Politics: Hunting down Burris with the press pack in Peoria

I haven’t been a member of the pack in a long time.

Back when I was slaving away in the mainstream media, I attended my fair share of press conferences. They could be boring and they rarely generated news. But it was fun to schmooze with fellow newsies. It’s one of the things I miss about the life.

So I was watching WGN’s noon news today and they said that U.S. Sen. Roland Burris would be having a press conference in Peoria at 1:30 p.m.

I knew that I had to go. Not just because I wanted to schmooze, but there was a question I was dying to ask. More on that later.

An email later, and I found out it was to be held at Kelleher’s. Off I went.

It’s always depressing to go to Kelleher’s. The restaurant is fine, but my route always takes me past the Sears block, which is surrounded by the ugliest fence imaginable. Caterpillar is using it for a parking lot.

I walked into Kelleher’s to be greeted by a pathetic site: A bunch of reporters and cameramen with pissed-off looks on their faces. Apparently, a bunch of them had been given a time of 12:30 p.m. Well, Burris apparently was there, but he was having some private meetings. He left and was to return for the presser.

I ran Shaun Newell of WMBD 1470. Then DeWayne Bartells of the Peoria Times Observer wandered in. Kelleher’s owner Pat Sullivan stuck his out in and made jokes abut having free food and drinks waiting for the press. I assured him that we were all ethical journalists and didn’t go for that payola stuff. One reporter who I didn’t know — his suit and tie marked him as an out-of-towner — said “speak for yourself.” Ah, camaraderie.

So guess who shows up? Dave Dahl, former WMBD radio newsie and current state capital reporter for the Illinois Radio Network. We didn’t much chance to chat, as a Burris staffer came out to say that he was on his way.

The word was that Burris would read a brief statement and not take any questions. Fine, I mumbled to myself, that doesn’t mean I can’t ask my question.

In the back of Kellerher’s, I discovered there was NO food and NO drinks waiting for the press (I’ll get your for that, Pat). But WCBU’s Tanya Koonce brought her own mug of coffee (hey, she was up late doing journalist stuff).

Also waiting in the back were former Peoria City Councilman James Polk and General Parker, now a candidate for mayor of Peoria. I shook hands with both, didn’t didn’t have time to pump them for info about local politics.

So, finally Burris shows up, along with a couple of humorless guys in dark suits.

First he says he’s not going to take any questions.

Then he says he believes in transparency.

Then he says he never did anything improper.

Then he says he will meet with any of and all of the three government entities looking into whether or not he actually did anything improper.

Then he says “I will answer any and all questions to get that point across.”

Then he bolted, ignoring the questions he was being asked.

Reporters being who they are, those questions were about why Burris wasn’t asking questions, along the lines of ‘If Burris is on a listening tour, why won’t he listen to reporter’s questions?’ I thought that was a good one. I managed to belt out MY question. I had intended to ask Burris why he always insisted on speaking about himself in the third person. But in the spirit of the occasion, I managed to yell out ‘If you are being transparent, why not answer local reporter’s questions?’ I bet my original question would have gotten a bigger laugh.

But Burris wouldn’t play along. He ducked out a side door and out to the street, chased by a pack about about a dozen reporters and photographers. Burris got into a white SUV and drove off. I was park of the pack, but in my defense, I walked slowly and was making ironic comments about pack journalism the whole time.

Left behind was poor little aide Audrey Till. The word was that she has been employed by Burris for about two weeks. Many of the press there described her a spokesman for Burris, but she told me later she doesn’t have a title yet.

Well, when Burris got into the SUV and drove off, there was just poor little Audry answering all the questions with “I have no information. I have no information.”

This really infuriated the camera guy from WAND 17 in Decatur/Bloomington, who made a snide remark about how she as going to loose her job if Burris lost his job. I understand the frustration, but I’m wondering how verbally beating up on someone who looks like, maybe three years out of college informs anyone about government corruption.

I don’t want readers to think the day was a total loss. I ran into my Aunt Bobbie, who was having lunch with friends. We hugged and exchanged pleasantries. I felt less like a member of the pack. When I left, there were still a few lingering members of the press, arguing with their editors on their cell phones.

That’s something I don’t miss.

Cross posted from Peoria Pundit