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* The Illinois Review posted this today…
Over the weekend, rumors began to circulate that there are serious discussions taking place about U.S. Senator Mark Kirk stepping down due to his health. The questions remain … and we believe deserve to be answered.
* But a simple Google News search would’ve revealed the answer to those “questions.” From a front-page story just last week in the Post-Dispatch…
Despite his health problems, Kirk is unequivocal about remaining in the Senate. Another senator, South Dakota Democrat Tim Johnson, announced recently that he won’t seek re-election in 2014. Johnson, 66, suffered a near-fatal brain hemorrhage in 2006 and still has difficulty speaking.
Kirk shook his head when asked in the interview if, like Johnson, he might choose not to run again while dealing with health issues.
“Already raising money for re-election,” he said.
* Related…
* Al Hunt: Senate Friendship Born of Tragedy Overcomes Partisanship: Kirk’s recovery has been slow but steady. He walks with a cane and is regaining other abilities. He missed all of last year’s congressional session. He’s back full time now, and fully engaged. During a recent all-night Senate “vote-a-rama,” there were 42 roll calls until 5 a.m.; he made them all.
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Apr 22, 13 @ 11:38 am
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No way will he let Pat Quinn pick his replacement. However, PQ appointing himself to the Senate to take care of his 2014 issues would be interesting. Gov. Simon anyone?
Comment by WizzardOfOzzie Monday, Apr 22, 13 @ 11:44 am
Reading the Kirk Durbin story made me sure that just reading that is causing some GOPers in Illinois lose their minds…
Comment by OneMan Monday, Apr 22, 13 @ 11:53 am
I am a bit surprised that the SGOP, and Christine Radogno very specifically, let the Roxane Owens apologize as herself, and the fundraising arm itself, and just leave it there …
===Yesterday we were made aware of an inappropriate phone solicitation allegedly made on behalf of the Republican State Senate Campaign Committee.
We have since learned the call did originate in an RSSCC vendor call center. It was clearly a misrepresentation of RSSCC and its mission and will not be tolerated.
The vendor assures us it was an isolated incident by an inexperienced employee who is no longer with the company.
We have suspended all solicitation calls while we further evaluate our relationship with the vendor.
Roxanne Owens
Finance Director===
I would have done, and added the following;
“Republican Leader Christine Radogno, personally, has reached out to Senator Kirk and has offered an apology for this unfortunate incident.”
Why?
While I am “satisfied” that ownership seems to be taken, albeit blame on the vendor, leaving this so open-ended, and lacking the respect to Senator Kirk by a fellow Republican who is the Leader of a Caucus, soliciting for money and using a negative against Senator Kirk to do so, and then not publically and privately apologizing …that is …
Bad Form, state Senator Radogno, Bad Form, indeed.
Like I said, if this was done to a Conservative by a Caucus, accident or not, and there was no apology, we would, more likely, be hearing about it as a Conspriacy.
If there was an apology given, personally, by Christine Radogno for her Caucus, I have not heard about it, but that does not mean it didn’t happen. You would think if it DID happen, a Class move would be to be out in front of this and say so.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 22, 13 @ 11:56 am
Concern trolls are concerned.
– MrJM
Comment by MrJM Monday, Apr 22, 13 @ 12:01 pm
Who is hoping more for Kirk’s retirement, conservatives who see him as an idealogical sell-out, or Democrats who would love to pick up the seat by running against a too-conservative Republican replacement?
Comment by Frank Monday, Apr 22, 13 @ 12:07 pm
Nasty wishful thinking by the IR — like a candidate they could get behind would have a chance of getting elected statewide.
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Apr 22, 13 @ 12:07 pm
as we asked last week does the vendor or caller have a name…seems very unlikely that some employee ambles into the call center and fires up the lines to spill this garbage.
The wing nuts leading the cheerleading for Kirk’s departure should sink them a little deeper.
Comment by CircularFiringSquad Monday, Apr 22, 13 @ 12:14 pm
==The questions remain … and we believe deserve to be answered.==
What questions? Kirk has made a fantastic recovery and is back on the job full time. There is nothing impeding him from carrying out his duties. What else do you need to know?
Comment by Wensicia Monday, Apr 22, 13 @ 12:18 pm
Conservatives had no problem with strom thurmond and jesse helms who were several decades older than kirk serving and running for reelection despite much greater health issues than he faces. One of Helms’s ex aides is one of his biggest supporters on foreign policy as well. They’ve also had several chances including in his primary to put forth candidates and they’ve been unable to find people much less run credible campaigns.
He’s also not an ideological sellout. He had an F- NRA rating in the house and I’m sure will have some sort of bluto-esque grade as a senator. He is who they thought he was.
Comment by shore Monday, Apr 22, 13 @ 12:31 pm
Any Illinois conservative trying to nudge Kirk out the door is even dumber than I already imagine.
Comment by Boone Logan Square Monday, Apr 22, 13 @ 12:35 pm
The telemarketing/direct appeal fundraising business thrives on over-the-top rhetoric designed and targeted to push the buttons of those who might open their wallets. I think a script that mentions Mark Kirk’s less than conservative votes/positions is almost guaranteed to pry some money from the true believers crowd.
I think this was an effective money-raising script that was exposed, and not the result of a rogue caller. The telemarketing vendors are usually paid by a percentage of what is raised, so the more money they can pry away from the gullible, the more money that can put in their pockets.
While it’s entirely possible Radogno and the State Republican Senate Committee neither wrote nor approved of the script, they are prepared to pocket the proceeds, if any, from calls like this. And as we’ve seen with the NRA and Tea Party fundraising appeals (and Personal PAC and other liberal groups), these calls help create and validate fear among certain blocks of people, fear that is hard to channel once unleashed.
Appeals based on facts and reason rarely generate much financial response. Urgency and fear do. That is telemarketing 101.
Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Apr 22, 13 @ 12:44 pm
And the Republicans continue to eat their own.
Comment by Demoralized Monday, Apr 22, 13 @ 1:06 pm
Coming up….Job Auctions. Next bid please
Comment by Jasper Monday, Apr 22, 13 @ 1:12 pm
Willy, I think you’re probably reading too much into this. I’m sure Radogno would have called Kirk or Kirk’s people to apologize, but I’m sure she would rather the things discussed on that call not be publicized.
Comment by Just Me Monday, Apr 22, 13 @ 1:34 pm
- Just Me -,
Here is what I do know, if I did call Senator Kirk, and apologized, I would have made sure I said so. Looking at the apology, it doesn’t sound like anything was discussed…
Further …
===I’m sure Radogno would have called Kirk or Kirk’s people to apologize, but I’m sure she would rather the things discussed on that call not be publicized.===
You have your Finance Director admit it went on, how much worse can it get? Admitting a call was placed, and a personal apology was made, is a heck of alot better then having it fester out there.
Once you admit it did, indeed, happen, damage control would dictate the apologies, and the fact that apologies were made, to make it be KNOWN apologies were made.
Otherwise, I get the feeling the Finance Director and the vendor are saying, “Nothing to see, move along now …” Conservatives would, more than likely, never let it lay as it has now, if this was done to “one of their own.”
And yet, there is only the Finance Director out in front, publically, and we do NOT know if those apologies happened.
Bad Form.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 22, 13 @ 1:44 pm
a poorly veiled attempt to force Kirk to step aside? pathetic. he is recovering from his stroke and handling the job quite well. ultra conservatives need to move on to something and someone else.
Comment by Susiejones Monday, Apr 22, 13 @ 1:50 pm
I’m not usually part of the black helicopter, conspiracy crowd, but there’s something very troubling about this. The idea that a “rogue caller” went off script and created his/her own message is preposterous. Anyone who has ever worked with a phone vendor would know this. I hope the RSSCC will take a long, hard look at this vendor because I am convinced this was not an isolated incident.
Comment by LincolnLounger Monday, Apr 22, 13 @ 2:03 pm
more explanation needed and accountability. this is nasty stuff.
Comment by Amalia Monday, Apr 22, 13 @ 3:04 pm
kirk’s potential retirement — and his potential replacement — ARE being seriously discussed. kirk raised $147,580 and spent $150,000 — not exactly seriously raising money (by contrast, lisa murkowski raised $567,542, chuck grassley raised $323,620, kelly ayotte raised $711,146, pat toomey raised $544,335 and ron johnson raised $900,393 — all whom share kirk’s class of 2016 in the senate and have both republicans and democrats represent their state in the senate). obviously, there’s a reason, but the fact that kirk’s comment is obfuscatory lends credence to all the talk about whether he will stay through his full term (let alone run for re-election)…
Comment by bored now Monday, Apr 22, 13 @ 3:12 pm
- bored now -,
With respect,
I doubt Mark Kirk is going to let a Pat Quinn or a Lisa Madigan, or whomever the Dems nominate, and then if they are victorious. Speculating that Kirk will “Retire/Resign” seems more than a little premature.
The only “Talk” that seems to be swirling is from the “Litmus Testers” pushing the issue, in bad taste, of health concerns. The “Blood Oathers” think if they keep pressing … and pushing … and prodding this agenda, they will get Kirk to think twice about running in any type of Primary fight, becasue nothing would satisfy the “Right” people but a bloodied primary winner in Kirk, (if they can’t take him out themselves) and Kirk being defeated, so they can say, “Kirk was week, we called it, should have walked away…”
And not once…not once… will they say, “We lost a Republican in the US Senate”, but we will here echoes of “The RINO from Illinois is gone, thank goodness”
“Let’s support Makr Kirk in his recovery, so when he is doing better, we can dump on him and get another RINO out of the Senate”
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 22, 13 @ 3:22 pm
…And still, nothing about the SGOP Leadership apologizing …
The more I think about it, the more I want to know about “what happened” and if Christine Radogno did the “Right” thing and personally apologized…
…Still waiting …
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 22, 13 @ 3:25 pm
speaking of craziness and Republicans, it’s 3:30 pm central time and Joe Walsh is on MSNBC discussing immigration. oh my.
Comment by Amalia Monday, Apr 22, 13 @ 3:32 pm
“we need to begin profiling young Muslim men.” Joe Walsh.
Comment by Amalia Monday, Apr 22, 13 @ 3:34 pm
I even helped the SGOP …
“Republican Leader Christine Radogno, personally, has reached out to Senator Kirk and has offered an apology for this unfortunate incident.”
Seems like one sentence might be helpful …
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 22, 13 @ 3:35 pm
Oswego Willy: i don’t doubt that mark kirk is not inclined to resign. i merely noted that there is substantial and serious discussion about replacing him AND he isn’t acting like a senator who’s running for re-election in the fund-raising department. those are facts. no need for me to speculate…
Comment by bored now Monday, Apr 22, 13 @ 3:51 pm
–i merely noted that there is substantial and serious discussion about replacing him–
Who are these substantial and serious people?
Only Kirk can resign and only Quinn can name a replacement. Are you suggesting they’re talking?
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Apr 22, 13 @ 3:54 pm
With respect, - bored now -,
===…there is substantial and serious discussion about replacing him…===
I responded …
===…The only “Talk” that seems to be swirling is from the “Litmus Testers” pushing the issue, in bad taste, of health concerns. The “Blood Oathers” think if they keep pressing … and pushing … and prodding this agenda,…===
There is “talk”, but the “talk” is in concert with an agenda, not in specualation of what Sen. Kirk has said, indicated, or signaled as indeed a move NOT to continue after this term, or to not finish this current term if a Repubican is elected Governor…
Just a healthy “bsck and forth” - bored now -, I am just not “sold” on the talking points that others are putting forth in hopes to rattle Sen. Kirk to decide, and not what is being sold as … “Sen. Kirk HAS decided”.
Asking …Which SGOP Senator is in charge of the Fundraising Arm of the Caucus?
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 22, 13 @ 3:59 pm
I might be wrong, but I think Rodgono’s daughter works in Kirk’s office. It doesn’t make sense that there could be the conflict described, but…this is Illinois..and we are talking about my party!
Comment by LisleMike Monday, Apr 22, 13 @ 4:37 pm
gotcha. jerry moran, also a member of the 2016 class…
Comment by bored now Monday, Apr 22, 13 @ 5:07 pm
Just saying, but people who whisper in the wind about “substantial and serious” usually turn out to be neither.
Comment by Arthur Andersen Monday, Apr 22, 13 @ 5:34 pm
Boy, wouldn’t that be a “gas” if a script was “magically found”…
I guess by the silence, Christine Radogno didn’t personally apologize to Republican Senator Mark Kirk?
I mean we are on… days here … and 3 Updates and all this flurry of activity and stopping vendors, and “inexperienced employee who is no longer with the company.” stuff happening …
And no one thought a question about an apology to Republican United States Seantor Mark Kirk would be asked, or further, should be publically presented to show how sorry the Caucus is for the error?
Wow.
Great Unity and Public Relations there …
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Apr 22, 13 @ 5:44 pm
I apologize, the above post is from me,…
Full disclosure and all …
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 22, 13 @ 5:45 pm
If he can make it till 5 am to get through all of those votes in the Senate, he’ll be fine. He is fully cognizant of the fact that his Seat is currently a GOP Stronghold and source of tremendous Power for the Republican Party and GOPers of Illinois. I fullyexpect he will continue to fight through his health challenges and should be easily re-elected next time up–my sense is folks here (and Nationally) admire him–his sheer guts, determination, and dedication–moer than ever…no, I believe Mr. Kirk sees this as HIS Seat in the U.S. Senate and the Republican’s–he earned it, has labored like the dickens to keep it, and will NOT relinquish it…!
Comment by Just The Way It Is One Monday, Apr 22, 13 @ 6:33 pm
That was meant to read “fully expect” and further down be spelled “…more than ever”…! (Just can’t keep from poppin’ away on that Keyboard)!
Comment by Just The Way It Is One Monday, Apr 22, 13 @ 6:35 pm