Roland Burris seems to be a nice old grandpa as far from any corrupt power brokering scheme as one can get. He's also black – a meaningful point considering this Senate seat is being vacated by the only current black senator. So is Burris a well-vetted appointee or a perfect human shield for Blagojevich?

While Harry Reid and others are trying to think of an easy way to tell this nice old man he's not going to be a senator, Blagojevich hopes to slip out the back.

Maybe he thinks the fact that he is appointing a decent person who is in the twilight of his career (after Senate leadership said they wouldn't allow a Blagojevich appointment), everyone will forget that little thing about trying to sell the seat to the highest bidder.

Or maybe Blagojevich was sincerely worried that the accusations about his own corruption would "taint this good and honest man" (meaning Burris).

It would seem comical that a politician would use such a blatant last ditch tactic to curb public anger if it didn't stand a good chance of working. Roland Burris is in danger of becoming a political tool the same way Elian Gonzalez and Terri Shiavo were. At least that's what Blagojevich is hoping for.

I expect to see a legal battle over the Senate's right to reject this appointment and I'm sure Mr. Burris will make some very convincing pleas for public support. He seems to have a clean record of public service from the little I have read about him.

But the question is a red herring designed to move attention away from the true issue whether Blagojevich is fit to make the appointment.

I hope the Democratic leadership in the Senate don't give credence to this ploy by allowing the appointment. But more importantly, I hope the media doesn't take the bait and make a circus out of it to keep it on the front page.

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Republican lobbyists are feeling the demand for their services plummet as Democrats ascend in Washington.

Mr. Underwood was a high school teacher who went on to become both the youngest and later the oldest governor of West Virginia.

Senator Mel Martinez of Florida, one of the most prominent Hispanic leaders in the Republican Party, announced that he would not run in 2010.