Tuesday, December 30, 2008
News / Clout City Can he manage to lose this one too?
Posted by Mick Dumke on Tue, Dec 30, 2008 at 1:48 PM
Once upon a time, after he moved from a top spot in Jesse Jackson's Operation PUSH into Democratic politics, Roland Burris was considered a smart, pragmatic, progressive politician--one who could win with support from African-Americans, Chicago "reformers," and a handful of downstate voters he'd won over with reminders that he was originally from their part of Illinois. Thirty years ago he broke a barrier as the first African-American to hold statewide office in Illinois, and in 1990 he became just the second in the country to become a state attorney general.
But over the last, oh, decade and a half, he's shown a mastery of losing elections, including several in which he appeared to be the favorite until the final days of the campaign. Within state political circles he's developed a reputation for being desperate to get back into office--any office.
Here's the timeline of his electoral career:
| YEAR | OFFICE | ELECTION | OPPONENTS | RESULT |
| 1976 | Illinois comptroller | primary | Michael Bakalis | Lost |
| 1978 | Illinois comptroller | primary | Richard Luft | Won |
| 1978 | Illinois comptroller | general | John Castle | Won |
| 1982 | Illinois comptroller | primary | none | Won |
| 1982 | Illinois comptroller | general | Cal Skinner Jr. | Won |
| 1984 | U.S. Senate | primary | Paul Simon | Lost |
| 1986 | Illinois comptroller | primary | Donald Clark | Won |
| 1986 | Illinois comptroller | general | Adeline Jay Geo-Karis | Won |
| 1990 | Illinois attorney general | primary | none | Won |
| 1990 | Illinois attorney general | general | Jim Ryan | Won |
| 1994 | Illinois governor | primary | Dawn Clark Netsch, Richard Phelan | Lost |
| 1995 | Chicago mayor | general | Richard M. Daley | Lost |
| 1998 | Illinois governor | primary | Glenn Poshard, John Schmidt | Lost |
| 2002 | Illinois governor | primary | Rod Blagojevich, Paul Vallas | Lost |
Now, of course, it sounds like Governor Rod Blagojevich, always true to his word, is about to pluck Burris from his lucrative consulting and law gigs and name him to fill Barack Obama's empty U.S. Senate seat.
That doesn't mean Burris, 71, will end up holding public office again. If, as they've stated repeatedly, Senate leaders refuse to seat anybody stained with the "impropriety" of Blago, Burris may end up pulling off yet another impressive feat--losing a bid for an office after he was appointed to it.
UPDATE: Burris also ran unsuccessfully for the state legislature in 1968.
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Rod is just getting around to repaying the debt he owed to Roland Burris for being the stalking horse in the Governor's election. With Burris in a race he knew he could not win and with no money for a statewide race, all he did was take away black votes that would have gone to Paul Vallas, helping Blago slip in with the votes from Downstate. Long overdue debt repaid.
TO TAKE THE SEAT IS UNDEMOCRATIC AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL. BURRIS IS A GOOD MAN!
I think Blogo made a good chess move on the Daley-Madigan Machine. The mopes had a chance to vote for a special Election,but choose otherwise. The unwashed Masses should not be allowed to vote for A Senator. Blogo is crazy like a fox,therefore he turned the tables on the Machine/Combine. Jesse White with his fake self-righteous B.S. He wasn't so holier than Thou,went he was Gambling with Rezko,in the Islands.Also thanks Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald shuts down the roach Motel,before it was filled up,to protect the status quo. Screw Conspiracy. He should have let the transaction take place ,to make his case.
The Trib exposed the federal investigation with their December 5 expose that the governor was being wiretapped. Fitz had to shut down his investigation and make the arrest.
Bullshit. The trib was given the green light to publish, the feds used this as an excuse to bust blowjo prematurely, thus both averting the inevitable connections to obamawan, and giving the madigan/daley cabal the opportunity to rid themselves of da guvna'. Problem is, tho, that blowjo got himself a few good lawyers and is looking to have some real fun. Little lisa makes an ass out of herself, quinn the qwim puffs and blows, the state repubs fool themselves into thinking that the electorate have forgotten all about ryan the rip-off artist, jan the shit misses the boat, the daleys get dissed, madigan the pimp is now circling his wagons, the toddler is holding his baby breath and we all get to watch, as the dominoes begin to fall. The only question is, will the feds engage in prosecutus interuptus once again?
Hi Mike. Just wanted to let you know we used your table in our blog. Thanks! http://citizensagainstproobamamediabias.wordpress.com/2009/01/07/why-is-burris-tainted-now-when-barry-endorsed-him-for-governor-over-blago/
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