Roland Burris, the Blago-appointed senator from Illinois, was denied entry to the Senate floor (via CNN).  Vowing legal action, Burris "averted a showdown at the door to the Senate Chambers," according to The Swamp. Michelle Malkin has "schadenfreude overload." American Prospect says if the GOP tried to bar the only African-American senator from the floor, they would instantly be compared to "George Wallace standing in the schoolhouse door." Lynn Sweet says that Burris has a better chance if he pledges a "caretaker role" for Obama's vacated seat. Figuring one senate shenanigan at a time was enough, Majority Leader Harry Reid has put off plans to seat Al Franken from Minnesota, despite his assurances that Norm Coleman will "never serve in the Senate [again]" (via DailyKos). Red State, in an offering of snark, assembled a music video of Harry Reid, "Clumsy" to the tune of Willie Nelson's "Crazy."

Elsewhere on the hectic Hill, intel observers are parsing the Panetta pick for CIA/DI (via WaPo). Josh Marshall says it's "really a mystery," citing public criticsm from both the House and Senate intelligence committees, specifically Sens. Feinstein, who "wasn't consulted" and Rockefeller, who was "puzzled by the selection;" Think Progress reminds us the Feinstein and Rockefeller "never complained" about Bush apointees who "defended torture, illegal wiretapping and the Iraq war." Spy Talk says that CIA veterans and their friends on the hill are "generally groaning." Andrew Sullivan says the Panetta pick "remains an inspired choice. And the critics help show why." The Federal Eye says the pick shows that Obama wants to "change the intelligence power structure." Marc Ambinder offers "the case for Panetta." Next up: Obama reportedly wants CNN celeb doc Sanjay Gupta for surgeon general.

Meanwhile in Gaza, the IDF killed 40 in a UN school (via Haaretz). Taylor Marsh says Isreal's PR battle went "up in smoke" with the school, but LGF contends that the school was used to store Hamas mortars.  The Weekly Standard says Israel must "ignore the growing calls for cease fire." Even the Moderate Voice thinks that Hamas is "totally responsible" for the school deaths.