MELISSA BLOCK, Host:
From NPR News, this is All Things Considered. I'm Melissa Block.
MICHELE NORRIS, Host:
And I'm Michele Norris. Roland Burris had a better day today than yesterday. On Tuesday, he arrived at the Senate in hopes of being sworn in as the new junior senator from Illinois, but the Senate rejected his credentials. Today, Burris sat down at the Capitol with the Senate's top two Democrats. As NPR's David Welna reports, their earlier stance against seating Burris appears to have softened.
DAVID WELNA: Yesterday, Roland Burris only got as far as the secretary of the Senate's office before being shown out of the Capitol by the sergeant at arms. Today, he made it all the way to Majority Leader Harry Reid's office. At a photo op there, Burris sat smiling between the senior senator from Illinois, Dick Durbin, and Reid, who had this to say.
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BLOCK: I'm happy to have the opportunity to meet him. We're going to have a productive discussion, and we'll talk to you guys later.
WELNA: A half hour later, Reid and Durbin emerged from the closed-door meeting. Reid spoke of the encounter with Burris almost as if it had been a job interview.
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BLOCK: He obviously is a very engaging, extremely nice man. He presents himself very well.
WELNA: And to counter critics who say this Illinois politician has had his Senate appointment held up because he's African-American, Durbin cited what he said were Burris' own words.
BLOCK: And at the outset, he said I want to make it clear that this - I understand this controversy has nothing to do with my race. And I understand that both of you have excellent records when it comes to racial relations.
WELNA: Durbin and Reid said two matters must be cleared up for Burris to be seated. First, he needs the signature of Illinois' secretary of state on his certificate of appointment, a matter being considered by Illinois' Supreme Court. Second, it has to be clear that his appointment was not part of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich's alleged efforts to sell the Senate seat. Once those matters have been cleared up, Reid said the Senate could take up Burris' appointment.
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BLOCK: The Senate's going to have to make a decision on this, the entire Senate. Mr. Burris understands that, and we're going to do the best we can to make sure that the state of Illinois has two senators, not one senator.
WELNA: At a separate news conference two hours later at a Washington hotel, Burris seemed confident of his prospects for being seated.
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BLOCK: I'm happy. My whole interest in this experience has been to be prepared, Roland, to represent my great state. And that is my love. That is my desire. And very shortly, I will have the opportunity to do that as a junior senator from the fifth largest state in this great country of ours. Isn't it great?
WELNA: Tomorrow, Burris is to testify before an Illinois legislative committee weighing Blagojevich's impeachment. Chicago Democratic Congressman Danny Davis, who himself turned down Blagojevich's offer of the Senate seat, says it's a chance for Burris to clear the air.
NORRIS: His willingness to do that is an indication that he has nothing to hide, he has nothing to fear, he has nothing but the highest level of integrity. And I think the people of the state of Illinois know that about Roland Burris and respect him for it.
WELNA: A growing number of Democratic senators are now calling for Burris to be seated, both to end what's been a major distraction for the Senate and to have one more vote in their caucus. Asked what she thought will happen, California's Dianne Feinstein was succinct.
BLOCK: I think it's going to work out.
WELNA: David Welna, NPR News, the Capitol.