Lt. Gov. Quinn: Let me appoint Obama's replacement, then have a special election

Two days ago, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) suggested that the Illinois General Assembly bypass the governor and authorize a special election to choose Barack Obama's replacement.

When confronted with the real possibility that the stench of the Blaogevich scandals could catapult a Republican, possibly Rep. Peter Roskam of Wheaton, or Rep. Mark Kirk of Highland Park, into Obama's old Senate seat, Durbin flipped-flopped and now wants Illinois' next governor, Patrick Quinn, to appoint a successor.

Normally Sean Hannity's show is broadcast on weekday evenings, but tonight Jerry Agar (I was on his show once) and political consultant Dan Proft preempted Hannity to cover the Blagojevich scandal.

Quinn called in, and as he always is, was quite gracious. Quinn wants Blago to resign, and he wants to appoint someone to that seat. His point is valid, Illinois' 13 million residents deserve two senators. Of course, Obama was at best a part-time senator for the last two years.

Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura appointed a replacement to fulfill the final two months of Paul Wellstone's term after the Democrat was killed in a plane crash.

But Quinn still favors a special election in the spring. So like Ventura (my reasoning, not the lieutenant governor's), Quinn wants to send an interim senator to Washington, and have the voters choose the person who will represent Illinois in the upper chamber until January, 2011.

Sure it sounds crazy, but compared to Blago's follies, it isn't.

Related post:

About Illinois' next governor: Patrick Quinn

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