This morning, on The Takeaway with John Hockenberry and Adaora Udoji, congresswoman Donna Christensen of the U.S. Virgin Islands spoke about the desire to have an African-American in President-elect Barack Obama's former Senate seat.
John Hockenberry: Well, we continue now with the Blagojevich saga here. Yesterday, Illinois congressman Bobby Rush seemed to play something of a racial issue as he injected himself into the political firestorm surrounding the appointment of Roland Burris to be Senator of Illinois by the embattled Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich. And, first of all, let's listen to what Congressman Rush said.
Congressman Bobby Rush, D-Ill.: [TAPE] "There are no African Americans in the Senate. And I don't think anyone, any U.S. Senator who's sitting in the Senate right now, wants to go on record to deny one African American from being seated in the U.S. Senate. So, I intend to take that argument to the Congressional Black Caucus."
John Hockenberry: Of course Roland Burris, the former Attorney General from Illinois, is an African American and is the appointee from Rob Blagojevich. Joining us now is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 111th Congress, Congresswoman Donna Christensen. She joins us from the U.S. Virgin Islands, which is the district she represents. Congresswoman, thanks for joining us.
U.S. Congresswoman Donna M. Christensen, D-V.I.: Thank you. Good morning.
John Hockenberry: Congressman Rush seemed to put down a challenge to Senators who have claimed they're not going to seat Roland Burrs and that they have some sort of constitutional power to block this. Do you think casting it as racial issue, as Congressman Rush apparently has, is going to work here?
U.S. Congresswoman Donna M. Christensen, D-V.I.: Well, I think that, many people would wish, and I'm sure that, I can't really speak for the members of the caucus or as on behalf of Caucus, but would have liked to have seen an African American replace an African American. But the Senate, although I think it's going to be very difficult for them to deny a seat to a person like Roland Burris, who is, as far as I know, and I've known him for 20 or so years, is of impeccable character, to deny him the seat, but they're going on the basis of the impeachment proceedings that are going on. You know, and so, they very well may continue to hold the position that they have, uh, not based on race, but based on their authority to do so and the cloud that's hanging over the governor's head.
John Hockenberry: Well, Congresswoman, the Senate is under no requirement to pay any attention at all to members of the House on this issue. And given that --
U.S. Congresswoman Donna M. Christensen, D-V.I.: That's correct.
John Hockenberry: And given that Barack Obama seems to oppose any appointee from Blagojevich, is it possible that members of the House, including Congressman Rush, have backed themselves into a corner?
U.S. Congresswoman Donna M. Christensen, D-V.I.: I don't think we've backed ourselves in… I don't know that Congressman Rush has backed himself into a corner. The Congressional Black Caucus has on many occasions taken positions and pressed the Senate to, uh, honor our position on appointments to the judiciary or on a number of issues, and we've gone over to the Senate. We've gone and stood behind the floor of the Senate to continue to, uh, press the senators to vote one way or another on an appointment. So, we've injected ourselves into, uh, Senate decision making over the years. We have not always been successful. Uh, I don't know what the caucus will decide on this particular issue, but clearly the governor of Illinois, and rightly so up to this point, feels that he is the governor and it's within his authority to appoint a person to replace Senator Obama. He's chosen a good person, although as you well know, the Congressional Black Caucus has several members who, outstanding members, who, any of whom we would have hoped he would have chosen.
John Hockenberry: Sure. That sort of raises the issue here. I mean, the authority of the Governor seems to be clear. The authority of the Senate seems more or less to be clear. But I'm wondering if sort of by proactively and preemptively really kind of endorsing of Burris and he does become the nominee, aren't you having to accept someone who is now going to be tainted? Roland Burris is a great state politician in Illinois, but suddenly this connection to Blagojevich means that he's going to have a difficult time in the Senate no matter what. Wouldn't it just be better to start with someone else?
U.S. Congresswoman Donna M. Christensen, D-V.I.: I don't think so. If he were not rejected by the Senate – if they did not deny his being seated. I don't think…I think his service would speak for itself, his service in the past and his service on the Senate would speak for itself. Unfortunately, it's coming under this cloud, but Roland Burris himself is not tainted.
John Hockenberry: The question is: Can he get himself out of this cloud? Finally, wouldn't it be better to just start with someone new that everyone can agree on and let impeachment proceedings proceed?
U.S. Congresswoman Donna M. Christensen, D-V.I.: Well, given the present circumstances, it might have been better for the governor, I mean for everyone, for the impeachment proceedings to have proceeded, however the governor of Illinois is still within his right to make that decision and to make that call as long as he's governor and he made it. He chose an outstanding person. And, I don't think that that person necessarily comes under his cloud, it's just under these unfortunate circumstances.
John Hockenberry: Well, and the Congressional Black Caucus is now in the center of it as well. Thank you very much for joining us.
U.S. Congresswoman Donna M. Christensen, D-V.I.: Thank you.
John Hockenberry: Congresswoman Donna Christensen, represents the district in the U.S. Virgin Islands. She's the second vice-chair of the Congressional Black Caucus which has commented on the appointment of Roland Burris by Rod Blagojevich to the Illinois Senate seat once held by Barack Obama.
