Blagojevich Names Burris to Fill Obama's Vacant Senate Seat

Our nation stared down the triple-barreled threat of war in the Middle East, festering conflict in Iraq, and continued threats of terrorist breeding grounds in Afghanistan.

As the greatest nation in the history of the world, the United States is confronted with a crisis of faith in our own leadership capability and in our ability to bring understanding to nations who look to us for peace and prosperity.

And the people of our great nation have told us, in no uncertain terms, that we are at a crossroads of confidence in our ability to return the ideals that make the United States the greatest nation in the world.

Faced with these challenges, and challenged with these crises, it is incomprehensible that the the people of the great state of Illinois will enter the 111th Congress short-handed.

To fight a choking recession and return our economy to a level of vitality and strength, we need leadership in Washington. Illinois is blessed to have an intelligent and dedicated congressional caucus led by our senior United States senator Dick Durbin.

Moreover, President-elect Barack Obama has (inaudible) and ready to hit the ground running on January 20th. If ever there is a man with the talent to succeed against the long odds, it is he.