Goodbye...Newman!

Wow, I guess he really couldn't handle the silent treatment. Ok, so a few steps are being taken back. Now former Secretary of Commerce designate Judd Gregg will reestablish himself as New Hampshire's Senator and I can already hear the Republican party's cheers.

So you didn't like the Applebee's appetizer trio that looked so good on the commercial. Whatever, send it back. But you made the wrong choice to accept a Presidential appointment? You don't send that back! Especially in the wake of all the other nominations that have gone awry. Don't you have a soul, Gregg??

Ok, I'm finished. Seriously though, this means some serious shuffling around in terms of the 2010 elections. First, both Gregg and Lynch (the governor who crossed party lines to appoint Republican Bonnie Newman in Gregg's place) have terms ending in 2010. Gregg won't suffer any of the ramifications that Lynch might because rumor is that Gregg won't be running again. Lynch, on the other hand, has an unnerved base to answer to about his choice to appoint Newman. I can just see the campaign signs now: "Lynch for Governor: Remember, she was a moderate!"

Dem's jumping the gun

Burris was turned away from the Capitol once before. This time, it might not be so literal. Photo courtesy of AP

"One Democratic operative in the state said “there is talk” among Illinois Democrats of pushing the White House to broker a deal to appoint Burris to a position that would take him out of the Senate and help clear the field in 2010."

Really? The only way to get a strong Democrat in the Illinois Senate seat and the title off of Burris' business card is to (yet again) appoint him to another office? And what exactly would that position be? I understand that his possible running in 2010 might result in a Republican win, but this has gotten out of hand. This is just another questionable appointment of a questionable guy to make a questionable political move. By the way, some congressmen are going to be introducing an amendment to end these appointments.

Seeing as Illinois residents don't quite know what to make of their newly appointed junior Senator, Burris might just run thinking he still has shot. And he'd be wrong. All he'll really do is create tumultuous political climate and give me more to write about (so run on Burris, run on!). Also, all this publicity is just exposing the Democrat's Achilles heel so it's a mystery to me why they are even acknowledging Burris right now.