Daley doesn't pile on Burris

Roland Burris is a “good public official” with a “solid reputation,” but there’s a “cloud over him” because of the “uncertainty in Springfield,” Mayor Daley said Tuesday.

Hours after Burris was turned away from the U.S. Senate, Daley refused to take a stand on whether or not Gov. Blagojevich’s controversial appointee to fill Barack Obama’s U.S. Senate vacancy should be allowed to take his seat.

Daley urged Blagojevich to “do the right thing” after the governor’s stunning Dec. 9 arrest on pay-to-play corruption charges. But, the mayor is one of the few elected officials who has not called for the governor's resignation or impeachment for fear of piling on.

On Tuesday, Daley extended that arms-length position to the Burris stand-off, which is mired in Illinois’ legendary racial politics. The mayor is only willing to go so far.

“I’ve known Roland for many, many years. He’s been a good public official. He ran against me and I’ve known him well. I was just with him at the convention. He has a solid reputation. But, he has a cloud over him because of the uncertainty in Springfield and that’s what’s unfortunately happening,” Daley told reporters at an unrelated education event.

Pressed on whether Burris should be seated, the mayor punted.

“That would be up to the Senate and not to me.”

Asked how effective Burris could be if he was seated under that political “cloud,” Daley’s answer was the same. And he dodged the question about whether or not Blagojevich should be impeached, well aware that the governor’s impeachment is on a fast-track in Springfield with or without the mayor’s help.

Daley’s failure to climb aboard the anti-Blajojevich bandwagon has left some political observers wondering whether the mayor’s fears go beyond political piling on.

Speculation is Daley may be concerned the governor’s former chief-of-staff John Harris, who was arrested along with Blagojevich, might someday point fingers at City Hall.

Harris once served as Daley’s budget director, first deputy aviation commissioner and all-purpose go-to guy.