Posted on 05/16/2002 5:50:48 AM PDT by Coop
nada ... have't heard a peep since the primary.
The regular party organization, which endorsed him in the primary, will be nominally supporting him in November but Dirkin has little money and not much of a statewide organization. I think the pros have pretty much written him off. Expect another six years of DURBIN.
Steve Neal is a liberal Democrat, and yes, he's also pretty nutty. However, if even HE thinks McCain could but Durkin over the top, then the liberals are pretty scared. This is probably the first time Neal has EVER said a consevative, Reagan-Republican can win statewide.
In fact, Neal is a such a biased $#%#%$#er that STILL insists to this day that Fitzgerald "stole" the election. Neal is a little crybaby 'RAT who came with a bizarre theory back in 1998 that a pro-lifer would "never" win any statewide office in Illinois. Told everyone that the GOP had to nominate Olympia Snowe clone Loleta Dickerson or "Moseley Braun will be a shoo-in". The little weasle had egg on his face on election night-- and he can't accept he was wrong so he writes little smear pieces today trying to convince everyone that Fitzgerald is an evil bastard who cheated to get into office. (he deos the same with any conservative who wins any kind of office in Illinois)
Now Neal has seen Durbin's dismal poll numbers so he's not going to make the same mistake he made in 1998. He constantly writes articles saying Durbin is "much more vunerable than previously thought" in hopes that it will motivative his fellow Democrats to rally around Durbin instead of sitting home. Of course, he talks about McCain all the time in hopes that conservative Republicans will think Durkin is as liberal as McCain and abandon him. Make no mistake, the thought that Illinois would have TWO solidly pro-life Senators representing us statewide drives this guy nuts. Many of his articles are to push his pro-abortion agenda as the "mainstream" position by insisting "Illinois' voting record shows we always support a woman's right to choose". He'll look like even more of an idiot if another non-RINO wins statewide in a "safe" Democrat seat.
And don't be fooled, Rudy Giuliani backed Bill Simon in both the primary and the general, but obviously Simon doesn't share most of Giuliani's liberal views. DurKin has a strong conservative record in the state legislature and since moved even further to the right during the primary (now pledging to protect gun owners rights and to enforce the death penalty in a state where it's become popular to yap about the system is "flawed") Here are some the issues that DurKin unabashedly pledges his support to on his website:
* Believes in the rights of the unborn and is 100% Pro-Life.
* Supports the right of gun owners to protect themselves and their families and to enjoy recreational activities.
* Act to immediately reduce the marginal tax rates across the board as well as the capital gains tax to spur spending and investment.
* Repeal the personal alternative minimum tax that affects a growing number of middle class families with deductions like children and dependents.
* Secure our national borders through strong immigration controls and provide the INS with the tools it needs to enforce our immigration laws.
* Implement a national missile defense system to protect our country against attacks from rogue nations.
* Facilitate exploration in ANWR and other domestic sources to break our reliance on OPEC and foreign sourced oil.
* Enact a productive farm policy that supports the family farmer and opens international markets.
* Provide real school choice through competition so all children have access to the best quality education available.
* Belives in the use of the death penalty as an effective punishment for henious criminals like Timothy McVeigh
* Reduce all unnecessary federal red tape to allow parents and teachers to do their jobs with accountable local control.
* Fight for a Veteran's Bill of Rights to provide the best care possible for our nation's heroes.
* Implement a national missile defense system to protect our country against attacks from rogue nations.
* Support research and development of nuclear power in addition to providing for safe, centralized storage of nuclear waste in Nevada.
*Oppose Ryan-Daley O'Hare expansion "deal" as a violation of states rights
Finally, bear in mind that we have a lot of well-known conservatives NATIONWIDE who are working hard to help Durkin defeat Durbin. Phil Gramm said he will also come to Illinois, campaigning side-by-side with Durkin. He will help rally conservatives to Durkin as much as McCain will rally indepedants.
Durbin is an ultra-left wing scum, and anyone who even has a remote chance of beating him in THIS state deserves our support-- especially a conservative!
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
June 11, 2002 Tuesday Illinois Five Star Edition
DURKIN STANDS BY HIS CONVICTIONS, MCCAIN SAYS IN VISIT TO COLLINSVILLE SENATOR SPEAKS AT FUNDRAISER
BYLINE: Norm Parish Of The Post-Dispatch
Sen. John McCain praised Jim Durkin on Monday as a man unafraid to stand up for unpopular causes.
Asked for an example at a Durkin campaign event in Collinsville, McCain quipped: "Me."
Durkin, a Republican state representative from the Chicago suburb of Westchester, chaired McCain's campaign in Illinois for the Republican presidential nomination in 2000. George W. Bush swamped McCain in the Illinois primary, with McCain getting only about 20 percent of the vote. But McCain's showing was considered strong, because it came after he had suspended his campaign. Now, Durkin is running for the U.S. Senate against Sen. Dick Durbin.
McCain, R-Ariz., said Durkin's performance in 2000 had impressed him.
"It really gave me an opportunity to get to know him and admire and respect the job that he has done as a legislator," McCain recalled at a news conference at the Gateway Convention Center.
"First off, he is experienced," McCain said. "More importantly ... his actions indicate that he is willing to stand up for what he believes in - even if time to time it doesn't mean he reflects the will of the majority but what he believes in. And in the Senate today, there are not very many of those individuals, sorry to say."
In his luncheon address, McCain praised the Bush administration's handling of the war on terrorism.
"Our president is doing a magnificent job," McCain told about 50 people at the $250-a-ticket luncheon.
McCain also expressed support for plans to reorganize U.S. intelligence agencies to improve national security.
"There should be a consolidation in Congress as well," McCain said, referring to congressional committees dealing with national security.
After the Collinsville event, McCain flew to Chicago for another Durkin fund-raiser.
McCain is just one of several big-name Republicans who Illinois GOP leaders say will visit the state to campaign. They say they hope to bring Bush to Southern Illinois. McCain said he too planned to return.
Durkin said he didn't believe the licenses-for-bribes scandal surrounding Republican Gov. George Ryan's administration would hurt his campaign.
End of excerpt.
Another few McCain apperances between now and election day might help convince the "undecideds" to go with Durkin, but we really cannot overuse the guy as a crutch. He already mention's McCain briefly in all his campaign literature. McCain got 31% of the vote in our primary for President (to Bush's 59% and Keyes' 10%), so clearly McCain is to the left of most Illinois GOP voters. Overusing him might depress Republican turnout downstate because they might get the idea that Durkin is a liberal Republican (he's not!).
We DO need some outside help here to nail Durbin, though...hopefully some additional celebrities will be stumping for him. I think Bruce Willis was considering it and Senator Gramm owes him a favor or something and promised to be here (considering Gramm is retiring, the least he can do is campaign in a few swing states where there are Senate races)
They are definitely overusing Bush in Illinois to try and "help" our Gubernatoral nominee (Jim Ryan) and it's not helping. Jim Ryan won re-election as Illinois A.G. by close to 60%, but Bush lost Illinois by double-digits (54% for Gore to 44% for Bush). These politicians may have high approval ratings with independants, but that does not translate into votes for whoever they showup and "support"
Durbin is such an obnoxious characther (even liberal Democrats say they dislike his personality!) that Durkin could do the best damage during a debate with the guy. The message is that Durbin is a soleless machine politician (true, he's never held a real job in his life!) whereas Durkin is a small-town suburban guy with a loving wife and four cute kids. (it worked for Fitzgerald!)
Durkin's had some great ammo he's used to hammer away at Durbin with. The only problem is that the media is NOT reporting it and we only see it on his website and his campaign literature. Once stuff like this gets out to the public, we could pull more votes in his favor:
July 2, 2002
Open Letter to Senator Durbin:
As you no doubt know, Illinois has more active and decommissioned nuclear reactors than any state in the union, and with that, the largest stockpile of spent nuclear fuel. Illinois taxpayers have contributed more than $2.5 billion into the Nuclear Waste Fund to finance its removal. I find it troubling that you have abandoned Illinois families with your previous votes against removal of this waste.
Accordingly, the Illinois Senate and House of Representatives have passed resolutions supporting the removal of spent nuclear fuel from our state to the Yucca Mountain site in Nevada. I co-sponsored the House resolution because Illinois families should not have to watch bureaucrats in Washington equivocate and shirk their responsibilities. As you well know the site at Yucca Mountain has been studied for more than 20 years; no environmental study in history has been more thorough. As you also know, there have been more than 2,600 shipments of spent nuclear fuel in this country since 1965 without a single incident of radioactive material being released-a perfect safety record.
You have voted against this important measure twice, and I am urging you now to cast a vote that reflects what’s best for Illinois families. Are you going to allow Senator Reid to stall this legislation without a vote? Will your vote be cast with the interests of the people of Illinois in mind or that of the Democratic leadership in the senate?
Jim Durkin
Durkin Says Pledge Ruling Reflects Durbin’s Votes For Federal Bench
Republican Senate Candidate Jim Durkin said the ruling by the 9th Circuit Court calling the Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional is a reflection of Dick Durbin’s push for a liberal, activist judiciary.
“If my opponent had his way all of our federal courts would be like the 9th Circuit,” said Durkin. “As a member of the Judiciary Committee, Mr. Durbin has attempted to block any nominees he deems not liberal enough.”
Durkin noted the huge number of vacancies in our federal courts during the Bush administration. Senator Durbin has gone so far as to paint nominee Charles Pickering as a racist in fundraising letters, despite the widespread support for the judge’s record on civil rights from black leaders.
“If you’re not an activist, liberal judge, then Mr. Durbin thinks you’re not fit to serve on the federal bench,” said Durkin. “Never mind the facts, never mind the record, Judge Pickering doesn’t buy into Dick Durbin’s agenda so let’s block his nomination.”
Durkin also cited the emergency shortage of federal judges, a situation that is only being exacerbated by Durbin and his Democratic colleagues refusal to grant nominees a fair hearing. President Bush has had only 43 percent of his nominees confirmed; at this point of President Clinton’s first term, the Republican controlled Senate confirmed 58 percent of his nominees.
“Back then Mr. Durbin and Senator Leahy were calling it a ‘crisis’ that only 58 percent had been confirmed,” Said Durkin. “Now they’ve created a greater crisis, and their answer is to smear the reputations of qualified jurists."
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