This week, Roland Burris will ascend to his gubernatorial-appointed position as the junior senator from the state of Illinois.
In the face of all odds, he unwaveringly pursued the position, and has reaped the political spoils. He also adroitly sidestepped all the barbs and empty threats from Senate Democrats, who said under no circumstances were they going to allow Burris to take his seat. No doubt about it, Burris stared boxer-turned-Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) in the eye, and Reid blinked.
It shouldn’t surprise anyone. Reid and his colleagues took their collective eye off the ball. They focused more on the taint of scandal-ridden Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D), and less on the qualities of Burris and what he could bring to the Senate. Further, Reid doubled down on his dare to the embattled Illinois governor, and Blago called his bluff. Because of that, Reid suffered a severe blow to his political capital in the Dome, and that will haunt him all year.
I personally don’t see Sen. Reid coming out of this hole anytime soon. Just last week, he emphatically stated he didn’t work for Obama. That may be true from a sixth-grade civics perspective, but it’s not exactly the talking point you want to use before the historically elected and extremely popular president even takes office.
Politics is a game of addition, not subtraction. And right now, I’m not sure whence Sen. Reid will be drawing his base of support. He’s already lost one in his own party, and others are privately scratching their heads. It’s a long legislative cycle, and Sen. Reid will now need to fight extra hard to stay relevant.
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