http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20090101_dionne_blagojevich_scandal/Democrats Must Not Get Into Blagojevich’s Game
Posted on Jan 1, 2009
By E.J. Dionne
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The negotiated settlement would involve agreeing to seat Burris, in exchange for a promise from him not to seek election to the seat in 2010. The 71-year-old Burris, a former state attorney general who has lost several efforts to advance to higher office, could cap his career nicely. In principle, this would end Blagojevich’s relevance to national politics and get him out of Obama’s way.
But Republicans would be merciless about the taint that would attach to Burris’ Senate vote and argue that the nation’s Democratic majority was hopelessly wrapped up in Chicago politics at its most corrupt.
That’s why Democrats have opted for warfare. This will inevitably involve an increasingly tough offensive against Burris himself, a challenge to his judgment in accepting Blagojevich’s gift, and a willingness on the part of Democrats to live without one of Illinois’ Senate votes for a while.
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Barack Obama’s patented approach to problems—wait and think and see what develops before acting —is the Democrats’ best way out.
Blagojevich had one powerful weapon, his ability to appoint a senator. Now that he’s used it, his arsenal is depleted. If Democrats face down Blagojevich by walking away from Burris, they deprive themselves of a Senate vote for a bit and may even face litigation. That’s still better than implicating themselves in Blagojevich’s game by making a deal.
Treating this appointment as a circus act makes more sense than taking it seriously.