CHICAGO, March 2 (UPI) -- U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., says race was a factor when the Senate moved to seat embattled Sen. Roland Burris, D-Ill., the body's only African-American.
Durbin said a combative and racially tinged appearance by African-American U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., at a Dec. 30 news conference called by now-impeached Ill. Gov. Rod Blagojevich to announce Burris' appointment to the Senate added a racial overtone to the situation, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Monday.