by Mark Silva
First Rep. Mark Kirk, the Illinois Republican who has his eyes and fundraising set on President Barack Obama's old Senate seat, voted for a "cap and trade'' energy bill that fellow Republicans like to denounce as "cap and tax'' - Kirk one of a handful of Republicans who helped get the bill out of the Democratic-run House with the narrowest vote possible.
Now Kirk is angling for the endorsement of Republican "Rogue'' Sarah Palin, the former governor of Alaska who tried to weigh in on the congressional race in New York, backing the Conservative there, only to see the Republican in the race bow out and endorse the Democrat, who won this week.
Palin - "drill, baby, drill'' - is no fan of that climate-change bill that the House passed which places caps on the greenhouse gas emissions contributing to global warming, with the Senate revving up its own, tougher version now.
But Kirk, according to quick-draw Chris Cillizza at the Washington Post today, is hoping that Palin might become a fast fan of his. He said so in a memo to Republican Fred Malek.
When Palin passes through Chicago this month for her appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show (Nov. 16) to promote her memoir, Going Rogue, that comes out the next day, Kirk figures this: "Tthe Chicago media will focus on one key issue: Does Gov[ernor] Palin oppose Congressman Mark Kirk's bid to take the Obama Senate seat for the Republicans?"
Kirk is hoping for something "quick and decisive" from Palin about the Senate race, perhaps something like: "Voters in Illinois have a key opportunity to take Barack Obama's Senate seat. Congressman Kirk is the lead candidate to do that."
Kirk was quick to tout the importance of alternative energy when he helped get that climate bill out of the House.
But House Republican leaders, who complain that the energy bill will only drive homeowners' utility bills higher, were just as quick to warn of the consequences for those who supported it - quickly dubbed by opponents as "the Cap and Tax Eight.''
"There are going to be very dire consequences for those who voted for this bill," House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.), said. "It's the Republicans that made the damn thing pass, for crying out loud,'' radio's Rush Limbaugh complained. " Eight Republicans -- only four were needed.'' Michelle Malkin put out a Wanted poster -- see it above.
Palin, looking for purity in her party's ranks, has written at her Facebook forum: "Because we're dependent on foreign nations for our oil, we're also at their mercy if they decide to dump the dollar as their trade currency. We can't allow ourselves to be so vulnerable to the whims of foreign nations. That's why we must develop our own domestic supplies of oil and gas.
"Though the chant of "Drill, baby, drill" was much derided, it expressed the need to confront this issue head-on before it reaches a crisis point,'' she wrote. "Bottom line: let's stop digging ourselves into debt and start drilling for energy independence.''
"Kirk's memo is tangible evidence of the power of Palin's endorsement in a Republican primary,'' the Post's man notes. "Kirk, a moderate by voting record in the House, is clearly very concerned about the negative impact a Palin endorsement of one of his primary opponents could have on his chances at being the party's nominee for the seat being vacated by appointed Sen. Roland Burris (D-Ill).''
Kirk's talk with Palin ought to be interesting -- though hardly as public as the talk that Palin will be having with Winfrey.
Comments
Kirk isn't going to get any Democrats to vote for him after he went on his Treasonist trip to China and told them not to loan us money because we weren't going to pay it back. So he might as well go ahead and try to get support from Palin and the Teabaggers because he's not going to get it anywhere else.
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http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/06/rep-mark-kirk-r-il-i-told-china-not-to-believe-us-budget-numbers.php
I knew the Repubs were going to overreach after their meaningless gov victories yesterday.
The two races (Ny 23, CA 10) that actually had national congressional implications were won by Democrats. The governors races were based on local issues.
Virginia almost always goes with the opposite party of the president for their governor and Chris Christie, the Karl Rove minion in NJ? He's an indictment waiting to happen. One term and done.
Posted by: Snoop Doug | November 4, 2009 3:12 PM
Up until farily recently, Kirk had been one the few voices of reason and responsibility in the Reupblican party. As a resident of his district, I am deeply disappointed in his sell out to the Beck-Palin fringe element who now run the party.
Anything for a vote. I would rather have disagreed with him knowing where he stood, than watch him contort himself to pander to get their backing. Talk about flip flopping...
Posted by: gibster | November 4, 2009 3:16 PM
Yes indeedy u betcha. As Palin says it's all about principles. Like going on Oprah to sell her book. Well OK, it's all about the money.
Ps. Take your batsh*t crazy down the road so sayeth the 23rd.
Posted by: bill r. | November 4, 2009 3:17 PM
Hey GOPer's! Remember that Tree of Liberty? You know, the one that needs watering? Well, there's nothing more insidious or a threat to freedom than a pretend moderate in the GOP like Mark Kirk.
Turncoats like Kirk rot the Tree of Liberty from the inside. A Rotten Tree cannot stand.
You know what to do. So, get cracking!
Posted by: kenneth | November 4, 2009 3:24 PM
I knew Kirk was an ambitious little hair-do/fake moderate freak, but he must have a political ear made out of 24 carat aluminum, if he thinks even the most straight-laced of Winnetka, Highland Park, Lake Forest Republican'ts are gonna tolerate the Not-So-Divine Sarah.
But then, maybe the two of them can swap hair-care tips.
Posted by: Annie | November 4, 2009 4:00 PM
I knew the Repubs were going to overreach after their meaningless gov victories yesterday.
The two races (Ny 23, CA 10) that actually had national congressional implications were won by Democrats. The governors races were based on local issues.
Posted by: Snoop Doug | November 4, 2009 3:12 PM
Snoop Doug you go right ahead using the DNC taking points. Seem you and lot on the left forget all about 93. Se you in Nov 2010.
Posted by: Crooks_In_DC | November 4, 2009 4:26 PM
Boy Wonder Kirk is another Republican turd. An unpatriotic two-faced flip flopping hypocrite who should be arrested for treason. He's cannot get any support in his district so he has to run to a dimwit like Palin to do it for him.
Posted by: Doug R. | November 4, 2009 4:33 PM
Kirk has always tried to sell himself as a moderate, but he really isn't one. He even, very subtlely endorsed Palin's "death panel" argument in August.
Kirk may need to run right to win the primary (though I doubt it) but once he has done so, he doesn't stand a chance in the regular election. The only reason he is up in the polls now, though only a little, is because of the belief that he is a moderate. Kind of like how McCain styled himself a maverick even though he wasn't one. But McCain's characterization had more merit to it than Kirk's.
Posted by: DrainYou | November 4, 2009 4:35 PM
Hey, now, listen up. This is THE Veteran Sarah Palin. Hero of and experienced in trial by fire ... media. She has gained much experience on the front lines of ... fame. Her star power can not be denied, but the verdict is still out if she's the Savior of her party or the Kiss of Death. She's a new face, in a last year's socks in their unopened packaging, and we all know what happens when you pretend it's still 08 in 10 or 12. You lose......but at least she makes cutting and running look good, right. She can save the people a lot of money.
Posted by: Cinderella | November 4, 2009 4:45 PM
Snoop Doug you go right ahead using the DNC taking points. Seem you and lot on the left forget all about 93. Se you in Nov 2010.
Posted by: Crooks_In_DC | November 4, 2009 4:26 PM
______________________
Clown in DC,
We Dems will start taking you Repug nutbags seriously just as soon as you learn how to spell. We're not holding our breath...
Posted by: Snoop Doug | November 4, 2009 6:08 PM
Looks like 8 more seats for the Dems.
Republics; You're doin' a heck-of-a-job.
VA going Republic is a given, and NJ? Gonna lose some.
BTW, anybody see Hoffman's interview with Becky? NY 23 made a good choice.
(Crooks; Put the bottle down and walk away. Get some rest.)
Posted by: C.Morris✧ | November 4, 2009 6:53 PM
Ahhh, the derangement of the Loons on the Left is once again on full display.
We have one deranged Doogie say the Dem congressional wins really tell the story. Course, the congressional district in California is a Dem district. NY 23 had a moderate Dem win against a third=party candidate -- but just barely. More than likely if Hoffman had more time, he would have won.
The we have another Deranged Loony Lefty Doogie say Kirk is unpatriotic, which is rather funny and insulting to call a member of the military reserve, and one still serves his country in the military as "unpatriotic."
Kirk stands a good chance of winning in this messed-up state run by corrupt, incompetent Demoncraps.
The best solution to what ails the U.S. is to round up the worthless Lefty Loons and ship them off to Gitmo to be with their fellow worthless loons.
Posted by: John D, still right, as usual | November 4, 2009 7:12 PM
The Seante race will not be one by who the GOP runs, it will be if the dems lose it thru the corruption and mismanagement that has occurred in this state the past 6 years.
If the dems run Alexi the mobbed-up banker, he will stick to the corruption like Bill Clinton on a chubby intern
Posted by: Terry | November 4, 2009 8:10 PM
Oh John D,
You and the rest of the gaggle attacked Kerrey, Kerry, Webb, and Cleland as cowards and unpatriotic. WTH are you talking about?
And NY 23? Republican for 155 years, then this? Pretty funny. I at least admit the NJ result was a loss to the Dems. How can a safe Republican seat going to a Dem not be a loss?
You don't make any sense.
If he had longer to run longer he might'a won!? Why did the Cons. think they could ram this turd down the throats of the the voters of the 23rd in three days?
Kudos to Dede for sticking it to the bastards that stuck it to her.
Posted by: C.Morris✧ | November 4, 2009 8:45 PM
Notice how JD talks like he's in charge of something?
Posted by: BlueBirdWhisperer | November 4, 2009 9:13 PM
The astounding thing in about a silly " contest " is Vice-President Joseph Biden has the experience and the knowledge to make ex-Governor Palin, with respectful overtones, look like an unknowing, uncaring, novice politician, as she so amply proves, time and again. That some one with the lack of, even the basic experiences to govern, who walked away from an elected position, for reasons that still haven't been divulged, is astounding !! Yet, there are citizens that are championing her inexperience, her duplicity, her selfish motivations as qualities that would make her a good candidate for some high office. When I think in those terms, only one phenomenon comes to my mind, Bush&Cheney and that is almost as scary as the real deal !! " Crash " McCain presented then-Governor Palin as his running-mate in last year's presidential election. It was a gimmick, it was a " gotcha " moment, for his campaign and it was a silly and stupid mistake. "Crash" McCain never looked so stupid and he is still trying to recover the loss of his credibility, due, to some extent, to his gimmicky choice !!
Now we are being tantalized with Ms Palin, again. The right wing conservatives are again trying to dazzle the nation with their contrived unorthodoxy, in their selection of candidates to represent their silly, mean-spirited, and selfish agenda. They are trying to hide their anachronistic agenda, I might add, with the selection of another Bush&Cheney, of course, on first blush, a different look. They are trying their mightiest to re-invent the wheel, with their attempt to return to those " glorious " days of limited opportunity for all the people, the few enjoying the labors of the many, who, unfortunately, will be, and in some cases, are being, paid slave wages. Those are the glory days for the right-wing conservatives and their stupid agenda, which I will add, included the promotion and paying, to move jobs to cheaper labor markets. Their motto could realistically be: Workers, know your place and make no attempt to improve your lot. For your class of people, that is unAmerican !! That is communist, that is socialist, that is Hitlerism, that is Stalinism, that is classism and that is the vitriolic defense of their agenda. An agenda that grew out of days past, when the few tried to keep the many, down, to keep the many from enjoying the fruits of their own labor. Those days are gone, and "...all the king horse's and all the king's men couldn't put Humpty together again." All of you, right-wing conservatives, better get used to that idea, those unAmerican days will never be back !! Welcome to a new and improved America !!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, IL | November 5, 2009 2:36 AM
Those wanted posters remind me of the cards for the terrorists. Do these people hate everybody? or just anyone who thinks a little different than them?
Posted by: bill r. | November 5, 2009 8:36 AM
Mark Kirk better do a lot more groveling if he expects win this senate seat and get Palin's endorsement.
His "knee-cap and tax" vote and his pro-abortion stance don't really measure up to the conservative standard.
My guess is that Mark Kirk is actually looking for Palin's non-endorsement. He's more liberal than conservative.
Hey Kirk - time to man-up, or switch parties.
Posted by: Chris | November 5, 2009 9:40 AM
Terri,
You forgot about the corruption under the former Republican governor of Illinois. How convenient for you. Where is he now Terri??
Posted by: Doug R. | November 5, 2009 11:53 AM
As for ex-Governor Palin's endorsement, I know, by now, Kirk is running as fast as he can, away from her. Her gift to Hoffman, a loss, was a wonderful gift to the Democrats and we really appreciate her work and hope she continues to endorse other Republican-Libertarians. Thanks, ex-Governor Palin for handing over a Republican-Libertarian House seat, that has been on your side of the aisle for over a century. It made our day !!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, IL | November 5, 2009 11:55 AM
I think the only requirement Palin has about whether or not she will give a politician her endorsement would be whether they would accept a free copy of her book. Then her endorsement would be "even Mark Kirk has read my book and thought it was great." I cannot believe that this dingaling would even know who Kirk was--unless Stapleton, her ghost writer, Limbaugh or Beck took an hour to explain things to her. She is their puppet and has not one original thought in her empty little head. That is why she doesn't dare go on the book tour unless one of these four go with her to answer questions or explain what the book means.
Posted by: Chris | November 5, 2009 3:52 PM