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* From a Democratic Party of Illinois e-mail entitled “Why Do Republican Senators Keep ‘Joking’ About The President’s Death?”…
SHOT: Republican Senator David Perdue Jokes About Praying For Obama’s Death [Daily Beast, 6/10/16]
CHASER: Republican Mark Kirk Jokes He Supports A “Shoot-On-Sight” Order For Obama. [Politico, 6/18/08]
BOTTOM LINE: No Matter What These Republican Senators Think, These Jokes Aren’t Funny.
Um, actually, no.
Click the link provided and it’s clear that Kirk made what was then a fairly common mistake. He wasn’t joking about killing the guy.
* From Progress Illinois at the time…
Since Barack Obama stepped onto the national stage, public officials from John Ashcroft to Ted Kennedy to Mitt Romney have mistakenly referred to him as “Osama.” Today, Mark Kirk added himself to this illustrious list. However, I think it goes without saying that he picked a most inopportune context.
Listen to Kirk express his support for a policy “where if we see Obama there’s a shoot-on-sight order”
Obviously, Kirk meant to say “Osama.” But geez … talk about a gaffe.
* The audio…
* The transcript…
DON WADE: In fact, yesterday in a conference call, Barack Obama’s advisers were asked, “If Osama bin Laden were caught, should he get to challenge his detention in U.S. courts?” And the advisers said that — should that right to challenge detention that they get at Gitmo based on the Supreme Court ruling, should that be applied to bin Laden? — and Obama’s advisers said, “Yes.”
KIRK: Yeah, and I would much rather have a policy where if we see Obama there’s a shoot-on-sight order.
DON WADE: Well, okay. I’m with you, but I don’t know whether that’s going to make 67 — well it might –
ROMA: I don’t think Osama bin Laden — no one ever sights him.
* The Kirk apology at the time…
“On Wednesday, I misspoke when talking with a local Chicago radio program regarding the current presidential campaign of Sen. Barack Obama as well as the status of our anti-terrorism efforts against Osama bin Laden. During the course of this conversation, I mistakenly referred to ‘Osama’ as ‘Obama.’ After being alerted to my mistake, I apologized to Sen. Obama for my misstatement and will take extra care to make sure I do not make such a mistake again.”
…Adding… IL GOP Chairman Tim Schneider…
“The Democratic Party of Illinois attack on Senator Kirk is baseless and reprehensible. They should immediately apologize and retract the statement. Politics is a tough business, but there’s no place in politics for insinuations of the sort that the DPI made today.”
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jun 10, 16 @ 2:41 pm
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Comment by John Rawls Friday, Jun 10, 16 @ 2:44 pm
There’s no reason to take quotes from Kirk out of context, not when he has said so many other crazy, damaging and cringe worthy things.
Comment by AC Friday, Jun 10, 16 @ 2:48 pm
George W. Bush made a similar mistake when he misheard Jan Schakowsky saying that she was supporting Obama for the US Senate. Bush thought she said Osama and questioned her.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jun 10, 16 @ 2:50 pm
LBJ said something along the lines of “say anything and make them deny it.”
Comment by Saluki Friday, Jun 10, 16 @ 2:56 pm
#TBT was yesterday. That really was a common malaprop back in the day.
Comment by LizPhairTax Friday, Jun 10, 16 @ 3:26 pm
yesterday on cable, and today in the Sun Times on line, three different reporters talked about how different politicians were about to endorse Sanders. they meant HRC. but it sure does tell you something. like this story. maybe it’s just going too fast to keep up with reality in this internet crazed speeding world. or something else.
Comment by Amalia Friday, Jun 10, 16 @ 3:40 pm
It’s just how they roll.
Comment by A guy Friday, Jun 10, 16 @ 3:52 pm
@Saluki: If my memory serves me right, it was during one of his congressional races. His opponent was a farmer (pig farmer?) and he insinuated that he slept with his animals. His campaign manager, a bit appalled with the outright lie that was, questioned LBJ to which he made the reply that you mentioned.
Politics is a dirty, dirty business.
Comment by The Muse Friday, Jun 10, 16 @ 4:13 pm
This line of attack is beneath Congressman Duckworth. She should not support this at all.
Kirk’s apology was as honest, direct and sincere as I have ever seen any politician make. Despite that fact that Don Wade recognized the mistake and still laughed at it (disgusting), Kirk still owned this and apologized.
If Trump or Rauner would just one time stand up and apologize when they screw up - and take responsibility for their own words - like Kirk did - I would have a lot more respect for them.
Comment by siriusly Friday, Jun 10, 16 @ 4:14 pm