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Bye-bye Burris

Anything could still happen, but Roland Burris's decision not to seek a full Senate term in 2010 seems like the best possible outcome for all involved.

The Dems now don't have to worry about spending time and energy--not to mention suffering the high-profile humiliation--of trying to unseat a guy in the primary who sure looks as though there was funny business surrounding his appointment. (At the very least, Burris fibbed after the fact about his contact with Governor Sleazebag Blagojevich's team.) Similarly, you can bet the president is thrilled to see this home-state minidrama cut short.

Even Burris will benefit. He still gets his name in the history books as a Senator, albeit with an asterisk. But by stepping down, he avoids having his reputation thoroughly destroyed by the much stickier mud that would get slung around during an election. Considering the circustances of his rise, this seems more than the Senator has any right to expect.

"I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!"

Michelle Cottle