Chicago Area Local News

CHICAGO (CBS) ― The secretary of state's office refused to accept the governor's paperwork and his choice to fill Obama's Senate seat Wednesday. Jesse White sticks by his word, and refuses to rubber stamp the Burris papers. CBS 2's Mike Parker witnessed it all.

The governor's acting chief of staff brought it to the secretary of state's office - a letter from Rod Blagojevich to the president of the United States Senate, appointing Roland Burris to fill out the Obama term. It needed a state seal. The letter was not accepted.

"The secretary of state, Jesse White, is declining to sign off on the governor's appointment," said Legal Counsel Irene Lyons.

"I know Secretary Jesse White to be a good man and I assume he's doing what he believes is correct too," said acting Chief of Staff Clayton Harris III. "So, I'm not mad at all."

Harris then took the letter and went back to the governor's office to plan the next step.

At almost the same moment, an aide to Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid was calling Jesse White.

"To congratulate me, to thank me for standing tall and standing firm on my refusal to accept the document," White said.

"We don't think that action by the secretary of state is really a legal and valid action," said Senate appointee Roland Burris.

When asked if Burris was angry at Jesse White, he replied, "Angry? Absolutely not. Jesse is hurting. I'm sorry to see him have to go through this situation but we'll work through this."

Burris claims to be a longtime admirer of White. White says the same thing about Burris. But White says he will not change his mind. He will not make the letter official.

"If I say I'm going to do something, I'm going to do it," White said. "My word is good. You can take it to the bank. I will not move."

As for Senate appointee Roland Burris, he spent some of this "day after the drama" on the streets of Chicago finding more than a little support for his appointment.

It was evident today that despite what's been described as worldwide revulsion to Rod Blagojevich himself, there is a reservoir of good will toward Roland Burris. He's a veteran Illinois pol who knows how to connect with voters.

He's hoping to use some of those skills next week on Democrats in the Senate. His success or failure lies now with them.

Roland Burris may have been the most photographed man in Chicago for the second day in a row. Oddity or hero, he seemed to be a sensation.

"They're saying, 'Roland, congratulations, the governor couldn't have picked a better person,'" Burris said.

Burris can only hope he gets that kind of reception during the next several days in Washington. He says he plans to meet with Senator Dick Durbin and other Senate Democrats to change their minds about swearing him in and seating him.

"We hope by that time all the problems have been worked out, that the individuals will understand that what the governor of Illinois has done is legal, that I am the senator for the state of Illinois," Burris said.

The former Illinois attorney general says he'll convince them that, in his words, "there is no taint on Roland Burris."

And he says he will not attempt to muscle his way past the Senate sergeant-at-arms and force his way into the swearing-in ceremony.

"I don't think we need confrontation," Burris said. "I am not a confrontation person and that situation will all be worked out in detail. No, I am not going to be in some kind of confrontation, showboating mode. That is not my style."

Roland Burris and Jesse White are indeed old friends and the rift over this issue does seem to pain them both.

White said today that if Burris had been appointed by a newly minted "governor" Pat Quinn, he would have been thrilled to okay the deal.

What's really in play here may be White's long-simmering feud with Blagojevich over Draconian budget cuts a few years ago.

(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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