Senator Richard Burr’s contortions on President Bush’s Immigration Bill have him tied in knots.

First, Burr announced he was against the bill. And voted against it. Then, yesterday, he reversed himself, supporting Bush’s bill on a key procedural vote. Now, Burr’s staff is reassuring opponents of the bill, telling them he will vote against its final passage. Which is disingenuous. Because the key to defeating the bill is a filibuster so the procedural votes – like the one yesterday – are key, leaving the final vote to matter very little or not at all.

Burr is trying to have it both ways, voting with the President on one hand, but telling his Republican supporters he opposes Bush’s Immigration Plan on the other. In the process he’s given North Carolina one of the few senators who’s voted both for – and against – legalizing twelve million immigrants.

Burr’s in a mess. He may think he can thread a needle and make both sides happy. But, in the end, all he’s done is make everyone, on both sides, mad at him.

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