Updated: Blagojevich Appoints Roland Burris as Obama's Senate Successor | Video | AlterNet.
Lest you be lulled into thinking that the year would end quietly, we have this wonderful bit of gift-wrapped shade out of Chicago. I don't have time to give this the full Timberland it deserves but offhand I think you have to give Blagojevich credit. This is a clutch player. With time running out in the year and all other cynical dealers exhausted, this is the guy you go to.
Taking a routine case of retail politics and turning it into a matter of racial indignation -- that's a guy with a complete game.
As for Bobby Rush, watching politicians age is only slightly less painful than watching boxers get old. With virtually no chance of Burris actually making it into the senate seat but a huge chance for this to become precisely the kind of racially tinged drama that Obama does not need this was a bad move all around.
Blagojevich has virtually no capital to spare and Rush won't win any points even if he did manage to cram Burris into Obama's seat. And his explicit appeal: "There are no African Americans in the Senate" is possibly the most politically tone-deaf moment since, well, last week or so. That argument might've carried (limited) weight on November 3rd. At this point the logical rejoinder is "And there are no white people in the Oval Office."
Rush has not lost all the old reflexes though. Like a journeyman heavyweight there are some elements of the game that remain with you for the duration. In this case its the knowledge that when dealing the race card, it's best when done from the bottom of the deck..
unfortunately, rush isn't the only one who doesn't realize that just because a black person is involved doesn't make it a black issue. see maxine waters and donald payne....
Posted by: precious | January 01, 2009 at 10:48 AM