Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s breaking from her party peers.

While most of the Democrats have come out against Roland Burris’s scandal-plagued bid for Barack Obama’s Senate seat, Feinstein said yesterday that she and her colleagues should simply go ahead and seat Burris. Burris, you know, was nominated by Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who’s currently accused of trying to sell off the seat in question. Most Democratic leaders, including Feinstein herself, attempted to block Burris — and were successful — but now Feinstein’s changed her tune.

Citing Blagojevich’s right to appoint a senator, Feinstein urged the Senate to give the green light: "Does the governor have the power, under law, to make the appointment? And the answer is yes … If you don’t seat Mr. Burris, it has ramifications for gubernatorial appointments all over America," insisted Feinstein, who chairs the Senate Rules Committee, which evaluates potential new members. "Mr. Burris is a senior, experienced politician. He has been attorney general, he has been controller and he is very well respected. I am hopeful that this will be settled." So, we’re sure, does Burris.

Feinstein’s been quite vocal as of late — she criticized Preisdent-elect Obama’s CIA pick Leon Panetta. Word of the nomination spread in the press before Obama could inform Feinstein, who’s about to take over as chairwoman for the Senate’s Intelligence Committee. Obama apparently felt bad about the situation, because he called Feinstein yesterday to apologize, and she accepted. Ain’t that sweet?