“Shocking” news of the day not so shocking at all

Chicago Breaking News reports what most of us on the right already knew regarding Blago’s selection of Roland Burris to replace Barack Obama in the US Senate:

Sen. Dick Durbin, who advised Sen. Roland Burris last week to step down from the Senate, acknowledged today that racial considerations were at play in the decision by majority Democrats to seat Burris.

Durbin, a fellow Democrat and Illinois’ senior senator, noted that Rep. Bobby Rush, a Chicago Democrat, appeared at Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s announcement of his appointment of Burris and used racially charged language to defend the appointment.

“My colleague from Illinois, Congressman Bobby Rush, made strong statements along those (racial) lines,” Durbin said on WGN-AM (720). “They were painful and hurtful, and it became part of this calculation.”

No sh-t, Sherlock. How does it feel to have your party subjected to the same types of racial card playing that they’ve used to smear my party over the years, Senator Durbin?

This shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone who has played close attention to the racial political games the Democrats routinely play, but if it’s shocking to the casual observer to find out that Burris was picked, in part, because of his race, then that’s a good thing. Maybe it will inspire a frank dialogue in this country about affirmative action and other race quota-driven policies promoted by Democrats.

Wait a second. Who the heck am I kidding?

As if reading my mind, Jim Geraghty addresses his response to our new AG Eric Holder, who you’ll remember a couple of weeks ago called this nation “cowards” on the issue of race:

And note where this has left us: Democrats, initially made (correct) blanket statements that a governor on the verge of impeachment, indictment, and perhaps conviction was in no position to appoint a U.S. senator. Bobby Rush played the race card, and they folded; and now there is a man who lied under oath about his dealings with Blagojevich representing Illinois in the Senate. And Democrats, even though they’ve got every right, will not take any step to remove him from office.

I don’t know, would the Attorney General call that behavior… cowardly, perhaps?

‘Nuff said.

Update – 5:10 PM: Check out Rep. Rush’s lame attempts at defending Burris. At a church service attended by black pastors and Burris yesterday, Rush remarked:

The ministers also said Burris, the only black U.S. senator, is being held to a different standard than the 99 white senators.

“He hasn’t done anything that’s indictable,” said Rep. Bobby Rush, who added that many politicians calling for Burris to resign have “stalking horses” ready for test-runs for his seat.

Burris’ backers said other senators involved in far more unseemly conduct have not been asked to resign. Rush, who also is a minister, apparently referred to Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) when he spoke of a politician who “drove off a bridge. People died.”

In a reference to Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho), Rush mentioned “a senator accused of misconduct in a men’s room.”

“You’re all at his home every morning; when he goes to bed,” said the Rev. Janette Wilson. “You didn’t do this for priests . . . wanted for pedophilia.”

Lying under oath. No big deal! Hey, at least nobody died or was sexually molested from it …