Politics

WASHINGTON (CBS) ― Senate appointee Roland Burris met with top Senate Democrats Wednesday, who seemed to do an about-face from the vocal opposition they expressed last week about his appointment.

Roland Burris is back from Washington, and Gov. Rod Blagojevich's pick to replace Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate says the only thing he regrets is not taking the oath with the newest members of the 111th Congress.

"We don't anticipate any type of roadblock once the procedures are done," Burris said.

Burris told reporters when he returned Wednesday to Chicago's Midway Airport that he had a "great meeting" with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Sen. Dick Durbin.

He says his only regret from the whirlwind two-day trip is not being able to walk on the Senate floor to be sworn in with the newest legislators.

Burris says he watched the ceremony on television and thought, "My gosh, that really should have been me."

The former Illinois attorney general is scheduled to appear in Springfield Thursday before Illinois House members investigating Blagojevich's impeachment.

Senate leaders began to clear the way for Roland Burris to take over President-elect Barack Obama's vacant seat, saying they wanted the issue resolved quickly.

Burris met Wednesday with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Sen. Dick Durbin, a day after his paperwork was rejected at the opening of the 111th Congress.

They called the meeting ''positive'' and indicated that the Senate would be open to seating Burris once legal hurdles are resolved and Burris clears the air over his appointment.

Senate officials in both parties, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly for Senate members, said there is a growing expectation on Capitol Hill that the saga will end with Burris being seated.

"I think when it comes to Roland Burris's situation, a lot depends on whether or not he can produce the credentials every senator has to produce," Durbin said.

Senate officials say Burris' appointment still has to be certified by Illinois' secretary of state.

"We believe that the certification by the secretary of state is vital to comply with Senate rules," Reid said.

"The second thing is that Roland Burris clear the air completely in terms of his appointment by Governor Blagojevich," Durbin said.

Burris met for 45 minutes Wednesday morning with Reid and Durbin. Only days ago, both senators were arguing that Burris' nomination was so tainted that he should not be seated and would be blocked.

Addressing reporters Wednesday morning, Reid did not say for certain whether Senators planned to seat Burris, but both he and Durbin said the issue of whether Secretary of State Jesse White will be required to sign Burris' certificate would have to be resolved quickly.

"That decision will be before the Illinois Supreme Court today or tomorrow. We are hoping that they act on it in an expedited fashion. I called the Attorney General of Illinois, Lisa Madigan, yesterday, as well as the Secretary of State, and urged them not to delay the decision," Durbin said. "Whatever the decision of the Supreme Court, we want it to be made on a timely basis, and we both agreed that was their intent as well."

White previously refused to certify Burris because he was picked by Gov. Rod Blagojevich, now a criminal defendant. The rule requiring state governors and secretaries of state to sign certifications for a senate nominee has been in effect since 1884, Reid said.

Burris' attorneys submitted a legal filing to the Illinois Supreme Court on Tuesday trying to force White to sign the certification. White and Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan submitted a response on Wednesday, saying there is no law requiring the secretary of state's signature on appointments.

"What is an issue here is a form that is not required by law, but is merely 'recommended' by a rule of the U.S. Senate," a news release from White's office said. "Moreover, a U.S. Senate rule cannot impose a legal obligation on the Illinois Secretary of State."

White also said it would be a violation of his ethical obligations to the people of Illinois to sign the appointment certification.

White's office said it "remains up to the U.S. Senate to seat Mr. Burris."

But Wednesday night White told CBS 2's Dana Kozlov he would sign the documentation if ordered to by the court.

"If by chance the attorney general happens to fail with her argument and I'm presented with a document from the Supreme Court then I will sign it," White said. "I'm not going to fight it."

When asked if he thought a deal was struck in Washington today to expedite the process, Jesse White said, "No comment."

Reid and Durbin also said Burris had submitted an affidavit to the panel seeking to impeach Blagojevich, and it was clear to them that Burris has been upfront.

"He's not trying to avoid any responsibility or hide anything," Reid said.

After the Illinois Supreme Court rules on whether White must sign the certification form for Burris to take a Senate seat, and after Burris testifies before the impeachment committee, the Rules Committee will review Burris' nomination and make a recommendation to the whole U.S. Senate, Durbin said.

But the anticipated long, drawn-out Rules Committee hearing may not take place. Reid was hinting that Burris' testimony before the Illinois House Impeachment Committee may satisfy the Democratic leadership.

Reid and Durbin said Burris had told them he knew the issue had nothing to do with his race.

"One of the first things he said to us was, 'Hey, this is nothing racial, do you understand that?'" Reid said. "A lot of people tried to make this a racial issue. Roland Burris has not, and will not."

While not saying whether they expected Burris to be seated, both Reid and Durbin said they wanted the issue resolved.

"We're going to do the best we can to make sure the State of Illinois has two Senators, and not one Senator," Reid said.

In a news conference in Washington Wednesday afternoon, Burris said he expects "very shortly" to represent Illinois in the Senate.

Burris declared himself "very happy" and said he was pleased with his meeting with Sens. Reid and Durbin.

"My whole interest in this experience is to be prepared" to lead Illinois, Burris said, "and very shortly I will have the opportunity to do that."

Burris said expects resolution soon of the remaining issues standing in the way. He said did not know what kind of pressure Reid and Durbin were under, but understood that they "did not want to rush into anything."

When a reporter brought up a claim that Senate leaders asked Burris to commit not to run in 2010 if he were seated, Burris said that rumor was false.

"This wasn't even on the radar screen. They hadn't even brought it up, and I was getting rumors about condition," Burris said. "They weren't talking about conditions; what Majority Leader Reid said at his press conference, that is what they said. It didn't come up."

Meanwhile at an earlier unrelated news conference, Obama declined to take a position on whether Burris should get the Senate seat.

Obama said the decision on whether to allow Burris to join the Senate is one for the Senate to make. He said he has known Burris for years and would be happy to "work with him" if he ultimately gets seated but that he can't go further than that.

"But I know Roland Burris," Obama added. "He's from my home state. I think he's a fine public servant."

Burris was selected by Blagojevich in late December, and went to the U.S. Capitol for the swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday, but he was denied access to the Senate floor.

Blagojevich shocked Democratic leaders by appointing Burris to finish the final two years of Obama's six-year term in the Senate just three weeks after the governor was arrested on corruption charges in what federal prosecutors said was a scheme to sell or trade Obama's vacated Senate seat to the highest bidder.

Blagojevich denies the accusations and has yet to be indicted. There has been no indication that Burris was involved in the alleged scheme, and he has not been accused of any wrongdoing. Democrats have repeatedly said the issue is Blagojevich, not Burris' qualifications.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who chairs the Rules Committee, told reporters Tuesday evening that Burris should be seated.

"If you don't seat Mr. Burris, it has ramifications for gubernatorial appointments all over America," the California Democrat said. "Mr. Burris is a senior, experienced politician. He has been attorney general, he has been controller, and he is very well-respected. I am hopeful that this will be settled."

The Congressional Black Caucus voiced its support for Burris Wednesday. And while this is all being hashed out in the courts and capitol, Mr. Burris will head to Springfield Thursday to meet with the state's impeachment committee.

Chicago Voters React
The Chicagoans with whom CBS 2's Joanie Lum spoke on Wednesday said they believed Burris' appointment was a legal one, and the issues surrounding Blagojevich should not affect it. They said while they are not surprised by the outcome, they are surprised at how fast things turned around.

"It's going to be absolutely great. We need an African-American to help represent the U.S. Senate, which is the makeup of the United States," said Tony McCormick. "This country was founded by all different races, as well as political parties, so yes, that he's becoming Senator is absolutely wonderful."

"It was meant for him to have the thing; you know, it happens," said Ethel Hill. "I guess it was all in God's will."

"They probably had to give it to him, whether we like it or not," said Joe Haffner. "The governor appointed him, and I'm not sure that there's any legal basis to not give him the seat."

"They're arguing about Senate seats and who wants to buy a Senate seat and all that, you know what I mean?" said Ian West. "Personally, if the man's qualified for it, give it to him. If not, don't give it to him, instead of fighting back and forth. It makes no sense."

Meanwhile, White told WGN Radio Wednesday that he is being unfairly blamed by members of the Senate for not seating Burris.

In a claim echoed by his later court filing, White said Burris could have been seated without his signature, which he calls "mostly ceremonial."

CBS 2's Dana Kozlov, Mike Parker, Joanie Lum and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

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

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