Roland Burris reminds me of someone who shows up at a party but no one knows who invited him,

no one wants to sit with him and no one can make him go home...

Does anyone else think that his constant facial expression is one of "My-God-I-Can't-Believe-I'm-Here!"?

A decade ago Burris was highly respected...the first black elected to statewide office and a genuinely nice guy. His ambition got the best of him and, just like an athlete whose best days are past and keeps playing, he's turned a once admirable career into a national embarassment.

In many ways, I think he still doesn't believe what happened to him or what's going on. Washington isn't Springfield...where teevee crews have to be paid combat pay to cover and the games one could play there just don't fly in a 24/7 corporate media world. That's the lesson he didn't get.

During the stiumuls votes, I was laughing at how he was all but welded to Dick Durbin. The only other Senator I saw chatting with him was Lieberman. His vanity just got the best of him. Not a bad man or a corrupt one, but a very vainglorious one.

he's had erected for himself and his wife (as future tenants) to understand what motivates him.

He is a sad figure, indeed.

When someone's trying to send you to the gas chamber even though you were convicted using evidence that stunk to high heaven (not to mention that someone else confessed to the crime), and won't listen to reason, even when an assistant DA and detective resign in disgust and protest, maybe you're not going to feel so magnanimous toward that person. Burris was more about having an eye toward higher political office even back then (no SOFT ON CRIME! he), instead of saying 'wait a minute, maybe I'd better look into this closer." Fuck Burris. He's slime.

reminding me.

Burris was AG, but a lot of the bungling in that case was thanks to the "fine work" of the DuPage County DA...Burkett (IRC), who had his own ambitions and saw getting a large number of convictins as his ticket to the big time. I had just moved to the area when the Nicarico case and you are right, Burris did precious little...but then few others did as well. Add to that the Gary Dotson fiasco and then the revelations in the 90's of dozens of cases that were proven to be fraudulent.

I'm not trying to glorify Burris by any means...he's become a total joke and my post was to point out how his ego, which was always there (every politicians has one) pushed him to ruin whatever respect he once had.

Springfield? It's a nice city, and good place.

Believe me, if we downstaters could make it so no Chicagoan would ever enter Springfield again, we would. It's not the people of Springfield who keep fucking things up for this state, after all.

I've lived all around the state from Carbondale to Galena...and have a very health respect for my fellow downstaters. As a history buff (even when I'm not in the buff...and not a pretty sight at my age) the city is a gem...if anything, unspoiled by the mess up here in Chicago...and to me, that has always been its special charm.

My comment is about the strange political culture that has evolved in the city. It seems like anyone who walks under that silver dome for any prolonged period of time becomes stupid or downright corrupt.

BTW...I always enjoy stopping at Sgt. Peppers...a great place for breakfast or lunch.

Cheers...

I was watching him during the stimulus debates and always seemed to be looking for someone to talk to-mostly to no avail except for a "hey how ya doin'?" and then zip.......gone

all day, either.


:hi:

I would be so embarrassed if I were him - imagine, a monument to yourself before you are even dead.

His grandson is named Roland...

I wonder if they have any pets?

So, I don't even know what the term means anymore.