Election Central Morning Roundup
Today: Congress Being Sworn In, Biden At The Senate
This is the day that Congress will be sworn in. Joe Biden will be on Capitol Hill to be sworn in again for a seventh term in the Senate -- which he will resign within the next two weeks or so, to become vice president.
The Big Event: Burris At The Senate
With Congress being sworn in, of course, this means Roland Burris will be showing up at the Senate, and is expected to be turned away. Burris has said he won't make a scene or cause any confrontation -- but any scenario in which he's turned away from the door would inherently be a scene, no matter how civil it might be.
No Senator Franken Today
Senate Democrats will not make any attempt today to swear in Al Franken as the new Senator from Minnesota, instead leaving that seat vacant for now. There is some speculation that they might be planing to try it soon -- but they would encounter a promised Republican filibuster, while Norm Coleman pursues his legal challenges to the election result.
Obama Meeting With Economic Team Today
Barack Obama is meeting with his economic team, this afternoon at his D.C. transition office. The subject of the meeting will be to plan ahead for the 2010 budget, and how they will bring the deficit down as the economy recovers.
Gregoire D.C. Trip Sets Off Speculation About Commerce Department
Gov. Christine Gregoire (D-WA) is reportedly on a trip to Washington, after having cancelled a lunch appearance back home -- setting off speculation that she is being vetted as a last-minute choice for Secretary of Commerce after Bill Richardson's withdrawal. Gregoire was re-elected by six points this past November, and if this is true she would be succeeded by Democratic Lt. Gov. Brad Owen. (Late Update: Gregoire is visiting troops in Iraq, and is apparently not lining up for a cabinet post.)
Laura Bush Lands Book Deal
Laura Bush has secured a book deal, to publish her memoirs about her years as First Lady. The book will be published in 2010.
Former eBay Head And McCain Surrogate Preparing California Gubernatorial Run
Former eBay CEO Meg Whitman, who hit the campaign trail in 2008 as a surrogate for John McCain, is considering a campaign for governor of California in 2010, when Arnold Schwarzenegger will be term-limited. Whitman has already made a key staff hire in lining up campaign strategist Jeff Randle, who has worked for Schwarzenegger and Pete Wilson, and she has stepped down from three corporate boards.
Brownback Running For Governor Of Kansas
Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) has filed paperwork to run for governor of Kansas in 2010, after having made good on his previous pledge to not run again for Senate. Brownback is actively aligned with the state GOP's Christian-right faction, and should be viewed as the frontrunner going into this race.
Franken would have been able to use his status as "most junior Senator" to great rhetorical effect if it wasn't for the Illinois fiasco.
"I may only be the most junior Senator here but let me tell you this bill stinks..."
January 6, 2009 9:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
If the Repubs attempt to filibuster Franken, Reid should make them get all "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" and read the phonebook for awhile. I've seen this suggested before for other issues and I agree with this tactic. In this case, the Repubs would filibuster for gd knows how long, Coleman will go to court, and at the end of the day, they will be shown with crystal clarity for what they are: a bunch of whining, crybaby obstructionists.
Is there some sort of Senate rules of which I'm not familiar which prevent this? Anybody know?
January 6, 2009 9:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
"Make them filibuster for real" has been a clarion call on the left for two solid years, ever since the '06 election.
Reid has allowed McConnell to turn the honorable technique into a mere threat for reasons beyond comprehending, unless you accept the theory that all the dem cave-ins for the past several years are due to the Senate dem leadership being neck-deep in the illegal wiretapping/torture shit hole and threatened with exposure by Smirky/Darth and mitchie-poo.
I don't know whether that's better or worse than the prevailing theory that Reid and company are just plain wimps and cowards.
January 6, 2009 10:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
They haven't fillibustered for "real" for decades, maybe even a hundred years. If they did, nothing would ever get done, so they changed the rules. We would have fillibusters over naming some stupid museum as opposed to passing the budget or passing bills that accomplish something. Government would totally grind to a halt. I certainly don't want to see that over the seating of the stand-up comedian, which legally can't happen until he is certified by the state of minnesota, which legally can't happen until the legal process plays out.
Incidentally, the dems have been fillibustering on issues when in the minority, just like the republicans have been. They blocked judicial appointments and blocked things that the king wanted to do that would have further damaged the country. It's not a bad thing, it only seems as such when your party is in the majority. Eventually, the situation will change and the dems will be in the minority again and will have to employ the fillibuster. It's the way the senate operates.
By the way, the stand up comedian sure sucks as a speaker. I listened to some of his press conference and he really, really sucked. No wonder air america was doing awful if he was one of their leading radio personalities. He must have written one hell of a book to garner so much support on the left. He sure doesn't have any presence. I can see why it was a very close race.
January 6, 2009 10:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
Thought some of y'all might enjoy this:
http://www.sockandawe.com/
January 6, 2009 9:36 AM | Reply | Permalink
If nothing else, it's a little therapeutic.
January 6, 2009 9:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
Still in the "high hard one to the head" mode despite the avatar switch, I see. I could only score five.
January 6, 2009 9:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
Very funny. Thanks. Good sense of humor by the way.
January 6, 2009 10:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
What is up with Burris? Is the guy really as clueless as to show-up to the swearing-in? I'm sure that he's a good guy and all, but how oblivious does someone have to be to realize that their appointment is so tainted as to be toxic? Even without the Blagojevich issue, I'm not sure I'd want someone this doddering to be representing me.
January 6, 2009 10:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
Not clueless. From what I've heard, he's something of a megalomaniac. He doesn't think that the Peter Principal applies to him.
January 6, 2009 11:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
Burris is not a good guy. He is a shameless, self-serving asshole. Nothing in that which would disqualify him from being a senator, though.
January 6, 2009 12:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Burris is beginning to remind me of Bagdad Bob, acting as though everything is the complete opposite of what reality is.
January 6, 2009 10:36 AM | Reply | Permalink
Actually, burris is legally correct. His appointment was legal and he is the junior senator from illinois. Reid is in a box on this one. There is no legal basis to prevent burris from serving. Reid and the dems thought that they could try to strong arm bloggo and bloggo gave them the middle finger. Burris did nothing wrong and the case law is that he has to comply with the constitutional requirements to be a senator, over 35 and a resident of illinois. I think that he fits both of those requirements and he is squeaky clean so they can't expell him.
Now, the politics of the whole thing is awful, but he is technically the junior senator from illinois.
January 6, 2009 10:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
I agree. He should be seated. However, I am reminded of the late "Dollar" Bill Blakely, appointed to replace Price Daniel when he was elected Governor of Texas. Blakely was then defeated by Daniel's primary gubernatorial opponent, Raplph Yarborough in a Special election.
Undeterred, Daniel appointed the same "Dollar" Bill to replace LBJ when he became Vice President only to have him fall to John Tower who stuck around way too long.
January 6, 2009 10:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
If it wasn't so 'awful', as you say, it would be pretty funny. Surreal.
January 6, 2009 11:00 AM | Reply | Permalink
You would think that Senators, or at least the Democratic ones, would be passingly familiar with the Constitution.
The Senate has the power to expel its own members, with a vote of 2/3 or more of members.
So seat Burris. Then expel him. Problem solved, completely legally, nothing questionable, no hassle.
January 6, 2009 1:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Don't they need some ground on which to expel him?
January 7, 2009 12:59 AM | Reply | Permalink