Burris, Barack, & Braun

Here's the best I can confirm the party breakdown in the US Senate so far w/ a brief search: 59 Dem, 59 Rep, & 2 Ind (acc. to a thread on some forum). The D's include Franken, who can't be counted yet, so w/ 3 breakaway Rep's they would have 61 votes (not counting the I's -- will get to that) to pass the spendulus packages. Now I don't remember which way the I's went or if there was a dissenting D, just that 60 was filibuster-proof. I remember thinking there was no way Obama & his allies in the Senate would let Burris in because he was a hot potato w/ his Blagojevich appointment & would mean too much bad ink & rep for the Dems. So why let him in? I think I may understand now: perhaps he was needed to pass the spenduli & expendable afterwards. But of course that depends on which other Sen's were wavering -- backroom politics to which I'm clueless.
On another note, I noticed Burris is the 3rd black Senator from Ill. (after Braun & Barack, both of whom have run for President). Does that mean he's a future presidential candidate?

Job Approval?

I just heard 68% of Obamericans approve of the way Obama's handling his job. Yet the spendulus package has not done well w/ the populace. So I have to conclude that Americans are so overwhelmingly happy about him adding 7 states to the union before taking office they're willing to overlook the set of gaffes involved in the $2T package, closing Gitmo w/o a plan for where to send the detainees, Turbotax Tim Geithner's selection, & Obama's need to retract 2 HHS candidates & 2 commerce sec. candidates. Maybe too many voters are just as airheaded as Obama girl & fell for a guy who effects a friendly persona. (Not oratory, mind you -- he stutters so much & speaks so slowly he usu. makes me go to sleep or reach for the remote.)