Posted on 10/07/2010 8:49:15 PM PDT by Inyokern
In 2010, the citizens of Illinois should send to the Capitol a senator who will bring expertise and independence. The candidate who fits that bill is Mark Kirk.
Today the Tribune endorses Kirk, a Republican, for the U.S. Senate seat that Roland Burris soon vacates. To understand our verdict, watch Giannoulias and Kirk's appearance before us this week. You'll find the video at chicagotribune.com/senate. Judge each man's depth and preparedness for the job. Judge knowledge and scope. Judge accomplishment. Judge which candidate has a proven record of thoughtful independence — of bucking his party when the good of this nation is at stake. You won't have difficulty making these judgments.
(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...
When I was growing up in Chicago the Trib was a Republican leaning paper. I don't think that is true today but I still think that this endorsement is going to leave a mark.
Son of a Gun!
He needs to make some concessions for the good of the party.
When a major newspaper endorses a Republican in a close election, that is always surprising, and always very welcome news.
I think this editorial will clinch the election for Kirk.
Just a feeling . . pleasantly surprised.
Tribune Company is an ultra-liberal company ..
As I said in a previous thread:
Kirk is against "card check" (which would allow unions to organize without a vote).
He is against immigration amnesty and supports completing the border fence and sending more troops to the border.
He favors extending the Bush tax cuts for everyone.
He is against closing Gitmo
As a congressman, he voted against Obamacare and he has indicated that he wants to repeal it.
Giannoulias takes the opposite position on ALL of those things and more. Giannoulias would be our worst nightmare. Kirk must win!
Why wouldn’t they? A liberal paper is endorsing a liberal.
To be fair they endorse a bunch of republicans in house races...
Talk about a former reputable publishing icon fallen to
ugly disrepute, this article will make your hair curl. It’s
the shocking story of a completely inappropriate and
deviant good old boy crew at the helm. I can’t imagine the
owner has let these stunning antics go on so long.
At Flagging Tribune, Tales of a Bankrupt Culture
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/06/business/media/06tribune.html?_r=1&hp=&pagewanted=all
~~~~~~~
Supporting Kirk today, and yet they were the lynchpin in
Obama’s senatorial win by getting the sealed Ryan divorce
info leaked JUST before the election, AND ...again, leaking
the info that Fitzie had Blago’s offices and home, etc.
wiretapped.
Quite the stunning change in both stability and political direction.
My Endorsement Michael Labno
LSounds like the NYT is in a snit.
The last guy who won this senate seat was Barack Hussein Obama. Do you really think Labno has a snowball's chance? Do you want to encourage Republicans to throw their votes away and elect Giannoulias?
I’m am definitely holding my nose in voting for Kirk. But the stench of the RAT crook is overwhelming.
The best thing I can say about Kirk’s record is that he’s not as bad as Castle. The interesting thing is that in his ads he’s running as hard as he can to the right. At least those he’s running downstate. He’s thinks that’s the message that sells this year even in Obama’s Illinois. I wish I could believe him, but the early primary left the GOP stuck with him as the lesser of evils.
“Sam Zell was sort of a rock star when he went around and toured the various properties,” said Ann Marie Lipinski, the former editor of The Chicago Tribune who left less than a year after the takeover. “People had been living with uncertainty for so long and they hoped something good would come from an owner with a proven track record of success in other businesses.”
Mr. Zell’s first innovation was the deal itself. He used debt in combination with an employee stock ownership plan, called an ESOP, to buy the company, while contributing only $315 million of his own money. Under the plan, the company’s discretionary matching contributions to the 401(k) retirement plan for nonunionized Tribune employees were diverted into an ownership stake. The structure of the deal allowed Tribune to become an S corporation, which pays no federal taxes; its shareholders are responsible for all taxes.
The $8 billion in new loans used to finance the deal left the company with $13.8 billion in debt. But Mr. Zell was convinced that by quickly selling the Chicago Cubs and other assets while improving operating margins, the company could emerge as a valuable property. It was typical Zell: a risky approach to gain control over a large, distressed asset while minimizing his own exposure, something he acknowledged in a company newsletter:
“I’ve said repeatedly that no matter what happens in this transaction, my lifestyle won’t change,” he wrote to his combination employees/shareholders. “Yours, on the other hand, could change dramatically if we get this right.”
His second innovation was bringing in a new management team, largely from the radio business, that, like Mr. Zell, had little newspaper experience, which constituted more than 70 percent of the company’s business.
Mr. Michaels, who was initially in charge of Tribune’s broadcasting and interactive businesses as well as six newspapers, was a former shock jock who made a name for himself — and a lot of money for Mr. Zell — by scooping up radio stations while at the Zell-controlled Jacor Communications. Jacor was later sold to Clear Channel Communications for $4.4 billion.
Mark Kirk is Arlen Spector and Jim Jeffords waiting to happen. I wouldn’t give the guy 6 years to make mischief that’s why I’m telling all Illinois voters to vote for Conservative Mike Labno for US Senate.
I might consider giving my vote to Kirk for the 8 week term however,
That scumbag Kirk has to lose. It would be worth two years of the other scumbag just to see Kirk lose.
Better to be knifed in the face by an enemy than stabbed in the back by a “friend”.
Nonsense. He has been a Republican congressman for several terms. He holds what used to be Don Rumsfeld's congressional seat and his views are similar to Rumsfeld. He is not going to be as liberal as Jeffords because Illinois is not Vermont.
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