Say hello to Senator Roland Burris (D-Ill). Rod Blagojevich’s appointment to fill Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat was certified by the U.S. Senate today. Dingy Harry & Co. have backed down from the huffing and puffing and have come to reality.

“Barring objections from Senate Republicans, we expect Senator-designee Burris to be sworn in and formally seated later this week,” said a joint statement from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin…

“We have spoken to Mr. Burris to let him know that he is now the Senator-designate from Illinois and as such, will be accorded all the rights and privileges of a Senator-elect,” said the joint statement.

Look, I don’t like the narcissistic race-baiter any more than the next guy. And I very much doubt that, were Reid and his cohorts looking at the same guy appointed by Patrick Quinn, that they’d object in the slightest. But the Constitution doesn’t permit the U.S. Senate to determine that a man legally appointed to fill a seat can’t do so because the majority leaders don’t like the appointer. That’s just not the way it works. Harry should’ve known that before he opened his mouth.

Blago called the bluffs by Dingy, Springfield Democrats, the President-elect, and Congressional Democrats. And he won.

Look on the bright side: Between this guy and Al Franken, we’re pretty much guaranteed to get juicy quote after juicy quote for the next few years. Just the thought of all the blog posts the two of them will generate has me salivating.

More: Michelle Malkin.