Harry Reid Looking for GOP Cover on Burris

Harry Reid has gotten himself into a bit of trouble. After telling Gov. Blago that three different black candidates were unacceptable and then threatening to refuse to seat Roland Burris, Reid is scrambling for cover and hoping Sen. Mitch McConnell will provide it for him.

WASHINGTON -- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid plans to meet with the chamber's top Republican to see if they can come to a bipartisan solution on what to do about Senate appointee Roland Burris.

Burris is the Democrat picked by Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to take Barack Obama's seat. The governor has been accused by federal authorities of offering to sell the appointment to the highest bidder.

Reid says he will talk to Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell on Monday in hopes of coming to a bipartisan position on Burris. The chamber swears in new senators on Tuesday.

Reid also denies telling Blagojevich that appointing three African-American lawmakers -- Reps. Jesse Jackson Jr. and Danny Davis or state lawmaker Emil Jones -- would be unacceptable. He says Blagojevich is "making all this up."

If I were McConnell I'd just tell Reid "he's your problem, Harry". Gov. Blago, for all his faults, is still entitled to make that appointment and I don't think the Senate can do much to stop him. In fact, since governors have walk-on privileges on the Senate floor, Gov. Blago could show up himself in Washington to get his guy seated. That would be fun.

Maybe he could get Dick Cheney to do a final "in your face" to Reid and swear Burris in. As President of the Senate Cheney could do that.