How to even respond to this?

Senate Democratic leaders think Roland Burris, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich’s pick to fill President-elect Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat, will likely show up on Capitol Hill Tuesday for the opening day of Congress, according to a Democratic aide familiar with Senate Democratic leaders’ plans.

They have prepared a contingency plan in case he does, the aide added.

Burris will not be allowed on the Senate floor, according to this aide and a Senate Democratic leadership aide.

The aide familiar with Senate Democratic leaders’ plans said if Burris tries to enter the Senate chamber, the Senate doorkeeper will stop Burris. If Burris were to persist, either trying to force his way onto the Senate floor or refusing to leave and causing a scene, U.S. Capitol Police would stop him, said the aide.

“They (police) probably won’t arrest him” but they would call the sergeant-at-arms,” the aide said.

Of course, as the story points out, Governor Blagojevich has the ability to walk on the Senate floor, since state governors have walk-in privileges at the Senate. So Blagojevich may actually seek to insert himself into the situation to try to get Roland Burris sworn in.

And in what might be seen as giving a Leahy Greeting, Vice President Cheney could always go to Roland Burris and swear him in, instead of having Burris brought to the dais to be sworn in by Cheney.

Either way, this merits the popping and munching of copious amounts of popcorn. Too bad Illinois Democrats didn’t change the law and mandate a special election when they had the chance to, eh? They could have saved everyone a lot of headaches–most especially, members of their own party in Washington, DC.