Harry Reid might as well go ahead sit Roland Burris in the US senate. It now emerges that Reid told Blago not, under any circumstances, to appoint a black man, since he would lose to the Republicans. But I like Burris (and his wife). He’s a dignified machine pol who looks like a senator, unlike the squirrely Reid. (I leave ideology aside, since it is not an issue.) Burris would definitely raise the tone of the place. Besides, it is hilarious to see Blago get his choice. But now we need the truth – not about Blago – but about Obama and his ties to the Chicago machine. Who were his patrons? Who got him his senate seat? Whom does he owe?