Monday, December 28, 2009

Andy Martin Inadvertantly Assists Mark Kirk's Campaign (UPDATED)

I'm still on vacation and Mrs. TA refused to let me bring my laptop, so I can't provide any links, but TA readers probably have learned by now that perrenial candidate and muckraker Andy Martin is trying to make waves by airing radio ads proclaiming a rumor that has long circulated among detractors of Congressman Mark Kirk, namely, that he is a homosexual. The rumor itself, though unfounded as far as TA knows, is nothing new. Believe me, if I had a dollar for every time someone Googled something like "mark kirk gay" and ended up hitting TA, I'd have a nice retirement fund. In any case, since I'm updating my blog from my Blackberry, I can't provide any links.

Suffice it to say, Martin is being widely denounced for trying to leverage such unworthy tripe as a legitimate campaign issue. Even Patrick Hughes has denounced Martin's tactics. But, what I wanted to check in with everyone to point out is that Martin has inadvertantly done Mark a favor by raising this now, plenty of time before the primary, and more importantly, before the general election. If you thought the DSCC wasn't going to try to leverage this in some way, you're not too swift, as my fifth-grade teacher used to say. By bringing this up now, and in such an ugly way, Martin has set it up so that every Republican candidate that aspires to legitimacy must denounce any association with such garbage, and it also effectively removes the issue from the Dems backroom whisper campaign.

Well done, Andy, even though you weren't planning on giving Mark a boost. More on this when I return.

UPDATED 12/29/09 2:30 p.m.: I'm back home now, but I'm a bit busy, so we will do more of an update later. But for now, I wanted to note that Rich Miller over at Capitol Fax Blog appears to be agreeing with me that the fact that this whole issue was brought up by Andy Martin gives Kirk invaluable political coverage just because it was brought up by Andy Martin:

Imagine, for a moment, that a vicious rumor has been circulating about you for years. Pretty much everyone in politics has heard it at one time or another. Many don’t believe it, but it’s still out there and, like a zombie, refuses to die.

Well, what better way to have to confront it and flatly deny it than when a perennial and often outrageous candidate whom the entire political/media establishment views as a complete leper airs out the rumor via a tiny radio buy during the zero awareness zone between Christmas and New Year’s Eve? [snip] From here on out, if anybody ever brings up this rumor again, Kirk and the media can just associate that future comment with the “discredited” Andy Martin. Case closed.

Rich also places blame on the two 'sources' cited by Martin in the radio ad:

The fact is that [Jack] Roeser and [Raymond] True got busted outside their little ultra-conservative comfort zones. And instead of owning up, they ran away from their own comments. That was probably predictable. But what bothers me far more is that nobody in the media has yet bothered to press Roeser and True to come clean. After all, without those comments, Martin couldn’t have run that radio ad. They are as responsible as he is.

Roeser and True are both longtime Illinois political players. They regularly make endorsements and contribute money to campaigns, whether directly or through their respective organizations. So while we’re all publicly bemoaning Andy Martin’s little ad, perhaps we should also be focusing on the source of this hateful nonsense - and on the candidates those two guys support.

Rich doesn't mention it specifically, but Roser and True both support conservative candidate Patrick Hughes.

36 comments:

Anonymous said...

A convicted felon in Florida: http://courtcon.co.palm-beach.fl.us/pls/jiwp/ck_public_qry_doct.cp_dktrpt_frames?backto=P&case_id=501996CF012237AXXXMB&begin_date=&end_date=

A rabid anti-Semite: http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2008/1014081andymartin1.html

A Holocaust denier: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/13/us/politics/13martin.html?_r=1&pagewanted=2

Video 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMf9Zd6Sn_g

Video 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zA7Yzy0rQG8

Now the only question I have is why are the Chicago radio stations agreeing to give this clown air time?

You can let our local radio stations know what you think of their decision to continue airing Andy Martin’s discredited radio ad.

WBBM: 1-800-78-4NEWS (1-800-784-6397)

WLS: 312-591-8900

WGN: 312-591-8900

Anonymous said...

Federal law prohibits radio stations from pulling a political ad if it isn't false. The ad doesn't say he's gay, it does imply it. Instead, Martin is using the "he said" approach by citing others who have accused Kirk of being gay. Because he did this, it's a legal ad and the stations can't pull it.

Anonymous said...

Well it's clearly false even by that standard as that Ray True who is quoted says he never said such a thing:

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2009/12/perennial-candidate-martin-targets-kirk-in-radio-attack-ad.html

Anonymous said...

Alexi had a reputation john kass has discussed as a party boy. I am sure there are pictures out there of him in compromising situations and stories that will come out. There were digital cameras in 2003-04-05 before he was in politics.

In the early half of the decade Mark was largely known in d.c. because of the former Mrs. Kirk who was widely discussed as the most attractive congressional spouse (because she is as well as very accomplished) following pieces in national magazines by a former kirk staffer. Many of the top dscc people I am sure remember the wonkette pieces from their days as junior staffers and I strongly doubt this issue will be used again. for the record, she's a heckuva lot better looking than hoffman's wife or alexi's and even jeri ryan.

They have 2 lines on mark, bushie and flip flopper. that's what you'll hear for the next several months, not this.

FOKLAEAS

Anonymous said...

Time for Andy Martin to hang it up. What a discusting ad. If Ray True in fact didn't utter these falsehoods about Mark Kirk, then the ad is false and should be pulled.

Anonymous said...

With disgusting excuses for human beings like Andy Martin, Raymond True, Ellen Beth Gill and, sadly, others, no wonder it's tough to recruit decent men and women to seek public office. The catwoman has again disgraced herself by her posting today, so she joins the other two in the worst kind of yellow journalism. While Mr. Kirk is on active duty defending this great country, these slugs are pitching the dirty drivel we've had to listen to all day long. There's a place reserved for people with no moral standard. They've had their day. Now can we all agree to re-double our efforts on behalf of Mark Kirk's campaign. Let's do it now.

Anonymous said...

catlady is talking about mark walking away from israel. good luck with that one.

dold has a new video online talking about bob dole. like the rest of the campaign it would be great-if this were 1995.

going to be interesting to see how green makes a run with his advertising. if he tries to go negative or if he just wants people to know who he is.

FOKLAEAS

Crazy4glf said...

Could Martin be raising it because the DOMA flies in the face of equality? Was DOMA necessary? Was it urgent?

Could he be mentioning it as any hint that someone isn't in lock-step with the Palin Tea Partiers is unAmerican, deviant, unchurched, and allegedly excessively entitled?

It doesn't matter what Kirk's lifestyle is.
The tactic is telling of GOP 'priorities,' hypocrisy, and distractions.

No affordable health insurance (its not 'urgent') but no refusal to accept public insurance by the GOP?

National security is vital but Rep. King released specific info during an on-going investigation this weekend?


Bush spent what he wanted to and the GOP said nothing - Hatch: 'that was then, this is now.'

When will the GOP call out their own?
Kirk: votes against stimulus then tries to direct how its spent.
Sanford
Schmidt's accepting an excessive raise then speaking out against it.
Curran: turn-coat without a real rationale.
Waller - equal justice?
Helander: election regs 101

How am I voting?

Not for people like McKenna, Radogno, Martin and (where does he stand today?) Kirk.

Crazy4glf said...

The rhetoric here has yet again become unbecoming of moral, compassionate people.

1. We are not voting for a candidate's spouse or ranking them.

2. Blogs do not equal journalism; of course most journalism isn't objective so its hard to tell.

3. Politicians like W. partied; now its fair game? Where were W's driving and military records?

4. Disgusting excuses for humans ?
Merry Christmas. (You missed Rove, Cheney, Foley, and Craig)

Anonymous said...

Let's envision the Crazy4Blogger in a locked room with Andy Martin for 15 minutes.

Anonymous said...

Andy Martin also accused Pat Hughes of being a racist two weeks ago at an event in DuPage.

Just when you think he's gone as low as you can go, he manages to sink even lower.

Anonymous said...

I wish that Crazy4Golf would spend time where he/she belongs and that would be on the vicious catwoman's blog. I like the idea of putting Crazy, Martin, True and Gill all in the same room, lock the damn door and leave them there forever. They all deserve each other. Crazy seems to be holier than thou and that's really annoying as hell. Take a hike where you belong.

Anonymous said...

everyone's missing the obvious: Kirk must hide his homosexuality or he would be discharged from the Navy because of the insane "don't ask don't tell" rule which the Republicans support. It would be courageous for him to finally come out of the closet, challenge DADT and lead the Republican Party into the 21st century!

Anonymous said...

Let's keep this all in perspective, even by Crazy's standards.

A gay political blog site claims that Democrats will soon smear Mark Kirk by calling him gay. They attended a Democratic gay function where this plan was told in detail by Democrats to the rumor mongering author. You know, the same Democrats who claim fair and equal rights for all? :-)

Rumor source? "Democrats" according to the rumor monger who wrote the article.

That same blog site begs its readership for facts to prove the allegations, as their own "gay radar" (their stupid words, not mine) are sending mixed signals about Kirk and another rising star in the Illinois Republican party. So proof is being sought to back up the statement over who is gay in Illinois politics instead of getting facts first and then reaching a conclusion.

The author of that blog site is a Democrat Hillary Clinton supporter who jumped and supported McCain last election, when Obama bested his hero. Other than that, it appears he is back in the Democratic fold.

The "platform Republicans" and "conservatives" over at "Champion News" then "helpfully" provide the link to the gay blog site to their small but rabid readership, starting or perpetuating a whispering campaign.

"Champion News" is owned by a guy named Roeser who hires stooges to write constant anti-Republican party barrages.

This group has been trying to seize the party apparatus for over a decade with no success, other than driving normal Republicans away from the party. Jim Edgar is a flaming liberal by their standards.

After they perpetrated a whispering campaign of "Mark Kirk is a gay" and "Mark Kirk surrounds himself with gays" and the leadership of the IL GOP is "gay loving," with no success, and talk about it on their radio show, Andy Martin then quotes them all in a political ad which will go down in history as being one of the baseless and dirtiest.

Everyone that Martin "quoted" or "cited" in support of this "solid rumor" is now either running for cover, issuing denials, or hiding under rocks.

"Champion News" then posts a brief statement on their site yesterday sneering at everyone who is appalled by this stone age neanderthal behavior.

While reading that gay blog site a week ago, I was struck by the "information" they had and how I and many other heterosexual males could also be called "gay" by insinuation. These guys do no favors to the gay equality movement or raising social consciousness of mainstream America as it concerns gays.

And the owner of "Champion News" (Roeser) was one of a tiny number of six "conservatives" who urged Hughes into the race against Kirk. Hughes who called Kirk a liar during the Tribune debate and which is being propped up by the Champion News gang, issued a mean spirited statement on this subject, condemning the ad and also stating that Kirk still is not electable because he is not a true Republican. That was not the time to be mean spirited. Your statement was admirable in intention, but you don't do it that way.

Who decides who is a "true Republican?" Roeser, Champion News and the gang that slavishly follows their views decides. They freaks out after every election when Republicans who are not to their liking get elected by Republicans in landslide votes in primaries.

Get it now Crazy? Those folks are just as crazy as you are? You should sit down with them for a while. Birds of a feather flock together, right?

Louis G. Atsaves

Anonymous said...

Two weeks ago, Illinois Review warned its readers that the source of the rumor was a Democrat, but to their credit, refused to repeat the content of the rumor.

http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2009/12/rumor-source-is-lifelong-democrat-and-burris-fundraiser.html#comments

It's too bad that others didn't show the same discretion.

Anonymous said...

Unless one of those gay fellows is hitting on me, preaching homosexuality to children,abusing children or using their authority to pressure someone to be intimate with them, I couldn't care less about their sexual predilictions.

I'm really more interested in where the candidates shape up on the issues that are defined by the people.

You know, illegal aliens, jobs, the right to carry, crime, taxes, corruption, over spending, unions, pensions, education, etc.

Anonymous said...

Anon 12:51 a.m. and all you others whose vile and hideous comments say more about you than you can realize should saunter on over to Ellen Beth Gill's blog and stay there where you ALL belong. While Mark Kirk is on active duty defending YOUR RIGHT to live in a free land, you disgusting things try to destroy him with nothing but unfounded rumors. What's wrong with all of you? Is this what you people stand for? Mark Kirk is one of the most principled human beings on this planet who is not a member of the gay community. He supports human rights, get it. He does not support gay marriage. When guys who are openly gay laugh at the statements of you and morons like Andy Martin Trigona or whoever he is today, THEY tell you that Mark Kirk is not part of their community. Their radar is right and you morons are just destructive, hateful people who need to find another place to spew your filth. Get lost and stop this charachter assassination.

Anonymous said...

I don't know if Kirk is gay or not & I thought it doesn't matter anymore. It seems to bother the republicans on this blog. You must tell people how to think & what to think. SHAME ON YOU!!!!!!!

Wolverine said...

Here are some great videos of the idiot Martin is and always will be. He attacks a news crew and goes to jail in these videos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMf9Zd6Sn_g

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zA7Yzy0rQG8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLq0rP4QXWE

Please enjoy these as much as I have enjoyed them. I knew Andy Martin would eventually pull a huge bonehead move.

Anonymous said...

What's bothersome, Anon 7:14 is that a scum bag like Martin is protected under our laws and a man like Mark Kirk has to endure this slander and more. Where's the justice in that? Republicans are NOT the problem. The problem is in the insane law the gives this creature the right to lie, to be an attack dog, and that Mark Kirk is left to say what everyone knows to be true. Mark Kirk is not a member of the gay community. If he was, he'd be the first to tell you all about it since that's the kind of stand up guy he is and has always been. In addition to True and Roeser, who else is behind this despicable campaign. There are others, you bet there are others.

Anonymous said...

To Anon 7:14

Hello? Shame on us for condemning Andy Martin? Huh? Go back to the la-la land blog.

Anonymous said...

Fran Eaton at Illinois Review posted three more recent threads (one authored by Chris Robling, another sent in by the Hughes campaign, and one from ILGOP) in addition to the one mentioned earlier here--and the discussion was, well..."lively".

IR also were kind enough to moderate comments, which they seldom do. (I know because many of the comments to which I responded in the wee hours were deleted later in the AM.)

Folks often bash IR because of their posting policy (and some of the unfortunate things some bloggers write), but they really went out of their way this time to keep this fair and balanced within their guidelines and to help ID the players and "sentiment" out there. IR no doubt played a part in helping to resolve this nastiness. (Thanks, IR!)

Anonymous said...

So now someone on catwoman's blog has noted that something has been taken down on this blog. What has happened to civility, honesty, issue oriented campaiging rather than personal attacks on people. When last I checked I thought I lived in America where we value an honest discussion of where our future leaders stand on issues that are relevant to all of us fortunate enough to live here in a free land. Can we agree that from this point forward we ALL stick to issues that will shape and form how we live, IF we live to see the light of another day. I am horrified at the lack of what once was real political discourse. I am hoping that you, TA, will lead the way on this Blog and not post comments that don't deal with real issues that matter. We have an economy in shambles, jobs that disappear, forclosures even in places like Lake Forest. And yet we want to discuss things that are baseless and useless nonsense. Come on folks, let's make a resolution that in this New Year we get back to what really matters to all of us.

Team America said...

Dear Readers- some of you may have noticed a comment from someone claiming to be Kimberly Vertolli (Mark Kirk's ex-wife) that was posted here this morning. We have removed the comment pending verification from Ms. Vertolli that this was indeed 'her' comment and not someone trying to play games. I will update later when we confirm one way or the other.

Anonymous said...

TA, I posted on here last night twice trying to sign my 10:05 pm post as "Anonymous ?", but for some reason you didn't allow that to go through.

I'm sure that's not the post you're referencing in in your 10:52 of this AM, but is there a reason why my post didn't go through?

Team America said...

Sorry, Anonymous?, things sometimes get a little screwed up when I turn on comment moderation. Not sure what happened to anything you had sent. Go ahead and specify by reference to time which comment was yours, if you like, and I'll make sure it gets up.

Team America said...

Oh, I just saw that you claimed the 10:05 post in that last comment, Anonymous?, so I trust we're good now.

Anonymous said...

Yes, we're good now. Thank you, TA. Forgot to sign my 10:05 PM post from last night, and just wanted to make sure I had a chance to correct that.

Anonymous said...

lol I posted (for the very first time!) on Ellen's blog a reference and link to Rich Miller's "Mr. Lucky" thread.

My comment was prefaced with a "civil" comment that said something like "No, the following best summarizes what's going on", which was in reply to the claims that the Kirk campaign are in full "damage control" mode and that we've lost the election.

Well, guess what? Ellen, deleted it! (Meow.)

Wow. Goes to prove that while Republicans are often accused of "censorship", it's actually the Democrats who practice it well. lol

Anonymous?

Team America said...

I noticed your comment over there too, Anonymous?, and knowing Ellen, it doesn't shock me in the slightest.

Anonymous said...

Sorry, so shocked (translated: "amused") by what Ellen did, that I can't type.

Beginning of second paragraph of my last post should read: "THE LINK was prefaced...."

Mea culpa.

Anonymous ?

Anonymous said...

I know, TA. Everyone warned me. However, this is actually the first time that I've actually felt quite stupid for advocating that we give her the benefit of the doubt.

Anonymous said...

Sorry, TA. That 2:56 pm post was from Anonymous?, too.

(I'm afraid I've been spoiled by being able to just hit the *enter* key to default to "Anonymous" on another blog. I promise I'll do better soon!)

Anonymous ?

Anonymous said...

My goodness! SEVERAL cordial attempts now--and Ellen's deleted every single one!!!

I'm beginning to suspect that she and (perhaps) her "multiple personae" are the only ones who are allowed to post on her blog.

Democracy at it's finest, eh?

Meow.

Anonymous said...

All the Kirk campaign needs to do to win handily is let others read the kind of posts one finds Ellen Beth Gill and her minions saying today. She and they prove that they are without any moral compass, they slander, they make up their own version of the truth. What they don't realize is that Mark Kirk has received more support since the Martin tirade broke than anyone could have predicted. Gill is a sick, sorry old woman who only knows how to spread her brand of hate and disgusting untruths on her blog. And she's a lawyer? Funny, I think I read that Martin also studied the law but was denied the right to practice in IL. Birds of a feather. She's a pitiful joke and one needs to laugh at her, not with her.

Anonymous said...

It's good everyone is comdeming Andy Martin. I'm glad to see that because it's well deserved. But it's too bad there are others among us that can't help themselves. After they blast Andy Martin for 50 words or so, they rip Roeser and True for 500 words or more. Let it be known that Roeser's and True's comments were taken totally out of context. Even the IRP defended True publicly. If this was a plot against Kirk, why would the IRP do that? It pays to get the facts first before blasting away at someone on a public blog. Hmmmmmmmmmm