Roland Burris announcement
Friday, Jul 10, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I have to leave the office, so my kinda former intern Mike Murray will be handling the live blogging duties on this post if he can find a live feed of the announcement. Burris is apparently announcing that he won’t run in the 2010 election at 2 o’clock this afternoon. Help him out in comments if you can. Thanks.
Possibilities include…
* NewsRadio 780
* ABC7
* Chicago Public Radio
* CNN
[All of the following was posted by Mike Murray]
* 2pm - I still have not found a live news feed of Sen. Burris’s press conference. If anyone has found one just make a comment to let me know so I can live blog it. Either way, I will post something once the presser is over and and stories start to go up on the web…
2:10 pm - USA TODAY is live blogging it all. CNN also has it on live….
Updated at 3:03 p.m. ET. A little late, but Burris stepped to the microphone, with a big smile, to applause and cheers of “don’t quit” from his supporters. “Run, Roland, Run.” They cheered.
Updated at 3:08 p.m. ET. He talks about how proud he is to have served the people of Illinois for 30 years. “Life is about choices. Make no mistake, I love serving in the United States Senate,” he said. He talks about how he is the only African American in the Senate.
* Again, USA TODAY is live blogging the event…
Updated at 3:09 p.m. ET. He gets to the point: “And so today i return to where my political journey began back in 1978 … to announce announce that, my friends, I will not be a candidate in the 2010 election.” He says he cannot raise money and focus on the issues in the Senate.
Updated at 3:12 p.m. ET. “I will keep fighting for the great people of the state of Illinois,” he said, ticking off issues he wants to work on, including health care and military veterans.
Updated at 3:13 p.m. ET. It’s over. That was quick. He took no questions, just walking away to polite applause.
* Sen. Burris is not eligible for Senate pension, from the Trib…
Burris plans to serve out the remainder of the term, which expires in January 2011. Under federal law, he is not entitled to a pension for his Senate service since he did not serve a minimum of five years.
* 2:30pm - For those of you who missed it, I have some video of Burris’s comments about the high cost of political campaigns, and his decision not to run…
- Tim - Friday, Jul 10, 09 @ 2:04 pm:
CNN.com has it live right now.
- Tim - Friday, Jul 10, 09 @ 2:05 pm:
Briefing began with a standing ovation, applause and chants of “Don’t quit” and “Run, Roland, run!”.
- Steve - Friday, Jul 10, 09 @ 2:07 pm:
not the people’s senator, but Blagos.
- Obamarama - Friday, Jul 10, 09 @ 2:09 pm:
“Political races have become far too expensive in this country.”
“I was caught between spending my time raising funds and raising issues for the people of our state.”
- Kevin Fanning - Friday, Jul 10, 09 @ 2:10 pm:
Claims that “it has become far too expensive to run for political office in this country,” and that he was “forced between spending his time raising issues for our state and raising money.
- SouthernIL - Friday, Jul 10, 09 @ 2:10 pm:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/09/burris-wont-run-for-senat_n_229033.html
About Burris!
- Dan S, a voter and Cubs Fan - Friday, Jul 10, 09 @ 2:10 pm:
Thank God he will finally just go away.
- Hair today, gone... - Friday, Jul 10, 09 @ 2:11 pm:
he can’t even read from his script.
- Hair today, gone... - Friday, Jul 10, 09 @ 2:13 pm:
“grateful for all we’ve accomplished” and that was what?
- Tim - Friday, Jul 10, 09 @ 2:13 pm:
Encouraged young people to get involved in public life.
Left the mic without taking questions, just returned to greet some of his supporters.
- Joe T, - Friday, Jul 10, 09 @ 2:17 pm:
what will he do with the campaign money???
- Mike Murray - Friday, Jul 10, 09 @ 2:19 pm:
what campaign money. lol
- Obamarama - Friday, Jul 10, 09 @ 2:19 pm:
What an insane explanation. He had no idea that fundraising would be involved once he accepted the seat from Blago? He came off as acting like the cost of running for Senate skyrocketed over the few months he has had the seat and that he was completely taken off guard by the fundraising process.
Why didn’t he just say directly: No one will give me money.
- One of the 35 - Friday, Jul 10, 09 @ 2:25 pm:
Wouldn’t it make you feel great to be one of the folks who put up part of the $20,000 for him?
- Scooby - Friday, Jul 10, 09 @ 2:25 pm:
He’s still got huge legal bills. Ouch.
- Will County Woman - Friday, Jul 10, 09 @ 2:49 pm:
well, that’s that. thankfully.
- wordslinger - Friday, Jul 10, 09 @ 2:56 pm:
How can we miss you if you won’t go away?
- VanillaMan - Friday, Jul 10, 09 @ 2:57 pm:
Senator Burris! Did you take any assistance from the Democratic Party to help you reach today’s decision?
Did you speak to anyone in the Democratic Party regarding stepping down and did they offer help in exchange for this decision?
Senator Burris, is there anything you are not telling us regarding how you reached this decision?
Have you spoken to the White House or any White House staffers before making today’s announcement?
Does Senator Durkin have any questions for you regarding today’s announcement?
- Obamarama - Friday, Jul 10, 09 @ 3:23 pm:
Vanilla I have your answers:
“I spoke to some friends about it.”
“I spoke to some friends about it.”
“I spoke to some friends about it.”
“I spoke to some friends about it.”
“I don’t like him; he’s mean to me.”
- Niles Township - Friday, Jul 10, 09 @ 3:32 pm:
Kirk is not running. Check out Wa Post or Chi Business.
- dupage dan - Friday, Jul 10, 09 @ 3:36 pm:
wordslinger,
Dan Hicks would be proud.
- Anonymous Coward - Friday, Jul 10, 09 @ 3:37 pm:
@Niles
Maybe, maybe not…
http://www.rollcall.com/news/36689-1.html
- dupage dan - Friday, Jul 10, 09 @ 3:42 pm:
per rollcall the cap & trade bill may have something to do with it. “Kirk and McKenna are in talks about the race”. Please, not McKenna. I may be biased due to my DuPage residency but I hope Illinois has a ticket that is not DuPage top heavy. This is not irony - there are good republicans outside of DuPage. We need them.
- Mike Murray - Friday, Jul 10, 09 @ 4:58 pm:
===Does Senator Durkin have any questions for you regarding today’s announcement?===
FYI - It’s Rep. Durkin
- skhicks - Friday, Jul 10, 09 @ 5:10 pm:
No pension for a couple of months served as a confirmed US Senator? What gives? Our own State’s DNR gives them out for a mere 19 days, whether you’re confirmed or not. Of course, the majority of the people in that Agency don’t get $40K for 35 years of service. Gee, maybe if they didn’t dole out $40K for a 19 day unconfirmed wonder, they’d only need to cut 66 headcount, instead of 67.
- Bill - Friday, Jul 10, 09 @ 5:24 pm:
Roland,Thanks for your decades of service to the citizens of Illinois. You are doing an excellent job as Senator. You’ll be missed. Enjoy a well deserved retirement. Don’t be a stranger.
- skhicks - Friday, Jul 10, 09 @ 5:28 pm:
Sorry for my error. I realize by the time his term is over, Mr. Burris will have served more than a “couple of months” in office. Maybe he can join the $40K man on the So. Illinois Golf trail.
- Truthful James - Friday, Jul 10, 09 @ 5:58 pm:
Roland not running is the first shoe,
The second shoe, the quid pro quo, is what the President nominates him for in January 2011. An Ambassadorship would fit nicely on his Stone.
- grategul - Friday, Jul 10, 09 @ 6:14 pm:
Thanks Roland Enjoy Retirement AGAIN
Since you Scammed the American
and Illinois Taxpayers out of More
MONEY $$$$$$$$
Typical of this Bunch of
Take all you can and Give Nothing BACK
Again I SAY WAKE UP VOTERS
AND VOTE THESE BUMS OUT OF OFFICE !!!
WAKE UP !!!!!
- fed up - Friday, Jul 10, 09 @ 6:29 pm:
Bill, you are incredible sir.
- LynnS - Friday, Jul 10, 09 @ 11:45 pm:
Hey gang: don’t forget DelMarie’s quote from a few weeks ago about how all the other 99 senators were supposed to step up and help Roland with fundraising. I guess today is proof they ALL told him (and her) to go fly a kite.
Any ideas where Roland will be Ambassador to, and what will that line say on his tombstone? I really can’t see anyone in Europe or Asia accepting him, and I could see him whining about being sent to someplace in Africa that isn’t at least as nice as Chicago. That leaves South America, and I can’t imagine that anyone down there would be thrilled to get Roland.
- hank - Saturday, Jul 11, 09 @ 8:53 am:
Watch for DelMarie to show up on the Toddler’s re-election team. He is going to need her technique big time if he is going to survive