And after seeing him on Rachel Maddow, I'm not surprised. He's an idiot.

I don't think he should ever have been appointed. Blogo appointed him to make waves and take the heat off him. It's clear. And it's unfortunate. And Burris should be ashamed for accepting the appointment. He's being used. And he's a fool for letting it happen. But again, after seeing him on Rachel Maddow, I'm not surprised.

That would certainly explain the support from Feinstein...

I've been of this opinion as well, since the announcement was made. The current Governor of Illinois may be a corrupt jerk, but he's still the Governor, and he's innocent until proven guilty, and that means that he still has the legal power to appoint the next Senator, no matter how distasteful that may be. Why are Democrats making more angst for themselves, and distracting from what should be a triumphant inauguration by pretending that's not the case. Sweat in Burris, give yourself the room to swear in Franken as well, take your 59 - 41 majority and start getting some sh#t done.

As for Feinstein, at the risk for being labeled a sexist, I will ask, why the hell are we dealing with her? At one time I felt she was a progressive force in the Senate, but after the last several years of watching her suck up to the Bush administration and Republicans, as well as the lobbyists, it's high time she was shown the door. If only I lived in California (spoken as a Democratic Texas, who can't even do anything about his own state).

Dianne Feinstein is a DINO and has been ever since she supported (and advocated for), the Mukasey pick. She is not a reliable ally of the Democratic Senate and hasn't been for a long time. No one who looks at her voting record (just Google it) should be surprised by this. California Dems should start finding viable competition for seat immediately. The sooner she is replaced the better.

DianaW

I wonder if Sen. Feinstein is worried that Panetta, with his hands being clean, will expose her complicity with the Bush gang on illegal spying and torture.

The question is, after maneuvers like this, along with her lack of oversight of the Bush Administration, her providing political cover for Chuck Schumer during the Mukasey confirmation process, and all the other political hack-work she's done, how is it that this lady manages to get elected?

She doesn't serve her party, her nation, or her constituency's best interests. Who exactly does Feinstein serve, other than her own ambition?

Importance in one own's mind and disregard of the Constitution, particularly the 4th amendment should qualify one's opinion as irrelevant.

Her husband is one of the top recipients of defense dollars. Maybe she is exercising her muscle cause she still has big positive cash flow and wants to make sure that stays secure.

Well, well, Diane. Suddenly the law is sacred. Yet, she was all for letting the government and the telecom companies off the hook when they violated the law, and the Constitutional rights of Americans.

I'm no fan of Dianne Feinstein and I am a Californian but she is dead right on the Constitutional requirement to immediately seat Burris .

Harry Reid might be embarrassed?!! Who cares?!! He has been an embarrassment and outrage for the last two years, wasting a Democratic majority groveling before the Bush Malignancy and serving as bunboy to Henry Paulson and the Bankers' Cartel.

And Obama has lost considerable stature in my eyes as he pulls backroom levers under the protection of Patrick Fitzgerald to promote his preferred Illinois Senate candidate while silently validating Israeli crimes against humanity .

IF Feinstein was brought in as part of O's new team and was not tainted by her years of support for Chimpy's torture policy, clandestine wire tapping, immunity for the phone companies, etc. she may have something to scream about...BUT, she wasn't so STFU and drink the new PowerAide !!

Let's see.... when was the last time Diane criticized anything George Bush did, including torturing prisoners of war?

Tick, tock, tick, tock tick, tock.... still waiting.

Alex,

This is EXACTLY the sort of thing we need in Congress. If you want the sort of party line orthodoxy symptomatic of third world countries, then punish people who question stupid actions by their party's leadership.

Since Senator Reid is ordinarily no dummy (too cautious, yes), he must know that he will lose any legal challenge to Roland Burris' exclusion from the Senate. The Supreme Court ruled nearly forty years ago that the Senate can make no qualifications on membership other than the three in the Constitution. It ruled that the 2/3 vote to expel can only be applied to a sitting Senator. It cannot be used to exclude a legally elected or appointed candidate.

So Reid is going to look like an ass, and if you think that the Republicans won't howl about "racism" I've got a Bridge To Somewhere for sale. If Feinstein and Feingold can shake him out of his hallucinations it will be much better for the party and for the Senate.

lol FEinstein is hardly a maverick. Here in CA we like to refer to her as 'republican lite'.

Once in a while I agree with her. I agree Burris should be seated as Senator. I think the Democrats have played right in to the republican hands on this. They should have let it go. Blago may be an ass, and a little nutty, but he has only been charged, not proven guilty. In fact unless they come out with something else the charges are pretty lightweight at this pint. He may have just been bragging. Can they prove he was actually trying to sell the seat to anyone?

She shows she is totally irrational ....

Perhaps she would also accept the medical opinion of a discredited doctor ???

It pains me to see that our political system advances people totally bereft of common sense.

No damn wonder our country is a joke.

When George Moscone and Harvey Milk were murdered, it was of course tremendously dispiriting and part of it was because it was clear that it meant that a vital and progressive mayor was to be replaced by a conservative who represented business as usual in San Francisco. As mayor, she was someone who relished being powerful.

I am not at all surprised that she is causing trouble for Obama. It is obvious that she should shut up about the Panetta appointment and talk to Obama about it in private. But don't expect her to do the right thing for the party or the country. She has her own agenda and it is all about her own power.