With the triumphant downfall of Governor Rod Blagojevich, in which most of Springfield allegedly threw shoes at his toppled statue, most national attention has finally slipped away from Illinois. Major outlets have concluded that, at last, things are quiet in the Land of Lincoln again.

Come on—the show’s just started. One of Rod’s last acts as governor was to appoint Roland Burris to the US Senate seat so famously soiled in Chicago-style politics. Senator Dick Durbin vowed he would not, in no way, ever remotely consider allow approval of Burris, a former opponent to nearly everyone in Illinois politics for every conceivable position. Except, the Democrats needed a couple more votes for the Stimulus Package, and Burris agreed to vote for it. And so he was put in, voted in favor of the package, and immediately became the target of bipartisan resentment. The Democrats got their vote, now it was time to get rid of Burris fast (even turning over incriminating evidence to a Republican state’s attorney for criminal review). But actually Burris’ worst enemy appears to be himself: he began a progressively worsening series of confessions—maybe Blago did talk to him during the process, and maybe he did agree to work to collect gubernatorial money, and maybe he did collect some, and come to think of it, everything said during the hearings was pretty much a lie. Then came word that Burris’ son was hired for a sinecure position with the State.

Despite furious condemnations from both sides, Burris refuses to resign. Like his Serbian role model, he insists that while he may have done hideously corrupt things in an official capacity, he has not actually been found guilty of anything.

Newly blessed Governor Pat Quinn (D) has been the loudest crusader in getting Burris removed, and is strongly suggesting a GOP-favored special election to replace Burris. But most Illinois residents fear the cost of the special election will outweight the benefits, and there are no strong candidates stepping forward yet, except Democratic State Treasurer and fashionista Alexi Giannoulias.

Today, Burris was worshipped at the New Covenant Baptist Church. A virtual coalition of black ministers harmonized their support of him, and—not surprisingly—publicly claimed that racist Whiteys were behind the demand to replace him.

The Czar hates racism in all its forms, quite passionately, and believes that racism is a serious tool of evil. As a result, the Czar concludes that a charge of racism must be carefully thought out with the same degree of concern that one might publicly accuse another of murder or rape. You want to be damn sure.

So the Czar resents being called a racist, for one thing, and wants the readers to understand that he is not being a generalizing bigot when he says he is not surprised that black ministers would call all whites racist for wanting good governance. In Chicago, you can usually get your way by throwing the word racist around simply because you did not get what you felt was owed to you.

The Czar is not alone in this. Senator Dick Durbin, whom the Czar distrusts as an opportunistic crowd pleaser, came out and revealed that it was a fear of being branded a racist that the hugely non-black Senate hurried Burris into their membership. Nice backbone. The entire US Senate could not remotely find one uncorrupt black Senatorial candidate as an alternative suggestion? Perhaps the Senate opted not to look?

Forgetting the cowardice of Chicago politics, the fact is that the race card is an easy game to win. Conservatives tend to avoid any discussion of race due to the risk of being branded racists themselves. Liberals happily endorse any accusation of racism because Liberals, too, we all know, have suffered greatly. The best way out of this game is to fold.

In fact, Burris is playing the race card. The Czar states this as factual because one of Burris’ chief advisors, Delmarie Cobb, is actively telling him to do it. Not because Ms. Cobb believes racism is the true motivation—read in the link how she slashes at POTUS Obama for being unqualified and admits Bill Clinton made a mistake sticking his neck out for an African-American—but because this is a strategy that works.

Cobb’s résumé is a veritable who’s who of race card sharks, from Bobby Rush, Emil Jones, and both Jesse Jacksons. Doubtless she played a role in today’s kangaroo court, in which black leaders (led by Bobby Rush) foolishly and unquestioningly endorsed Burris, and provided their proof that racism was behind Burris’ own, openly confessed incompetence: Ted Kennedy, a white Senator, killed a woman without any demand for his resignation. Larry Craig misconducted himself in an airport restroom, without any demand for his resignation. Nor did Americans demand pedophiliac priests be brought to justice.

The Gormogon readers already know that each of these claims is false: Kennedy continues to answer for his responsibility at Chappaquiddick; Craig announced his resignation due to intense pressure, changed his mind about that when the pressure eased up, yet wisely gave up on far-fetched hopes of re-election. And there is no shortage, almost daily, of demands for justice against predatory priests. And the Senate has a long history of resignations in disgrace. A very long one, indeed.

The Czar notes the phrase “race card” itself indicates something from a game, a tactic to be played whenever the color of the suit needs changing. But racism can not, and must never be, used as a tactic to bully terrified news reporters in turning slander into libel. By escalating the old Chicago game to the Federal level, the rest of the country should see this vile method for what it is. And the Czar hopes that America at last says “I call.” The sharks better not be bluffing when that happens.

The Czar of Muscovy

Божію Поспѣшествующею Милостію Мы, Дима Грозный Императоръ и Самодержецъ Всероссiйскiй, цѣсарь Московскiй. The Czar was born in the steppes of Russia in 1267, and was cheated out of total control of all Russia upon the death of Boris Mikhailovich, who replaced Alexander Yaroslav Nevsky in 1263. However, in 1283, our Czar was passed over due to a clerical error and the rule of all Russia went to his second cousin Daniil (Даниил Александрович), whom Czar still resents. As a half-hearted apology, the Czar was awarded control over Muscovy, inconveniently located 5,000 miles away just outside Chicago. He now spends his time seething about this and writing about other stuff that bothers him.