Blago's Presser Cheat Sheet

By STEVE RHODES

Updated 3:19 PM CST, Tue, Dec 30, 2008

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Cross-posted at The Beachwood Reporter.

BREAKING: Blago to name Burris to U.S. Senate; Reid says no.

* Governor schedules 2 p.m. press conference. Can General Assembly indict and convict by then? Keep in mind, he usually runs late!

* Governor to name replacement for Obama as president-elect at 4!

* Roland Burris totally a chump, sources say.

* Burris in the Beachwood: Links to Burke, Cellini, Deutsch, Cacciatore.

* Hazy memory of thought upon meeting him: Nice guy, but what a zero.

* Laura Washington, Nov. 10: "[Washington] reports that Roland Burris is throwing his hat into the ring to replace Obama in the U.S. Senate.

"I can think of one reason it shouldn't be Burris," she wrote. "We already have an oversupply of egomaniacal blowhards in the Senate."

* From the Beachwood, Dec. 11, 2008: "It's true that Obama did not support Blago in the 2002 primary; he switched over in the general election. In the primary he backed Roland Burris. Roland Burris?"

* Via the BGA: Since 2002, Burris & Lebed Consulting has contributed (by my possibly faulty math) $10,796.23 to Friends of Blagojevich. Wow, that Senate seat is really going for a discount now that it's tarnished.

* New Wikipedia entry for Burris just up.

* Experts debate: Is Roland Burris insane? Madigan considers court motion to remove him.

* Burris was reportedly awakened by a phone call at 6 a.m. and asked if he'd like to be a U.S. Senator. At first he replied, "Is this a joke?" "No," he was told, "it's the governor."

* Journal of Self-Involved Psychology to devote next issue to whether Burris or Blago is now the most selfish and deluded pol in the state.

* Maybe Blago was just trying to find someone to share a press conference with who appears less competent than he does. Because Burris making a hash of this.

* U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush (D-AT&T) is now at Burris's side. He just thanked God for the decision by Blago. God reportedly called Rush at 6 a.m. and told him he helped make the appointment. At first Rush replied, "Is this a joke?" And then the voice in his head said, "No, it's God."

* Dane Placko: "Disarray is a good way to describe this news conference."

BREAKING: Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn now holding his own press conference.

* Will name Lt. Sen. to vacant seat.

* Says that Burris said on Dec. 13 that Blagojevich should step down.

CONTINUING COVERAGE!

* Tom Cross on Fox News Chicago: "He's the governor who just keeps on giving. It's astonishing."

* Memo to James Warren, now talking on MSNBC: Can we please put a moratorium on pundits who always tell us to "Step back and take a deep breath" whenever something breathtaking happens?