Monday, October 18, 2010

Endorsements Continue to Roll In for Mark Kirk for U.S. Senate

With the exception of the massively liberal Chicago Sun-Times, and the apparently socialist St. Louis Post-Dispatch, it appears that just about every major Illinois-market newspaper has lined up behind Congressman Mark Kirk to endorse him over his Democratic opponent, Alexi Giannoulias. Look for these endorsements to start moving the poll numbers up for Kirk very soon...

From the Kirk for Senate campaign, here are the three latest major endorsements:


Kirk for U.S. Senate

Southtown Star

October 17, 2010

When U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Indiana) announced in February he would not seek another term, he cited Congress' bitter partisan divide.

"There is too much partisanship and not enough progress. Too much narrow ideology and not enough practical problem-solving," he said. "Even at a time of enormous challenge, the peoples' business is not being done."

Bayh's decision was our nation's loss. He was a rare, practical-minded public servant who ignored party ideology and supported or opposed legislation based on merits. He worked across the aisle, often to the grumblings of his fellow Democrats and without regard to the next election.

The U.S. Senate needs more of that, which is why we endorse U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk (R-10th), of Highland Park.

Kirk has shown a willingness to break with his own party on key votes…

…Kirk also rejects the earmark process, declining to submit pork projects for his own congressional district. We wish more members of Congress would do the same.

Representing a fiscally conservative, socially moderate district has shaped Kirk to take those same principles to the U.S. Senate. Members of his party have scorned his willingness to work across the aisle, but fortunately those voices are the minority. As Bayh said, we need more problem-solving and less "narrow ideology."

We want to send Kirk to the U.S. Senate to unwind the partisanship, to leverage his independence by swinging between both sides of the aisle. Illinoisans embrace middle-of-the-road positions, and so do most Americans. It's called common sense. It's called compromise. We look forward to watching Kirk work more closely with U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Springfield) for the betterment of Illinois than with the partisan political leaders of his chamber.

Kirk also brings unparalleled perspective to foreign policy issues. He is a go-to lawmaker on Middle East policies and remains focused on addressing Iran's terrifying pursuit of nuclear weapons, as well as the security of Israel, our strongest ally in the region…

…While we find Giannoulias earnest and thoughtful, he simply hasn't acquired a portfolio of accomplishment yet to merit election to the U.S. Senate.

We endorse Kirk.


Illinois would be best served by Kirk in Senate

Bloomington Pantagraph

October 17, 2010

In a debate on “Meet the Press,” each candidate was asked to name two parts of his party platform with which he disagreed. Kirk quickly listed at least four. Giannoulias talked around, but did not answer, the question.

Kirk has been effective in Congress working with both sides of the aisle. He has demonstrated leadership in the House and would be better able to hit the ground running in the Senate.

Kirk said the government needs to spend less, borrow less and tax less.

He supports extending the Bush era tax cuts because current congressional leaders would spend the extra revenue rather than use it for debt reductions and because this is the wrong time to enact large tax increases.

He wants to do more to increase exports and sees agricultural exports as particularly important for Illinois.

Giannoulias is bright, but still inexperienced.

This is the seat once held by President Obama. But it has been under a cloud since Roland Burris was appointed by Rod Blagojevich on the heels of the former governor’s arrest on federal corruption charges. Illinois deserves better.

Because of the convoluted procedures around the appointment of Burris, voters actually will be voting twice on the ballot: once to fill the seat from after the election until the swearing in of the next Congress, the second for a full six-year term.

The brief two-month term takes on added significance because of the important matters that could come up in the lame duck session — particularly budget and tax cut measures.

The Pantagraph Editorial Board endorses Mark Kirk for the interim term and six-year term in the U.S. Senate.


Kirk for Senate

Belleville News-Democrat

October 17, 2010

…we think Republican Mark Kirk's maturity and seasoning, gained during a decade in the U.S. House, make him the better choice in this race. We urge Kirk's election on Nov. 2.

Kirk brings a thorough, thoughtful understanding to the issues of the day, from the threat posed by Iran's nuclear program to the dangers of the federal government now borrowing 40 cents of every $1 it spends.

His time in the House has made him increasingly a fiscal conservative. He said he will work to rein in government spending, eliminate waste and promote more public-private partnerships for public works programs.

He has a reputation of working well with politicians on both sides of the aisle, which is preferable to the polarized, can't-get-anything-done politics often on display. For example, Kirk says Republicans should support Democratic President Barack Obama's proposal for a line-item veto because it's a good idea.

Giannoulias also promises to be an independent voice in Washington and has criticized some of Obama and the Democrats' decisions. However, Giannoulias either couldn't or wouldn't cite even one Democratic position he disagreed with when asked for two during a debate on "Meet the Press."

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12 comments:

Anonymous said...

old friend of team america lis smith, she of the failed seals 06 and 08 campaigns who has also worked for losing campaigns for terry mcauliffe and jon corzine, turned 28 this morning according to politico. She's now working for ohio governor ted strickland who is getting crushed. apparently her case of campaign loseritis she acquired working for pup has not gone away. I join the rest of the 10th gop in wishing she runs obama's campaign next year so he too will meet the fate of pup and all the other people she's suckered into allowing ruin their campaigns.

happy monday and great endorsements. glad to see the rest of the state is catching kirk fever.

FOKLAEAPS

Anonymous said...

FOKLAEAPS, you're just getting creepy. Why are you stalking this poor woman?

Leave her alone already man, it's just politics.

10th District Values Voter

Anonymous said...

creepy is the 10th dems 11 year obsession with mark kirk and catlady's 7 year blog about his wife, his sexuality, his staff, his finances and thats just to name a few.

also creepy is a senate candidate who goes to a brothel to give loans to a mobster in miami.

foklaeaps

Anonymous said...

FOKLAEAPS, why are you cyberstalking Lis Smith?

I really don't care about any rationalizations you have to offer about Democrats and the like, because you should be able to make your own decisions.

Also as a friend of Lis' I find it rather discomfitting that you seem so determined to keep going after her. At the end of the day, it's just politics, and everyone goes home.

Give it a rest.

10th District Values Voter

Anonymous said...

10th values,

any member of 10th democrats organization is fair game after the treatment you all subjected kirk team members, the kirk family and kirk organization to.

she approved those heinous personal attacks along with one on new jersey governor chris christie attacking him for his weight problems, which members of your own party called disgusting.

no one on the 10th gop side has ever questioned dan's sexuality or attacked mrs. seals or the seals children as you have done to your next senator mark kirk. We also haven't seen or heard from alexi's wife. hmmm.

this was in politico playbook, a morning clipping service. Not like what you did in digging up dirt on mark.

thanks

Foklaeaps

Team America said...

10th District Values Guy- I might add that before you get on your high horse, perhaps you should criticize Rob_N for his highly personal attacks on me and Lou Atsaves. Under your code of political ethics, I would think such tactics would also be unacceptable.

Anonymous said...

TA--

Though I don't always agree with 10th values (the commenter...I am always pro-values), he/she is right in this case. By running this blog, you are subject to criticism for your reporting, just as Louis is subject to criticism as he is a GOP party leader. In this case, we are talking about a 100% private citizen who's job happens to involve working on campaigns. It would be like me personally attacking Kelly Folino or a non-public face of the Dold campaign. (Klopp is different, she's the public face and makes it oh so easy to criticize)

FOKLEAPS is way over the line on this one and his antics truly hurt the value of the dialong on this important issue. I'm not surprised that Kirk holds an endorsement edge; however, I am surprised that newspapers have not considered his serious lack of ethics in their endorsement discussion.

The fact remains, Kirk has KNOWINGLY lied about his military service multiple times and KNOWINGLY used his service to pander for votes. Whatever business Broadway Bank had with questionable characters does not even come close to measuring up to blatantly and grossly lying about something like military service. Kirk's lies are a slap in the face to every person in our district and our country that wears a uniform. He degrades their service by hyperbolizing his own. For that reason and many others, I and many others will not be voting for him.

Until Next Time,
A Concerned Colonial

Team America said...

CC - aside from mentioning what's-her-face's birthday, FOKLAEAPS wasn't getting personal. Compare that to the type of personal attacks that Rob_N liked to make concerning my career and other personal issues, which is what got him kicked off this blog. He can, and does, say whatever he wants on his own site (at least by standards of taste, not legality), but we're not going to stand for that here.

Anonymous said...

"We also haven't seen or heard from alexi's wife. hmmm.

Wow. folklaeps obviously has problems--or some weird obsession with "wives" in places where there are none.

THAT's creepy. Makes you wonder.

Anonymous said...

catlady has had at least 40 postings on the former mrs.kirk. I just find it interesting that accomplished statesman and leading american banker alexi has never published a piece of mail or campaign photo with mrs. alexi, much less used her in a campaign ad or rally.

hmm.

FOKLAEAPS

Anonymous said...

I don't think there is a Mrs. Alexi, is there? I think Alexi might be engaged, or was engaged, but Foklaeps, I am pretty sure there is no wife on the scene. You are right in saying that the incessant attacks on the former Mrs. Mark Kirk were and are a focus on the catlady and a few other tacky friends of hers. Some of your posters think that wives are fair game. They aren't and never should be. None of that mattered to Ellen Beth Gill. Like I said, tastless and tacky is her focus.

Anonymous said...

If a spouse publicly campaigns for a candidate, he/she is fair game, regardless of the political party.