Only 17 percent of Republicans think Kirk told the truth

The Illinois Review ^ | Tuesday, June 15, 2010 | Mark Rhodes

[BillyBoy]

Only 17 percent of Republicans think Kirk told the truth

by Mark Rhoads

Before the primary, I was urged by friends of mine in Washington, DC who like Mark Kirk for his expertise on national security issues to boost his candidacy if I could in articles and with friends in Illinois.  When I pointed out that Mark Kirk was a huge disappointment to me on the social issues I care most about, our mutual friends kept pressing me on how he was needed in the Senate as a voice for military readiness. 

  So I sent the new Public Policy Poll to some of those friends today.  The poll was taken last Saturday and Sunday June 12-13 and shows that 45 percent of all Illinois voters, and 30 percent of self-identified Republicans do not think Kirk has told the truth about his military record. Kirk now trails Alexi Giannoulias in the poll by one point at 31 to 30 with 14 for the Green Party candidate.  Only 17 percent of Republicans think Mark Kirk has been truthful compared to 30 percent who do not and 52 percent of Republicans are not sure.  The coin of the realm in any campaign is credibility and the Kirk campaign is not suffering more only because the credibilty of the Giannoulias campaign is also so bad for different reasons. 

But 63 percent of Republicans still support Mark Kirk compared to only 56 percent of Democrats who support Alexi Giannoulias who seems not able to recover from the Broadway Bank closure no matter who he is running against.  Mark Kirk has paid a terrible and even disproportionate price for the white lies and fibs he invented to make his resume sound more impressive.  I am sure his supporters think it is a minor matter and it is not fair to judge him on what they consideer to be small mistakes.  But many others think it was a big mistake because it goes directly to character.l  A larger issue with both candidates is a lack of simple maturity.  Does either have the intellectual honesty or emotional maturity one should want in the office of US Senator? 

  Has the time come for Congressman Mark Kirk to step aside and resign his US Senate nomination to let the Illinois Republican Party leadership search for a good replacement who will not bring credibility problems to the race?  Is there enough time to call a special statewide GOP convention to endorse a new candidate so that candidate would have more legitimacy?  Would anyone trust the GOP State Central Committee to do it on their own even though they might have the legal authority to do it?

  How does the GOP earn credibility for any candidate at this point in the campaign?   It has to be a public figure who already has status and credibility even without having run in the primary.  Democrats so far have not been able to repair or replace Alexi and he is not improving his position in spite of Mark Kirk's problems.  But a large number of undecided voters do not like either candidate. 

If Mark Kirk stepped aside for a private sector job, one very tempting solution for the Illinois GOP might be to try to draft the other Fitzgerald.  Not former Senator Peter, but US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, if he would accept the GOP nomination.  I have seen no poll approval numbers lately on Patrick Fitzgerald but I am sure he would be a very strong candidate in this scandal-ridden state as the one person who has worked the hardest to uncover and prosecute many corruption cases in the state.  It is time for that sort of blue ribbon candidate if you could get him to accept.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT June 12-13 PPP POLL IN POLITICS DAILY.

Or see post below for a direct link to the PPP poll at

http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/PPP_Release_Illinois_615.pdf

MarkRhoads | Permalink

[BillyBoy]

At least we won't have to hear Kirk apologists drone on endlessly about his "honorable service" anymore. I wonder who the 17% who believe Kirk honestly made a series of "mistake" on his resume that conveniently boosted his credentials are?

[SkyDancer]

Kirk always told the truth ... oh, wait. Sorry, it was the other Kirk.

[BillyBoy]

=================================

MARK KIRK TRUTH FILE
JUST SAY NO TO SOCIALISM

" "The GREENEST candidate in the race... better than Barack Obama!"
- Carol Calabresa/The Sierra Club, 2008
" The strength of our campaign remains the Democrats"
- Mark Kirk, 2008

Freepmail me to get ON or OFF this list.

=================================

MARK KIRK TRUTH FILE
JUST SAY NO TO SOCIALISM

" "The GREENEST candidate in the race... better than Barack Obama!"
- Carol Calabresa/The Sierra Club, 2008
" The strength of our campaign remains the Democrats"
- Mark Kirk, 2008

Freepmail me to get ON or OFF this list.

=================================

MARK KIRK TRUTH FILE
JUST SAY NO TO SOCIALISM

" "The GREENEST candidate in the race... better than Barack Obama!"
- Carol Calabresa/The Sierra Club, 2008
" The strength of our campaign remains the Democrats"
- Mark Kirk, 2008

Freepmail me to get ON or OFF this list.

MARK KIRK TRUTH FILE
JUST SAY NO TO SOCIALISM

" "The GREENEST candidate in the race... better than Barack Obama!"
- Carol Calabresa/The Sierra Club, 2008
" The strength of our campaign remains the Democrats"
- Mark Kirk, 2008

MARK KIRK TRUTH FILE
JUST SAY NO TO SOCIALISM

" "The GREENEST candidate in the race... better than Barack Obama!"
- Carol Calabresa/The Sierra Club, 2008
" The strength of our campaign remains the Democrats"
- Mark Kirk, 2008

[GonzoGOP]

They need to Alvin Greene this guy. His only claim to running was that he could get elected in a deep blue state like Illinois. But with all the lies, deceptions, and fraud he can't get elected, even in the state that put Blago in office twice. Heck if we are going to lose anyways give us someone worth losing for.

[Falcon28]

At least we won't have to hear Kirk apologists drone on endlessly about his "honorable service" anymore

There are plenty of Kirk defenders here on FR. Why? They'll say "Because he's the GOP candidate and we have to support him" - or something like that. I agree with the author, the GOP needs to dump Kirk like a bad habit and find somebody else.

[AndrewB]

The devil made me do it..

[Phillipian]

Exactly right. He’s not worth it.

[JayVee]

I live in illinois. There has been talk of trying to persuade Mark Kirk to step down. Sadly, the problem will be that his replacement may be named by the “good old boy” crew of RINOs in the Illinois General Assembly. I have no representation in the United States Senate now and it does not appear that i will after the election either. This is the state of Illinois politics today.

[marron]

one very tempting solution for the Illinois GOP might be to try to draft the other Fitzgerald. Not former Senator Peter, but US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, if he would accept the GOP nomination.

Please, not Fitz.

He's the guy who spent fifty million dollars investigating "who" outed Valerie Plame when he knew it was Armitage from the very first day from Armitage's own mouth.

If you want integrity you need to look a little farther.

[BillyBoy]

Let me guess, you’re not from Illinois? It’s interesting that Illinois Republicans who actually know his record overwhemingly support Patrick Fitzgerald.

[marron]

Something went haywire there for a little while, then.

[Dengar01]

Before you and Fieldmarshaldj talked to me I really believed this guy.

DJ probably remembers but I said I met Kirk and he was a "nice guy".

Well in 2005 at the Caterpillar plant in Montgomery, IL I met another guy I thought was nice. I got his autograph and chatted with him for a good five minutes one on one.

Who was the "nice" guy?

Barack Obama

Someone tell me what kind of disorder I have. It has to do with believing politicians or being too trusting.

On a side note I still have the Obama autograph and wish I could sell it but I am pretty sure most democrats hate him too. Guess I'll just use it as kindle.

[Graybeard58]

Mark Kirk has paid a terrible and even disproportionate price for the white lies and fibs he invented to make his resume sound more impressive.

The queer's voting record in the House doesn't lie.

[Graybeard58]

There are plenty of Kirk defenders here on FR. Why? They'll say "Because he's the GOP candidate and we have to support him"

As I told one of them recently, should Romney somehow get the nod for the republican ticket in 2012, we'll be having this conversation again. Anybody who supports Kirk, will support the devil himself, as long as there's an "R" behind his name.

[usconservative]

What? A politician told a lie? Why I’m shocked ... SHOCKED I tell you!

[PhilCollins]

I’ve been registered in Kirk’s district for nine years, and I’ve never voted for him. I skip that section, because, starting in 2002, I knew that he’s pro-abortion, pro-gun control, pro-spending increases, and pro-gay marriage. When my choices are a liberal Democrat and a liberal Republican, I don’t care who wins.

[Impy]

Test of new tagline

RED=COMMUNIST, NOT REPUBLICAN | NO “INDIVIDUAL MANDATE”!!!!!!!