* I’ve been wondering who would be the first, and the “winner” doesn’t really surprise me. Republican Joe Birkett is the first Illinois politician (that I know of, anyway) to use the Iranian democracy protests to his own political advantage. From an e-mail…
Recognize the Heroes in Iran … Honor Them by Fighting for Reform at Home
As we speak, reformers in Iran are showing us what it means to treasure the right to vote and protest government.
In the wake of questionable election results in which Iranian despot Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was “re-elected” …. Iranian students and reformers have taken to the streets to protest.
Despite a media blackout, Iranian citizens are risking their lives to use online tools like YouTube and Twitter to tell their story to the rest of the world. Some of these protesters have been beaten, jailed or killed for their efforts.
It is a stark reminder that we should never take for granted our right to vote – and that we should avoid becoming apathetic amid our distrust of the corruption-plagued government that has inflicted Illinois for the past six years. […]
P.S. To reform Illinois, we need the financial resources to match the Democrats. Your immediate online investment in honest government can help us do just that.
* Meanwhile, Democratic Treasurer and US Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias made his first post at Daily Kos today…
So, I’ve set a goal for my campaign: 5,000 grassroots volunteers signed up on our website. If you believe that the person elected to President Obama’s seat should wage a campaign he would be proud of, then join us today.
His grassroots page is here.
* And Greg Hinz thinks Mark Kirk should run for governor…
But if there ever were a time to bring an outside moderate to Springfield, someone who knows government but hasn’t even vaguely been part of creating the utter mess Illinois government has become, it’s now. Consider: change, reform, unity. Remind you of the campaign another Illinoisan ran recently, congressman?
Sometimes in politics, you’ve got to play on the field where your game works best, even if it isn’t the field you know best. If Mark Kirk wants to move up right now, his best play is for governor, not the Senate.
LIVE session coverage...
- Macbeth - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 2:28 pm:
Please see this important Twitter feed:
http://twitter.com/#search?q=%23iranelection
This is the situation in Iran in real-time.
- Feldman - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 2:37 pm:
Now, is Birkett’s stunt more shameless than Peraica using the shootup of his neighbor’s house to raise money?
- shore - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 2:43 pm:
comparing foreign crises to things at home is a little played out from my side Republicans, especially those that have run for office before and have no international policy experience.
Rich we finally agree on something!
I’d love for one columnist in the state to not give a weekly update on kirk/madigan and instead go to 2nd level like aaron chambers did on a piece here a few years ago and talk about why kirk’s district is more blue and what new issues the GOP could use to move it red again.
- bored now - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 2:47 pm:
birkett seems confused as to which side of the iranian political spectrum he represents. his views greatly mirror those of the iranian ayatollahs, not the reformers. even if birkett isn’t arguing for a theocracy, the policies he advocates are similar.
or is birkett rejecting conservatism? someone is very confused…
- You Go Boy - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 2:53 pm:
Interesting how this in some ways piggybacks your
previous item re: “Who/Which is more corrupt”
question. Is flagrant/shameless (and PROMPT!)opportunism a corruption of the Blago strain? No, but it is a pathway of sorts - and all inclusive of political type.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 2:57 pm:
I’ve been saying that Kirk’s political views are much better suited for Springfield than Washington for a year now.
Moderate Republicans have a pretty good track record running for the Governor’s mansion.
U.S. Senate? Not so much.
If Kirk runs for U.S. Senate, he’s going to have to explain to GOP voters how he’d vote on a Supreme Court nominee who supports Roe v. Wade, or doesn’t believe that the Second Amendment is an absolute individual right.
You can be wrong with the GOP base on one issue, and they might forgive you. But a pro-choice, pro-gun control, pro-Sierra Club Republican doesn’t stand much of a chance outside of the 10th CD.
For the record: Hines is wrong in assuming that turning the 10th CD Blue would necessarily eat into Schakowsky or Bean’s districts. Illinois is likely to lose another congressional seat, and there will be plenty of Suburban democrats to spread around.
- Cousin Ralph - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 2:58 pm:
Yes, lets slam Joe Birkett for “cashing in” on the situation in Iran. However, when it comes to the compelling story of Dick Durbin “cashing in” on insider info from Treasury and the Federal Reserve, such apparently does’nt merit a mention on this high-minded blog, and certainly does’nt invite comments from readers. Very interesting.
- Cousin Ralph - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 3:06 pm:
Timing right for Kirk? Really? According to who? The Republican base that will turn out to vote in the 2010 primary does not have much faith that nominating a moderate to run will result in anything other than another drubbing. Ex A. JBT, Ex. B. John McCain. Look for someone who is an authentic fiscal and social conservative who does not run for the tall grass at the first sign that a principled stand will come under assault in the media. Kirk has a long, long way to go to prove that he is the most attractive Republican to GOP primary voters.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 3:07 pm:
CR, if you read down in the story you see that he sold the stocks to buy Berkshire Hathaway, and then…
===On Dec. 31, Durbin and his wife, Loretta, sold $31,476 worth of the Berkshire Hathaway shares, taking short-term capital losses totaling $10,419, according to a copy of the couple’s 2008 tax return filed with the disclosure form.===
So, he moved money around and lost a third of it. I’m not sure that qualifies as a full-blown scandal.
- TaxMeMore - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 3:09 pm:
Where was Joe Birkett when Illinois election laws were ruled unconstitutional in Lee v. Keith. Its easier to get on the ballot in Iran than it is to run as an independent in Illinois because of our tied for worst in world ballot access laws.
Illinois illegally and unconstitutionally kept political candidates off the ballot for more than 25 years. Where was Joe then? Heck, Lisa Madigan was the one defending these election laws that violated the Constitution and she LOST the case with her illogical and weak legal arguments and we still didn’t see Joe Birkett take that prime opportunity to stand up for reforming our elections.
Yup, Joe Birkett is just being an opportunist because the content of his character has not shown he gives a flying monkey about free and equal elections or democracy.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 3:09 pm:
===The Republican base that will turn out to vote in the 2010 primary does not have much faith that nominating a moderate to run will result in anything other than another drubbing===
Sez you. Try not to speak for everyone unless you have poll numbers or other hard data to back up your claim. Thanks.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 3:10 pm:
===Its easier to get on the ballot in Iran than it is to run as an independent in Illinois because of our tied for worst in world ballot access laws.===
Um, no.
- Anonymous45 - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 3:20 pm:
hey, as a life long Democrat, I’d welcome Kirk as a candidate for Gov…the Dems have pretty much showed me that they have way too much power and ego to ever actually accomplish anything in Springfield the last six years…this one party rule has been a long session of “I’m King of the Hill”…enough…have at it Kirk…
- Boxing Cross - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 3:22 pm:
Uh BrickheadJoe is going all foreign policy on us?
No wonder Commando Kirk is sliding over to the governor’s race.
- Deep South - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 3:24 pm:
Number one - I suspect the GOP base has shifted…it is becoming more moderate. The “old” base, the Limbaugh, Gingrich, Cheney axis, is on its way to the sidelines.
Number two - There are some real reasons to believe the Iranian election results are legit:
http://www.newamerica.n
et/publications/articles/2009/ahm
adinejad_won_get_over_it_14722
- Cassandra - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 3:24 pm:
I really wish Kennedy would run for governor. I can
understand he might be reluctant to oppose Lisa but
I think he has an excellent chance against Quinn in the primary and against any Republican.
- siriusly - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 3:27 pm:
YDD makes a good point. Kirk’s elective prospects are far better as the “next Jim Edgar” than as the “next Peter Fitzgerald.” The twist on that is that him and Lisa Madigan have opposite money problems. Kirk has Federal cash, none for the state race. She has a wad of state cash, no Federal money yet. Given that most politicians hate raising money, I could see them both staying in their respective jurisdictions.
But when he spoke at the City Club in April Kirk did talk a lot about IL government problems. She probably can wait longer than he can to announce. He needs to build a statewide campaign base, she already has one.
I think that it is hilarious that the only pictures of Alexi Giannoulias on his “grass roots” web blog page are him with legislators. Nice. I’m not saying there is anything wrong with any of those members backing him, its just funny because most people don’t characterize Club172 as “grass roots”.
- A Citizen - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 3:28 pm:
-Rich-
“…So, he moved money around and lost a third of it. I’m not sure that qualifies as a full-blown scandal. …”
Scandal? Maybe not - but as a money manager it makes him look stupid. Using Federal Gov’t. methods of money management usually results in a much larger loss so maybe he needs to try harder. His timing though is reasonably suspect - in a meeting one day and the next makes big personal finance moves? And on purpose posts a $10,000 loss on 12/31 - the last day of the tax year - what was he offsetting with the loss? Did he release his tax return? Very questionable moves!
- 47th Ward - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 3:28 pm:
Did Hinz really compare Kirk to the former governor? I think I know why Kirk is all up in arms about Super Pot if that’s what Hinz was smoking when he wrote that. Vile weed screed.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 3:29 pm:
===Kirk has Federal cash, none for the state race. ===
Wrong. He can use that federal cash in a state race. All of it.
- 47th Ward - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 3:31 pm:
OK, my bad. I misread Hinz piece. He wasn’t comparing the opportunity to run as an outsider on a reform platform. He was comparing the opportunity to campaign like Obama.
Either way, I think Hinz is wrong. Kirk is much better off in Washington.
- Captain America - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 3:44 pm:
Somehow I just don’t see any logical connection between Joe Birkett and Iranian politics.
- siriusly - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 3:46 pm:
oh, that sux - if I were a Kirk opponent
I guess he’s just as unknown as the other GOP hopefuls around the state.
- Captain America - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 3:48 pm:
Remember Rolando Cruz. Damn the torpedos and full speed ahead - let’s lcok him up and throw away the key regardless of the evidence. Justice, law, and order the Birkett way!
- Demi Less - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 3:48 pm:
Yes, let’s critcize Birkett for asking for money from reform minded citizens and celebrate Lisa’s big bankroll from Daddys special interest money chain!
- VanillaMan - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 3:50 pm:
For a state with the severity of Illinois’ and the record of electing corrupted governors, it is remarkable how quickly there seems to be a group of people here who don’t hesitate to shoot down someone not from the party that has been controlling Illinois during this fiasco.
If you believe Illinois needs to change, then stop punching every person who shows and interest in replacing the bozos we currently have in office and give them a chance.
It is that kind of mentality that is enabling the worst government in the United States from addressing it’s nightmares.
I don’t care much for Birkett either, but let’s stop torching him every time he comes up in discussions. Honestly, Keyes would have been a better senator than Burris, in a number of ways, and Birkett would have been a better governor than Blagojevich. Look at the guys we have in office, and tell me how you ended up in the “holier than thou” camp?
It is time to start listening, even to those you don’t normally listen to. As a conservative living in Illinois, it is the only option I have, and I recommend it to those who worship the major party in Illinois, because listening to all sides is a good thing.
- Obamarama - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 3:55 pm:
===Keyes would have been a better senator than Burris===
Ok I’ll bite on this one. Explain this to me VM (preferably in the form of song).
- Steve - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 4:00 pm:
Should Mark Kirk run for Governor? No. There’s not much evidence he could beat a Democrat in Northern Illinois. Also, a Democrat could even do well against Kirk in Southern Illinois. Kirk’s views on handguns isn’t exactly a winner downstate.
- fed up - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 4:03 pm:
Captain america,
Daley has alot more skelatons inn his closet than Birkett if you want to talk about bad prosecutions while a States Attorney but that doesnt seem to bother the Dem base in crook co.
- TaxMeMore - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 4:24 pm:
Um, actually, yes. All you have to do in Iran to run for their Majlis is sign a paper that says you believe in the Constitution and get approval from their version of a Supreme Court. There are 69 independents ELECTED to the Majlis that run under no political party label. In Illinois you need to collect a good 30,000 raw signatures in 90 days, last through a drawn-out arbitrary two month long challenge process requiring thousands of human hours, withstand an Joe Parnaurauskis (sp) type assault from the partisans on the State Election Board, and then win in the courts on the argument that Joe Wilson and Joseph Wilson are indeed the same person. Yea, its easier to lie to get on the ballot in Iran for the Majlis than it is to run as an independent for the US House from Illinois. They have 69 independents elected. We haven’t had a single one able to petition their way onto the ballot since 1980. Apples and oranges I WILL grant you, but a strong case can be made Illinois is just as bad as Iran because our political power parties violated our own Constitution to limit their political competition. Our US Supreme Court is a ton better than their version, but not Illinois’ election laws for independents wanting to serve in our version of the Majlis.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 4:27 pm:
===All you have to do in Iran to run for their Majlis is sign a paper that says you believe in the Constitution and get approval from their version of a Supreme Court.===
LOL
Their “Supreme Court” has ruled that presidential candidates are ineligible without giving reason.
Please, stop.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 4:47 pm:
Deep South, tell that to these folks
- Patrick McDonough - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 4:56 pm:
Rich, need a laugh? http://www.aboveallroofingandmore.com/diy-roof-maintenance.htm
- TaxMeMore - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 5:14 pm:
“Their “Supreme Court” has ruled that presidential candidates are ineligible without giving reason.”
I wasn’t aware the topic of PRESIDENTIAL ballot access laws was being discussed. Yes you are correct, Iran is a tiny bit more open to candidates on the ballot for PRESIDENT than Illinois is.
Democrats bent over backwards to put Bush\Cheney on the ballot after they ignored our rule of law while vigorously using every technicality of the law to keep Ralph Nader off the Illinois ballot, so you don’t even have much wiggle room defending our Presidential ballot access in Illinois with theirs.
And 69 elected independents in Iran versus 0 on the ballot since 1980 in Illinois is hard evidence to refute. I know you are tired of hearing the truth about our unequal and discriminatory elections in Illinois, but the facts present themselves.
- Carl Nyberg - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 5:30 pm:
Has Mark Kirk ever taken a principled stand against abuses of power within his caucus or against the Bush administration?
If Kirk never stood-up to power (minus when it was to his advantage in a partisan sense) why would you think that he’d do anything besides self-serving stuff when he got to Springfield?
The GOP-leaning, pro-business media seems to have this impression of Kirk that is contrary to the record he’s actually built for himself. The guy is a lackluster backbencher.
He’s supposedly most informed on intelligence, security and foreign affairs. He thought the Iraq War was such a good idea he wants it to go on longer.
If Kirk is absolutely wrong about the stuff he knows, what’s he going to be like in Springfield where he has no expertise. Has Kirk even shown an interest in the delivery of services aspect of government?
I’m fine with Kirk running for governor. He’ll lose in the primary, partly b/c of the social issues and who is friends with whom stuff. But I predict GOP voters will glean that the guy just doesn’t care that much what state government does.
Greg Hinz has this fantasy version of Kirk where he cares about state government. I suggest Hinz discuss some state policy stuff in depth next time. See how much Kirk knows and cares about that stuff.
- TaxMeMore - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 5:39 pm:
“Some 4,500 candidates nationwide were running for parliament’s 290 seats vote, in which an estimated 44 million Iranians of over 18 years of age were eligible to vote.[3]” From Wiki but easily backed up from their ballots.
15.5 candidates on the ballot for every seat in the Majlis. We average 2 candidates on the ballot for every US House seat from Illinois.
Iran also uses a form of proportional representation to give a seat to minority views such as a seat for the Christian and Jewish parties. No such luck in Illinois. It’s just for appearances in Iran, granted, but it is more “representation” than our political rulers allow from minority political parties.
I get it, religious zealots rule Iran so they are worse. That is no excuse for our oppressive election laws having similarly chilling effects on political competition here as the religious intolerance does there.
- steve schnorf - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 6:32 pm:
VM, I look for opportunities to agree with you, and I agree, Birkett would have almost undoubtedly made a better Governor. I can’t stay with you on Keyes, though.
- wordslinger - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 8:14 pm:
I thought Brickhead Joe’s guy won in Iran.
He, Jim Ryan and Burris were ready to railroad Cruz to the deathhouse, evidence be damned. Sounds like Ahmadinejad to me.
Since we’re talking about Iran, in our present context, let’s remember that on September 12, 2001, tens of thousands of people all over Iran lit candles and stood in solemn memoriam in their town squares for those who had been murdered the day before.
For all you sports fans out there, Iran — Persia — is an ancient, magnificent culture with a very young population. It ain’t 1979 anymore. They’re not going to put up with the medieval theocrats forever.
Remember what Mr. Lincoln said, “you can fool some of the people all of the time …”. But with instant communications, you can only fool the people who want to be fooled.
- Slinger - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 8:47 pm:
Wordslinger I think Lisa Madigan is more like an Iranian dictator than Birkett. She accused him of railroading Cruz when he had nothing to do with the prosecutions. She spread that whopper using Daddy’s money and the state run media let her get away with it.
- wordslinger - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 9:22 pm:
“Slinger,” Birkett was the go-to-guy DuPage County prosecutor in all three Cruz trials. It’s in the record.
What Bizarro World do you live in that allows you to make a statement otherwise?
Personally, I wouldn’t, um, “water” Rolando Cruz is he was on fire. But if you’re going to accept the people’s power of seeking the death penalty, you have a solemn duty to get it right, no matter the consequences to your pathetic political aspirations.
That goes for Birkett, and for Jim Ryan, and for Roland Burris.
- Hank - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 9:51 pm:
Everytime I see or hear the man (Birkett) I have an overwhelming need to take a shower with lots of soap. Please go away!
- Jack-Athens - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 10:36 pm:
Kirk seems like another wimpy Northern Illinois Republican to me. Pro-Choice, Anti-Gun, Anti-”Super” Pot. Surely the Illinois Republican party can do better than that. The state is ripe for a change, but the Illinois Republican party seems out of touch.
- just sayin - Monday, Jun 15, 09 @ 11:08 pm:
Doesn’t Joe Birkett have innocent people to keep on death row? Family members to give preferential treatment to?
Talking about a country he probably couldn’t find on a map if his life depended on it seems like a poor use of time.
- anon - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 7:15 am:
will alexi always mention “barack obama” in everything he does?
- Slinger - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 9:24 am:
Wordslinger must be a Madigan bot. Birkett did not prosecute or supervise the Cruz prosecutions. The Madigans knew this but put on tv anyway. Media let her get away with it. The Madigans will use special interest money to lie about anybody who challenges her. Wake up Illinois.
- Is the truth out there? - Tuesday, Jun 16, 09 @ 2:56 pm:
Joe Birkett was elected State’s Atty in 1996. Who was State’s Atty when Cruz was prosecuted?
There are multiple appellate decisions on the Nicarico murder cases that list the prosecuting attorneys. Can anyone produce a citation that includes the name Birkett?
There are inumerable transcripts of the murder trials and appeals. Anyone got a transcript with the name Birkett in it?
Joe made sure the cops and prosecutors who worked on those cases got defense attorneys paid for by the county. For that he will forever wear the hairshirt according to death penalty opponents.