Theatrics coming next week to the Senate?
Well, more so than normal? Things could get very interesting should Blago’s pick to replace PEBO in the Senate show up to work on Tuesday:
(CNN) — Senate Democratic leaders think Roland Burris, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich’s pick to fill President-elect Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat, will likely show up on Capitol Hill Tuesday for the opening day of Congress, according to a Democratic aide familiar with Senate Democratic leaders’ plans.
They have prepared a contingency plan in case he does, the aide added.
Burris will not be allowed on the Senate floor, according to this aide and a Senate Democratic leadership aide.
The aide familiar with Senate Democratic leaders’ plans said if Burris tries to enter the Senate chamber, the Senate doorkeeper will stop Burris. If Burris were to persist, either trying to force his way onto the Senate floor or refusing to leave and causing a scene, U.S. Capitol Police would stop him, said the aide.
“They (police) probably won’t arrest him” but they would call the sergeant-at-arms,” the aide said.
When asked about what would happen if he shows up and tries to be seated, Burris told the Chicago Tribune that he’s, “not going to create a scene in Washington.” He added, “We hope it’s negotiated out prior to my going to Washington.”
Remember, the push from Bobby Rush to “persuade” Blago to appoint a black Senator is not only because Rush thinks that skin color should be the primary consideration the Governor, but also because with Obama’s presidential victory, that means there are no black Senators in Congress. Can you imagine if the scene plays out as described in the CNN article? As the first black president prepares to take the oath of office in three weeks, breaking the final barrier, the black public official named to replace him being physically restrained from entering onto the Senate floor either by the Senate doorkeeper or … the Capitol Hill police?
Where’s Cynthia ‘decking a Capitol Hill police officer should be a civil right‘ McKinney when you need her? Oh, that’s right – trying to “bail out” Hamas.
But I digress.
Part of me (the angel on my right shoulder) doesn’t want to see such an altercation between Burris and the Capitol Hill police, out of a sense of decorum and basic decency. But another part of me (the devil on my left shoulder), I’ll admit, would experience a level of schadenfreude towards the Democratic party not experienced since Bill Clinton’s mini-blow ups last year over the fact that the press were treating him and his wife like they’ve always treated Republicans – because being Obama’s chief competition, they might as well have been Republicans. Can you imagine the eruption and cries of “racism!” from the race baiting Democrats like Charlie Rangel, Rep. Rush, and others at the imagery of a duly appointed black man being held back from entering onto the Senate floor? Would Rangel once again bring on the comparisons to “Bull Conner” as he did with President Bush over his impression of the administration’s response to Hurricane Katrina? It’d be a relief to, for once, for Democrats to be on the hot seat over a racial issue that really isn’t a race issue at all.
As they say, payback’s a b*tch …
Final thought: WWOS? (What Will Obama Say?) Hmmm.