Roland Burris is...

[Bonn1997]

Poll question: Roland Burris is...

Roland Burris is...

[louis-t]

1. An angry jackass?

Hee-haw.

[xultar]

2. a criminal w/diarrhea of the mouth who doesn't have sense enough to keep his ass off TeeV

[sandnsea]

3. They all have fundraisers as favors

I don't get the hoohaw.

[Renew Deal]

5. It's not just the fundraiser

But that's part of it.

[sandnsea]

7. Thanks for that in-depth clarification n/t

[Bonn1997]

26. ROFL! I was interested in the clarification too. Oh well.

[Renew Deal]

4. Probably a criminal

And certainly shouldn't be in the Senate.

[FKA MNChimpH8R]

6. Toast n/t

[tridim]

8. ..a douche and an embarrassment to our party.

[opihimoimoi]

9. He is a CLASSLESS ASS...No Country First for HIM....his wish to be promoted

superceded decorum...

He is not ready for prime time...

[Bucky]

10. Dood, all of the above. ("but he's not exactly paying hookers to spank him in diapers")

He blundered. He was an opportunist--a second rate pol who jumped at the chance to be called "senator" for the rest of his life. An egomaniac, like 50% of all lawyers are. He's not Daniel Webster, sure, but he's not exactly paying hookers to spank him in diapers either. He undercuts the Democratic "clean government" message in the Obama era. But the city of Al Capone could've done a hell of a lot worse. He'll ride out his two years and then return to obscurity and a nice fat partnership in some Chicago business-law firm.

Mostly, he's a side show.

[damntexdem]

11. A criminal -- so he fits right in.

At least he's, in general, our criminal. ;-)

[WI_DEM]

12. Dead meat in 2010 if he seeks election.

[Politicalboi]

13. Just heard him on Tweety's show

He is lying his ass off.

[Bonn1997]

15. I feel pathetic but I'm watching it AGAIN!

There's nothing else on yet.

[Kahuna]

14. A knucklehead. Look it up in the dictionary. You will see his face. nt

[Bonn1997]

16. "I might be able to do this in the name of Tim Wright because he isn't looking for an appointment"

Wow! That's pretty bad. Innocent people just don't make comments like that IMO.

[sandnsea]

22. And did he?

Because otherwise all he's guilty of is talking too damn much when trying to explain why he would not give Blago a fundraiser.

[Bonn1997]

24. A conspiracy is illegal whether or not it's carried out

The only question is whether you can convince 12 jurors that there is evidence beyond *reasonable* doubt.

[sandnsea]

27. A phone conversation is not a conspiracy

Especially one where the accused is refusing to participate in the conspiracy.

[Bonn1997]

28. He's offering to participate in it and describing how to cover it up

RE: "A phone conversation is not a conspiracy"

Actually, a phone conversation can be used as *evidence of* a conspiracy and then 12 jurors have to decide whether that evidence is compelling beyond *reasonable* doubt--not beyond a shadow of doubt. Burris is in a lot of legal trouble.

[sandnsea]

29. No, he's not

He's saying, over and over, that he can't participate because he's seeking the seat and it would be illegal. I mean, I suppose it's possible to do it through Tim Wright, but not really a good idea because I'm seeking the seat and it's illegal. You know, I'd like to help you Rob, but it would be illegal. Over and over he says it.

Now if this is all the evidence they have, they've got nothing. It would take a whole lot more phone calls, a lot worse than this, to convict. Blago pissed somebody off and that's all there really is to this.

[Bonn1997]

30. Then why did Burris even bring up his partner? You want me to believe that

Burris chose to bring his partner into this conversation for the sole purpose conveying the message that "although it would be possible to have a conspiracy involving him, I will not do that." Your reasoning would be plausible if Blago's brother brought Burris's partner into the conversation but that's not how it went.

[sandnsea]

31. Because that's how friends talk

I've seen people on DU talk about illegal stuff, right in front of a million people. Happens every day. You truly want to pretend it doesn't? You've never said something like, well I suppose I could park your car in a high crime area, but probably not a good idea.

[Bonn1997]

32. That's how friends talk?

Man, if I were Burris and the Governor's brother was my friend, it would have taken me more than 5 seconds to say "I'm sorry I'm not having this conversation."

If Burris's only excuse is what you're saying, he's gonna be in prison for a long time.

[sandnsea]

33. Clearly you aren't a long-winded politician n/t

[spanone]

17. dumb criminal

[armyowalgreens]

18. I pick A and C.

[Bonn1997]

23. I know, technically they're not mutually exclusive

I do think C is true but I was trying to decide whether A or B was true when I typed the poll. After hearing the interview again, it does sound like there's evidence beyond reasonable doubt that he's guilty of conspiracy.

[dem629]

19. Dumb as shit and probably guilty of conspiracy.

At least.

[S n o w b a l l]

20. A dumbass

That I wish would SHUT UP!

[Canuckistanian]

21. Good poll

What drives the average hyper-aggressive politician? Greed? Political zealousness? Ideological reasons?

But I still voted for "criminal" in the case of Burris. You can't be that closely associated with Blagojevic and still be clean.

[WeDidIt]

25. He's going to prison

It's open and shut. He offered to buy a Senate seat and cover up the buying by paying for it through somebody else's name.

He's toast.