S. Speak kindly of those older than you. They've already reached that age. No one knows what a day may bring.

I told you that days ago. The law was on Sen. Burris' side. Congratulations to you, "Distinguished Gentleman From Illinois!" Do us proud. I'll be praying for your success.

Griff, accept the reality that Obama is your legitimate President. The Supreme Court did not see irregularities in his citizenship, and Obama's mother was a natural-born American which confers the status to him.

I'm sure compromises were made, including a promise that Burris would be a caretaker only, and not run for office with the potential for a failed election bid. More details will emerge. I doubt Senate Democrats "caved in" as it appears.

Well... say again.. Legal or ethical, choose one. And you can not have both in this case. Burris was rejected by people of Illinois during several primary. So too bad to Democrats that cannot figure out a way to reject him.

WOW, the dems REALLY are spineless. We are SO screwed for the next four years. They can not hold their ground for nothing and Obama is a pushover. He should have made it known he disagrees with him being seated. If that was a white senator, their would be no way in hell he would be seated.

Harry Reid, you got burned...just admit it and quit trying to cover up with "well, now things are in order." You seemed to have forgotten what Article I, Section 2.4 says...or, more likely, you didn't know that you DON'T HAVE THE POWER to block the appointment!

Griff
So where is Obama from Mars you better be careful your sheet is starting to show.

A lot of drama only because the law makers refuse to uphold their own laws: INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY is the Poet Gov Blago, 'to fight and not to yield'. lol

Blago is my newest hero; the only Democrat with a sound backbone. lol

Let's see if the Dems in the Illinois Senate also have the stones to brush aside the unwarranted 'impeachment'.

What Attorney General, Fitzgerald, did at his news conference WAS POLITICAL, not legal.

Politics, as usual for the democrats. This will only be the 3rd democratic administration since the 60's and they are demonstrating why...with this "Theater of the Absurd", indictments of the govs in Illinois and New Mex. and the mayors of Detroit and Baltimore and PE Obama Hussein reneging on his campaign promises...

Koolaide anyone?

Burris???? Away to go America.... The New South Africa!
You destroy each other by Trying to cover up your Past... S0 why did you not Elect "A Real American" You will never cover it up America...
Barack Obama is an Alien.... None American.... Are you listening CNN...
I doubt it...

Griff...

What the heck was that ??? A dream conversation between you, the kkk, and the nazis?

p.s. Obama is more American than YOU will ever be.

Congratulations and best wishes, Senator Burris.

Wait,Wait, I 'll pay double what ever he paid !!!

What a joke...we're trying to get rid of the baby boomers not bring more in! Great job Illinois!

Congratulations to the new Junior Senator from the State of Illinois.

Harry Reid is the big loser here. His days are numbered.

Just what we need another 72 year old man. This is why we need term limits.

Why don't you people get real.

@ Griff

Obama is full-blooded natural born American citizen. Cry in your soup all you want, but them's the facts sweetcheeks.

This was the appropriate course of action. Burris has not been accused of "pay-for-play" politics and there is no evidence to suggest that he has engaged in any of Blagojevich's various scandals.. What Gov. Blagojevich has done with his time in office is horrendous, but Burris has proven himself a worthy, intelligent statesman in Illinois and should be seated.

Burris' appointment is the first crack that the Republicans will hammer away on to split the Dems' armor of public acceptance.

Now seat Senator Franken!

Man, Burris is going to regret taking this position sooner than later. His party hates his guts.

"Old trial lawyer" Harry Reid should have known that you should never say "never". Blago 1, Senate 0.

Just when the senate thought the night was over, Blagojevich blocks the sunlight and makes it dark again. That's just another offense he has added up to the ones he was to be impeached for. Ooooweee!

What's one more incompetent, self-serving boob in the crowd? Come on in!

Never has the Senate looked more Senatorial. "Rules were made to be finessed." This whole mess stinks like last week's tuna no matter what. Just seat the man like you planned to do all along and get on with it.

Was there any doubt that obama would not have him put in the chair.
Come on get a grip. All them old white guys are scared for their jobs. Got to have a black in the Senate, come on get over it. Affirmative action still going strong.

Reid changed his tune very quickly when he was called out for his racist stand on Burris' appointment.

what makes senate accept to seat Burris exactly. just more clarification is what we actually need to know. what did he tell the senate?, what make you so sure he did not give or promised to bribe the governor? what did the CIA really intercepted to state that the governor were trying to "sell" Obama's seat? too much questions, unfortunetely no real answer.

gutless !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Matt:
"They need to show some more backbone".

They cannot put on display that which they do not posess.
I'm sorry Reid, Durbin and others did not choke on their original statements about seating this person. And I have no ties to any of them, I am a proud lifelong Republican 100% caucasian.

NO BACKBONE AND WE WONDER WHY DEMOCRATES SEEM INEFFECTIVE.

I AM DISAPPOINTED.

HOW CAN DEMOCRATES BE EFFECTIVE IN GOVERNMENT WHEN THEY CAN NOT MAKE HARD DECISIONS ABOUT AN APPOINTMENT MADE BY A ROGUE GOVERNOR???????

I AM AFRICIAN AMERICAN AND VOTED THIS TIME AS A DEMOCRATE.

Burris was a fishbone that Blagojevich shove down the snate's throat, which they had no choice but to swallow, unless they want to damage their palate trying to take it out. Even if he got impeached, but at least he knows he has challenged their authority and imposed on them an unwanted element, and caused some damage to the integrity of that organization. Blagojevich is vile and sneaky, he is in the wrong party.

Spineless Dems.

The fight wasn't with Burris, it was with Blago. This was becoming much too much of a distraction.

Harry spineless Reid

Reid sure does look weak now. He shouldn't have come out so strong against the appointment in the beginning.

I am very very disappointed in my parties decision to seat him. At first they made the great decision not to seat Mr. Burris but now they have caved, and with that lost a great deal of my faith in them.

How would you like to show up to work everyday knowing nobody really wanted you there?

Who would have ever thought that the day would come when the Senate fell back on their word?

Let the guy have the seat, and the Illinois voters will have their say when the seat is up for re-election. He seems like a nice enough man, and no one's thrown any dirt at him. There are much bigger things to attend to now.

Matt, I'm with you. Senate Demos say one thing and do another, I'm very disappointed in them.

To Matt: I concur.

Matt,

I'm disappointed in your comment. As long as Blagojevich is still legally the Governor of the state of Illinois, he has the legal right to appoint PE Obama's successor. Yes, we would have preferred if he had resigned, and yes, he is acting like a spoiled brat, but now that Jesse White has signed the credentials and embossed them with the State of Illinois seal, and Burris has testified before the Impeachment committee, let us not deny the state proper representation. As Carlo says, he can be removed if any wrongdoing comes to light. Personally, I think he is a lightweight and will not be elected when the election rolls around, but that's the state of Illinois' problem, not mine - or yours, unless you live in Illinois.

Another appo9intee simply seated because he's black and to appease the blacks. Reid is another liar and an idiot. This BS must stop before our nation goes to the dogs; or has it already?

They had no choice - Burris is entitled to the seat under the law and the constitution. The problem is, Reid and Durbin knew, or should have known, that to start with - not taken 2 weeks to decide they would obey the law.

Matt, they didn't cave in. They simply didn't have legal grounds to stop this; they were powerless. Stay in school kid!

P.S. The republicans need to stay real quiet on this and seat him! This was an silly fight to pick AND lose for the Dems! Silly rabbits!

What a shocker, who would have thought they would go back on their word?

NO WAY!!!

I'll never ever vote for Roland Burris and I'll never vote for Sen. Durbin again. Terrible day for the State Democratic Party of Illinois.

The Dems had to wipe the egg off of their faces after all of their bluster following Fitzgerald's media circus castigating a sitting governor with no indictment. Fitzgerald made allegations and then could not provide the goods to indict Blago. Blago called the Senate's bluff when they said they would not seat his appointee. Blago-1, Senate-0. Burris got his plum new job and Blago got to stick it to the Dems who bashed him.

Never saw this coming...NOT!!! if we judge Congress by the conduct of those they know and dealt with as they have with Burgess, the Congress would mostly be empty! The Hypocracy is overwhelming! You got mud on your face, a big disgrace, kickin your can all over the place! I guess Queen was singing about the Dem leadership!

be quiet matt liebermann did worse and nothing happened why expect a decent man to be turned away because of the crimes of someone else. the illinois supreme court ruling is very welcome..

So we're going to seat this egotistical headline grabber who got the seat under questionable circumstances.... but we can't seat Franken from Minnesota who actually WON his election????

No brainer!....Nuff said!

carlo - January 12th, 2009 4:17 pm ET

Let's please put this behind us. However, I say accept him with prejudice, just in case Blago spills the beans about any wrongdoing on Burris' part.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Sorry Carlo......but there's no such provision under the law to 'accept with prejudice.

I mean......what do you guys do? Just make up your own laws and provisions????

Blago wins!

Yep, backbones of tempered steel, that's our senators...

Another lie from Harry Reid, what new

Awwww – don't they look cute together? Prince Harry the idiot and Burris, the 2 yr. senator that no one in his state would vote him in, in any election he ran in! What a laugh Blago purpetrated on the dems! Stupidity rules the Democratic party!

This was like pulling teeth. Now we can move on to bigger issues. Welcome Sen. Burris

Caving how, Matt? To the rule of law?

One of my many problems with BushCo is that they ignored the law when it didn't fit their agenda. Burris was legally appointed by the governor. Blago is pond scum, but that is no difference – he was acting within his rights under the constitution of IL and the US.

Democrats must be very wary of bowing to ideologues simply because it fits a left wing view of life as it should be.

FWIW – I'm a yellow dog Democrat. I voted for a Republican candidate just once in 49 years and that was a mistake I won't repeat.

Another quick flip-flop by Harry Reid. It's no wonder why the country has such a low regard for our congressional leadership.

Burris donated $20,000 to Blagojevich's campaign. If you read the report of the Illinois State House you read page after page of campaign contributions and the established pattern of fixed contributions such as Burris made. These campaign contributions helped nail the House impeachment of Blagojevich, yet Burris claims his $20,000 wasn't "pay for play". Yea right. Oh look! Three little pigs just flew by my desk!

I'm still concerned about the dealings Burris law firm has had with Blago's wife. Also, what about that discrepency in Burris testimony at the impeachment hearing. He told Harry Reid in writing that he had no contact with Blago or anyone in his office regarding the Senate seat. Then at the hearing (which I watched) he said that he in fact did send a message to Blago through an aide that he was interested in the seat. Harry Reid is an ineffective leader. He of all people should keep quiet until these kind of situations shake out. He is always quick to judge and then has to backtrack.

The law is the law.. They had no other choice.

I still think Burris should sue that moron Harry Reid for something. Looking forward to all the positive leadership that Harry continues to provide. Hoping he and his family are making a lot of money out of this and all of the shaky, questionable land deals they are involved in Nevada.

Dems are letting me down.

Seems like Palin was a better option. She at least spoke what she was.

Finally the Constitution has been followed. Now maybe Blago can fade to the back. Now let the Illinois Senate Impeach Blago and kick him out of office. This will all be rehashed in 6 mo to a year when and if the criminal trail begins.

duh they finally ahd to admit they had no LEGAL grounds for their grandstanding!

About time they broke down and did their Constitutional duty

idiots

Sad day for the black man!

Nobody caved in, actually. If Burris had a better attorney, he would have had this last week. All he actually did was get a certified copy from the Secretary of State's office of the official record of his appointment filed by the governor (certified and stamped by the Secretary of State or his designee, as required by law) and submit that to the Secretary of the Senate instead. He was foolish last week to that that the Senate would accept a plain, piece of paper with one signature and no acknowledgement, certification, or official seal.

They didn't cave; Blago called their bluff. The Democrats thought that no one would be appointed, a special election would be held, and that would be the end of it. When Blago appointed Burris and Burris accepted the appointment, they tried to fight it with all stature possible, but when White approved Burris, they had no choice left.

I'm just glad it's over so we can forget it and focus on more important things like the economy, several other crises, and putting Blago in jail.

Again this was the only choice, I see nothing but a career Politian here, but the appointment will be tainted, good luck getting re-elected.

The "new credentials presented today" must have been very impressive!!!

It was lawfully done!! Now can we move on?

Congratulations Sen. Burris! I hope it was worth your integrity.

reid and durbin...you can't find bigger sphincter muscles, well, maybe blago and burris are tied with them.

Matt January 12th, 2009 4:17 pm ET

The Senate Democrats caved.
I'm very disappointed.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

So now you're "disappointed" because the Senate followed the Constitution?

Is that what you and all your Conservative buddies are moaning about......that it's a bad or disappointing thing that the Senate ACTUALLY FOLLOWED the Constitution?!?!?!?

Please! Get a grip!

They did what they were duty-bound, under the law to do! They really had absolutely no legal recourse but to seat Burris!

I guess what it really boils down to, is that you'd tolerate any legal injustice just to see Democrats embroiled in some sort of controversy......right ....

carlo,

I find your wording to be a bit unfortunate. "with prejudice" when one is talking about an African American carries many meanings which I'm sure that you didn't intend (although I'm sure that others might).

Having lived in Illinois for almost ten years – during which time Senator Burris was the Attorney General of the state – I can say that he has an outstanding record for ability and integrity as a civil servant.

As for Blago having chosen him, remember the old saying that even a stopped clock is right two times per day!

I hate to see this guy seated.... he's an amoral opportunist.
He helped the corrupt Gov. move the focus away from him.
I guess Ill. Gov. did end up selling the seat after all.
Shame on Burris tor playing this game.

Round One
"The Governor must resign..."
Blago: 1
Obama: 0

Round 2
"The Governor's appointment will be rejected..."
Blago: 2
Obama/Reid: 0

Matt: It's hard to show backbone when from a legal standpoint you MUST abide. What the dems did is shoot off at the mouth to soon before considering the legal ramifications. From a character standpoint maybe Burris should have declined the offer, but it was a legal offer and acceptance. Mr. Burris will have the opportunity to run again in 2010 and the people of Illinois will have their say as to whether or not Mr. Burris will continue to represent their state. I for one am glad this circus has come to a end for the time being. Now, maybe everyone can get back to the REAL problem and get Blagojevich out of office. If there was one peice of advice I could give to the senate dems is to choose your battles wisely!

WOW Way to stick to your guns.

Congratulations Senator- elect Burris!

They should have done this last week, what a waste of time.

Blago, apparently yes you can!

"We have to", said a voice. "Or we may look like Racist's"...
I said that Obama... America would rather Elect "A None Ameican" Than be called Racist's.... But you are America.... But in another Direction You Elected a "Nobody"..... Racism or Stupid???
Roll on 2012.... No place for Negligence.....

Couldn't agree with Matt more. As a resident of Illinois, I am deeply saddened at the thought of Burris being our Senator. Burris said that Blago was incapacitated and should resign in December. The fact that Burris accepted an appointment from someone whose resignation he called for says a lot about him. I am so disappointed. In this circumstance, the voters should have had a say in who our next Senator should be. Burris lost his campaign for senator along with a few other campaigns. The voters have rejected him repeatedly. Now he is being forced on us.

Matt,

The Senate Democrats had no choice. Burris had every legal right according to law to be there just as any other senator. Blago is also presume innocent until proven guilty. Its the law of the land.

DEMS
You let this joke get out of hand, You should have seated him and been done with it now it it looks like you caved in to pressure.

Why do I get the feeling money might've been involved....

The race card works again.

Good, it is about time the big top in this circus gets closed down.

Let's please put this behind us. However, I say accept him with prejudice, just in case Blago spills the beans about any wrongdoing on Burris' part.

The Senate Democrats caved.
I'm very disappointed.
They need to show some more backbone.

Good, can we move on now to more important stuff. There's only a mile long list of fires to put out.