A "Natural"

Sometimes they pick someone…and you have your doubts about whether they’ve got what it takes to do the job…and it turns out that the guy was born with the skills you’re looking for…no one taught him…no one knew…but he turns out to be a “Natural”…Senator Roland Burris.

I know, it sounds strange. But this guy was born knowing how to be a U S Senator.

On January 5th Burris submitted an affidavit stating that he was asked by Blago on December 26th to be the new Senator to replace Obama. There was no bribe offered and none given. He said: “Prior to the December 26, 2008 telephone call from (Blago’s agent) Mr. Adams, Jr., there was not any contact between myself or any of my representatives with Governor Blagojevich or any of his representatives regarding my appointment to the United States Senate.”

This was the man with no baggage who would become Senator. Sort of like Gerald Ford during Watergate, a nice man with a clean record.

On January 8th Burris testified before the Illinois House impeachment hearings that, : “I recall having a meeting with Lon Monk…and I did bring it up, it must have been in September or maybe it was in July of '08 that, you know, you're close to the Governor, let him know that I am certainly interested in the seat.”

At that time they asked Burris about any money talk for the seat:
“REPRESENTATIVE DURKIN: Okay. At any time were you directly or indirectly aware of a quid pro quo with the Governor for the appointment of this vacant Senate seat?
MR. BURRIS: No, sir.”

Then on January 11th, on Face the Nation, Burris said:
“Appointing me to that vacancy certainly is good for the people of Illinois. I have nothing to do with all of his problems. Those are his problems. And with my experience, my knowledge of Illinois and my commitment to do a public servant in my state, I know that I could take on that mantle...”

Senator Dick Durbin was on the same show and twice indicated that the U S Senate would not seat him until they had reviewed Burris’ “testimony before the impeachment committee.”

On January 27th it became public knowledge that Blago’s brother and fundraiser, Robert Blagojevich, was recorded on wiretaps “as many as 50 times.”

Then on February 5th Burris sends another amendment to his affidavit because “given the fluid nature of the questions and answers between the Senator and the Committee, and based upon our subsequent review of the hearing transcripts, the Senator was unable to fully respond to several matters that were included in questions during his testimony.”
He proceeded to say: “I recall that Governor Blagojevich's brother, Rob Blagojevich, called me three times to seek my assistance in fund-raising for Governor Blagojevich. The first conversation was in early October, 2008, and the other two were shortly after the election. During the first conversation I asked Rob Blagojevich what was going on with the selection of a successor if then-Senator Obama were elected President, and he said he had heard my name mentioned in the discussions. In one of the other conversations (I believe the last one), I mentioned the Senate seat in the context of saying that I could not contribute to Governor Blagojevich because it could be viewed as an attempt to curry favor with him regarding his decision to appoint a successor to President Obarna. I did not raise or donate any funds to Governor Blagojevich after the fundraiser on June 27, 2008.”

Yes sir, Burris is going to fit in well in the United States Senate. He’s a Natural.