Roland Running … Out of Friends

First fundraiser a bust

Has there ever been a sparser fundraiser held for a sitting United States senator than the one Roland Burris hosted Sunday night?

Aides to Burris said they expected about 50 people to show up at N'digo headquarters; the Tribune reported the total this morning as "more than two dozen" people -- wearing "Run Roland Run" buttons. AP put the number at 30.

Yes, run, Roland! Run away! 

"Reporters were sequestered in a parking deck" during the festivities, the Trib reports.

Perhaps those in attendance didn't want to be publicly identified.

Still, Burris mouthpiece Delmarie Cobb said Sunday night's affair was "the start and we're going to be very aggressive from this point on and the whole idea is to raise money very quickly - as quickly as possible."

Before the event, Burris only had $845 in his campaign fund -- not much more than it would take for all the folks in attendance and the reporters in that garage to pay to park downtown for the night.

State treasurer Alexi Giannoulias has raised $1.1 million in preparation for a challenge to Burris. Burris hasn't officially decided whether to run for re-election, but it's clear he would like to keep the job - no matter how unpopular he is.

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