BREAKING: Blagojevich to name Roland Burris to replace Barack Obama in U.S. Senate

By GottaLaff

MSNBC is reporting that the former Attorney General, an African American, will be Blago's choice as a Senate replacement.

More here:

Burris was the first African American to win statewide office in Illinois when he was elected comptroller, serving from 1983 to 1991. He served as Illinois Attorney General from 1991 to 1995. Burris previously ran and lost bids for the U.S. senate and governor.

If tapped as planned, Burris would be the sole African American in the U.S. Senate.

He is not a friend of Barack Obama's, according to Lynn Sweet on MSNBC right now. He's from a "different time", and is a "real nice guy", a "respected guy". Now the question is whether he'll take the seat, per Sweet.

He was not on the short list of possible replacements.

UPDATE: MSNBC is interviewing Jim Warren, who calls Burris an "uninspired selection" and "a hack". Lynn Sweet says this won't stop a "free fall primary".

Further UPDATES HERE, up thread.