And that's only his "pretty good fiscally conservative" record I cited. (ever notice any Republican who loudly proclaims to be a "fiscal conservative" isn't?) I didn't even get into Kirk's record on social issues (supports partial birth abortion, "transgender rights", pro-amnesty, F- rating from Gun Owners of America, etc.)
Given Kirk's track record of the past decade, it's clear any freeper who repeats his talking points that Kirk is "fiscally conservative and socially moderate" is either completely ignorant of his actual beliefs, or knowingly lying about the man's views to try and make him acceptable to the GOP base. Kirk is the 2nd most liberal Republican in the House (the no. #1 liberal, Mike Castle of Delaware, lost his primary) and more liberal than a good chuck of card-carrying Demoncrats, including not only southern and western Democrats from GOP districts, but even some Chicago machine Democrats.
I would probably rate Kirk even to the left of Ahnuld. Kirk will undoubtedly be the media's top choice when they need a "Republican" to make the rounds of the nightly talk shows promoting the Democrats agenda as "bipartisan", and speaking out against conservative Republicans legislation as "too extreme". And we're not only going to have that for the next six years, but Kirk will probably cling to his Senate seat for decades. As an Illinoisan I'm embarrassed to think of it. The freepers promoting this guy so we can "take Obama's seat" better get used to hearing promos like this in the near future:
"COMING UP NEXT: BARACK'S COMEBACK?
CNN REPORTER: It wasn't long ago that there were whispers around Washington that President Obama was a 'one-termer'. Last year's GOP landslide election seemed to have sealed his fate. But now the President has shown he can get things done and has earned praise from even the most staunch Republican officials. When we come back, we'll talk with Republican Senator Mark Kirk, the man who holds Obama's former Senate seat. Kirk & Obama made headlines this year in an area few thought consensus would be possible: the landmark Energy Reform bill. KIRK: When we first came to the table, we didn't know if the President was serious about real energy reform. But President Obama far exceeded my expectations. What my Republican colleagues in the Senate are afraid to admit is that President Obama showed the kind of leadership we haven't seen in decades. It's a whole new ball game now..."