Popcorn Factor Intensifies
When the Lady Logician talks about the Blagojevich scandal, it’s a give that she’ll talk about the “popcorn factor” involved. I suspect she’s thinking in terms of grabbing a bowl of popcorn, then sitting down and watching the food fight. The popcorn factor just intensified.
The Chicago Sun-Times’s reporting indicates that Harry Reid opposed Gov. Blagojevich appointing Jesse Jackson, Jr., Danny Davis and Emil Jones. This opposition came after teh election but before Gov. Blagojevich’s arrest. Here’s what the Sun-Times is reporting:
Days before Gov. Blagojevich was charged with trying to sell President-elect Barack Obama’s U.S. Senate seat to the highest bidder, top Senate Democrat Harry Reid made it clear who he didn’t want in the post: Jesse Jackson, Jr., Danny Davis or Emil Jones.
Rather, Reid called Blagojevich to argue he appoint either state Veterans Affairs chief Tammy Duckworth or Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, sources told the Chicago Sun-Times.
Sources say the Senate majority leader pushed against Jackson and Davis, both Democratic congressmen from Illinois, and against Jones, the Illinois Senate president who is the political godfather of President-elect Barack Obama, because he did not believe the three men were electable. He feared losing the seat to a Republican in a future election.
That isn’t the only news on the Blagojevich front, either. ABC News is reporting that behind-the-scenes discussions are underway, with the goal of setting a meeting between Sen. Reid and Roland Burris:
The Senate sergeant at arms, Chief Terry Gainer, expressed confidence that a confrontation on the Hill can be avoided, according to a Democratic Senate aide. The aide said the Senate majority whip, Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, is working behind the scenes to set up the meeting between Burris and Reid.
Though he won’t admit it, this is Reid’s highest priority. The last thing he wants at the start of the 111th Congress is for there to be a fight between the Senate and the Congressional Black Caucus. If Reid doesn’t cave on this, that’s exactly what would happen. Anyone who thinks that Maxine Waters, Bobby Rush, Chakka Fatah and Sheila Jackson-Lee wouldn’t raise a huge stink about this is kidding themselves.
The CBC’s howls will be that much louder now that the Sun-Times is reporting that Reid didn’t want Gov. Blagojevich appointing Jesse Jackson, Jr., Danny Davis or Emil Jones to Obama’s seat.
It’s my prediction that Reid will cave on this like a house of cards because he can’t afford to fight this appointment. It’s also my prediction that President-Elect Obama won’t provide much political cover in this fight.
Rest assured that I’ll keep my eyes on this debacle as the popcorn factor intensifies.
Technorati Tags: Scandal, Rod Blagojevich, Jesse Jackson Jr., Emil Jones, Danny Davis, Harry Reid, Dick Durbin, Maxine Waters, Sheila Jackson-Lee, Bobby Rush, CBC, Barack Obama, 111th Congress
Cross-posted at LetFreedomRingBlog
January 4th, 2009 at 8:03 pm
You gotta love the Democrats. 2 years, I give them 2 years before this whole thing starts falling apart. With the usual suspects, especially from the California Socialist wing, running the show we’ll see all kinds of beautiful legislation such as, carbon taxes, cafe standards, tax increases, and more pay for play than you can shake a stick at.
Break out some more popcorn, this show’s going to be fun.
January 4th, 2009 at 8:48 pm
I cant wait ’til they show their true colors and try to take over everbody’s 401K’s. Yes, there are loonies in the House that want to.
January 4th, 2009 at 10:18 pm
I doubt Reid has the gonad power to handle this.
He’s got two choices: (1) exert his authority as the majority leader, which ever way he decides to go, line his forces up and tell the rest of his Party, Im in charge here, if you dont like it - tough.
(2) Try to negotiate his way out the corner his painted himself in.
If he toughs it out, he may have a hard time of it over the next two years with some in his own party, but he will have preserved the Senates independence as called for in the Constitution as a forum of the State’s, not always beholden to public opinion.
If he wimps out, or gives in to political pressure to back down, he might as well hand the laedership over to McConnell, because he will have compromised not only his own authority, but any ethical toughness he should hope to show at a most critical moment, especially with another race still in the balance.
If his past performance is any indication, he’ll go the wimpy route.