Black ministers' group rethinking support of Burris

If Sen. Roland Burris (D-Blagojevich) somehow rides out the firestorm over his evolving explanations on his contacts with Rod Blagojevich aides regarding his appointment to the Senate, part of his 2010 campaign strategy will undoubtedly consist of using the African-American community as a base to build at least a winning plurality in the Democratic Primary.

But how large will that base be?

Many of the city's most influential black pastors supported Roland Burris' appointment to the U.S. Senate, even though his name had been put forward by then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Now that support may be waning.

A faction of black ministers plans to ask for Burris' resignation following revelations that the senator tried to raise money for the disgraced governor who appointed him, one of the ministers told The Associated Press on Thursday, speaking on condition of anonymity because a meeting with Burris had not yet been scheduled.

Clergy Speaks Interdenominational, an umbrella group that includes hundreds of Chicago's black churches, will meet Friday to discuss its support for Burris, spokeswoman Stephanie Gadlin said. For now, the group still supports him and its leaders are unaware of discussions about asking him to resign, she said.

Burris spokesman Jim O'Connor would not say whether the senator would meet with ministers and referred to a statement from Burris asking that leaders "stop the rush to judgment."

Rush to judgement? It seems Burris was in no hurry to give details on his dealings with the disgraced Blagojevich administration.

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