58 Comments - Ravenswood Right Winger - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 12:44 pm: Foster’s vote…intriguing. - VanillaMan - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 12:58 pm: I’m not going to like reading coverage of the Jackson probe, will I? It stinks and is such a let-down. After proving he could be a notable congressman, Congressman Jackson seems to have blown it big-time. But the Congressman’s behavior didn’t pass my smell test. His entire senatorial “campaign” after November made no sense considering that all anyone had to do is get the Governor’s approval to get the Senate seat. It was nonsensical and unexplainable. Now, it looks like it was a cover-up for a backroom deal. It was giving Blagojevich a cover when he chose Jackson, (which, as of today, I have to admit I don’t know how close he got). Jackson’s Senate campaign looks orchestrated, even if it wasn’t. I don’t like seeing Congresspeople in legal limbo, especially ones that serve my communities. As you indicate - it looks like there was something more than smoke in those smokey backroom deals between Blagojevich’s people and Jackson’s people. I’m not going to be happy when this comes down. - shore - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 1:09 pm: CREW was founded by a staffer of dem U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer to take down the gop congress in 2006 so making that list is really embarrassing. There were 2 dems on their first list and one, jefferson is in jail. I saw his wife on the berkowitz show onces, I was decidedly unimpressed. - Ghost - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 1:10 pm: I would be curious to know if this actually impats jackson’s polling numbers. Marion Barry has show us that criminal activity does not equate to loss of votes. - Joe in the Know - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 1:11 pm: What is it about Congressman Jackson’s situation that stirs such glee in my heart? Is it because he so lacks humility that when he is humbled by circumstances in which he put himself in the center, it is so satisfying? - Skeeter - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 1:12 pm: Foster’s vote on Wilson is not the only intereting one. Kirk keeps talking like he’s a moderate, but where was he? If he can’t stand up on this one, how can we expect that he will stand up on anything? - Anonymous45 - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 1:22 pm: Rich: I hate it when a man can’t admit another guy is hot…do not be threatened by someone else’s pulchritude Rich.. - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 1:24 pm: Anonymous45, did I say he wasn’t? lol - shore - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 1:25 pm: Our district is a bunch of tree huggers, there isn’t a lot of manufacturing or farms in east glencoe. He’s voting his constituency which is what he’s supposed to do n’est pas? Dick Durbin however flip flopped on abortion when he ran for senate so spare us the hypocrisy talk. - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 1:29 pm: ===Dick Durbin however flip flopped on abortion when he ran for senate so spare us the hypocrisy talk. === And so did Paul Simon. That’s part of the reason why I didn’t come down extra hard on Kirk yesterday. I’ve seen this many times over the years, especially with that issue. Pro-choice legislators who vote their pro-life districts until they run for something else. All that being said, there is a valid question for Kirk, and them: What else are you gonna flip on? And when? Before the primary, before the general and then after the general? If it’s one thing, probably no big deal, especially if it conforms to the majority. If it becomes a pattern, however, it’s dangerous. - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 1:37 pm: OK, that last deleted commenter just got banned for life. Anyone else want to try? - Anonymous - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 1:37 pm: I take back what I said on the other thread about prosecutors being too overzealous. When it comes to Jesse Jackson, Jr., I say “go get ‘em” “hang ‘em high” and all the rest. Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy. Interesting you don’t hear much about Luis Guitterez these days either. He must have been tired of all the attention. - Pat collins - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 1:40 pm: With proper formatting…. Pro-choice legislators who vote their pro-life districts until they run for something else. All the more reason why conservatives are distrustful of party leadership. Lee Daniels gave us PR Linder, who guided her clone into office, in a divided primary. If I were in that district, I’d be happy to help a challenger each and every time one came up. Just like I did for PRL. Schock (and awe) Well, fair is fair. Obama got on some “most handsome list” when he was in the Senate. - Inish - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 1:42 pm: The Wilson vote is intriguing- it opens the discussion- while I personally abhor the comment, my knee jerk is to defend his right to be an ass under my personal interpretation of free speech. I would expect that an member of congress to act with more civility- i am less than comfortable with a proclamation that censures the essence of free speech. It is when our beliefs are challenged that is the true test of our values. Like the Skokie march - while I disagree with the message- I feel the need to defend the right. How exactly is this different than applauding things we agree with? I am a Democrat. I am appalled that he said it. I am just as freaked out that Arlene Spector would recommend he be censured for the event. Am I alone in this thought process? Rich- I apologize if you feel the question doesn’t belong here- just delete it - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 1:44 pm: Inish, no prob on the comment since it was brought up in the post. But this is the text of the resolution… === Whereas on September 9, 2009, during the joint session of Congress convened pursuant to House Concurrent Resolution 179, the President of the United States, speaking at the invitation of the House and Senate, had his remarks interrupted by the Representative from South Carolina, Mr. Wilson; and Whereas the conduct of the Representative from South Carolina was a breach of decorum and degraded the proceedings of the joint session, to the discredit of the House: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives disapproves of the behavior of the Representative from South Carolina, Mr. Wilson, during the joint session of Congress held on September 9, 2009. ==== - Fed up - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 1:47 pm: Its interesting that telling lies in congress is ok but calling someone a liar is going to far. It shouldnt of happened but I agree with Irish he has the right to act like an idiot let his district deciede what they are willing to accept. - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 1:49 pm: Decorum is what it is. It’s difficult sometimes for those not familiar with an institution to understand its archaic rules, but that’s the way it goes. - dupage dan - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 1:51 pm: I like Kirk, may well vote for him. However, if his politics are so much different from his legislative district perhaps he should consider, 1) Declare his true feelings and take his lumps 2) Run for Senate (in the first place) 3) Move Bending your personal views to match that of your district is a reality. I don’t expect that a candidate’s views will match mine line for line but if you are a staunch conservative and you give up most of your platform to win in a decidedly liberal distric, it will come back to haunt you. Time will tell how much of his previous stands will change over when he is pressed during the campaign. - Sue - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 1:54 pm: All this probably means is that the Government lawyers don’t want Jackson giving any interviews to Congressional investigators until he testifies at Blago’s trial. It would be total speculation to believe Jackson is under criminal scutiny solely because the DOJ has asked the Congress to put off his ethical hearing - Michelle Flaherty - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 1:58 pm: You post a story that openly wonders what Rep. Schock will do to stay physically fit in Congress and then threaten lifetime banishment? C’mon, Rich, that ain’t fair. - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 2:03 pm: ===and then threaten lifetime banishment?==== I didn’t just threaten it, I did it. There’s a limit here. - OneMan - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 2:09 pm: Wishy-washy vote from Foster… Kind of fits the guy he is… - Anonymous45 - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 2:09 pm: Pat Collins: You are no slouch in the looks department fella, so take heart… - Ghost - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 2:13 pm: Inish, the issues has nothing to do with free speech. For example, under free speech you can not yell fire in a crowded theater. The issue is one of civility towards the president of the uNited States. Wilson is free to speak his mind ouside of the chamber, or when the president is not speaking. no american president in recent history has been so denegrated as to have a memeber of the legislature heckle them during a speech. I am also concerned that such conduct also appeared against our first black president. it is an act of dehumanization or looking donw on the office an its holder that is distrubing. At the end of the day Wilson conduct does not advance fee speech, but it does denegrate the president and quit frankly, looks like subconscious racism to me. We get through decades of white presidents who are treated respectfully, and we hit the first minority president and now its ok to heckle them in the assembly during a speech? - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 2:16 pm: ===to have a memeber of the legislature heckle them during a speech=== Not true. W and Clinton were both jeered and heckled. But, there was no outburst by a single person like this one in those instances. - Louis Howe - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 2:21 pm: Aaron Schock has a very similar political profile to two other central Illinois right wing nuts, Kenny McMillan and Jerry Weller. Kenny McMillan beat moderate Cong. Tom Railsback in the opening act of the Reagan Revolution. McMillan then lost the general election to Lane Evans…twice…and was never heard from again. Weller had a little better luck, but finally his compulsive duplicity finally caught up with him and he quit before he was kicked out of office. Weller’s ex-Chief of Staff is working for Schock and it won’t be long before Aaron steps in something he can’t wash off. - Inish - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 2:26 pm: Thank you- I appreciate the context. The respect of the office is a concern- I keep hearing press referrals to Mr. Obama… Is it not proper to reference him as Pre. Obama? The language of the resolution makes me feel better- the story I read had Sen. Spector asking for Censurship or reprimand- I am not ok with that - Yellow Dog Democrat - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 2:27 pm: 1. Schock’s making a mistake by chasing after all of this glamorous attention. Photoshoots in GQ aren’t going to win him re-election, but they can be used to undermine your credibility as a Congressman, just as $400 haircuts were used against Edwards. 2. Schock is accompanied on the “Most Eligible” List by Janet Napolitano, Steny Hoyer, and Russ Feingold. Two Brothers has better offerings. - Yellow Dog Democrat - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 2:30 pm: Inish: Different outlets have different standards. The BBC, for example, refers to all heads-of-state as Mr, Mrs, or (rarely) Ms., as far as I know. As long as they are internally consistent (using ALL presidential candidate’s middle names, for example), I really don’t care. - 32nd Ward Roscoe Village - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 2:35 pm: A propos of Blago, I just went to my building’s candy counter because I was hungry and saw Blago on the TV “explaining himself.” I don’t think it was file footage, it seemed to be live. I just lost my appetite. - Sick of it - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 2:39 pm: I recall at least one of president Bush’s final addresses incongress where Speaker Pelosi sat behind him making faces anytime he said anything she didn’t approve of. Knowing that it was being tevised nationwide wasn’t that just as bad as the verbal outburst? I think they were both in the wrong but this should have ended with Wilsons apology to the President. Now turning this into a race issue seems going way too far! Kirk needs to settle on his views and let the voters decide. I don’t like the idea of changing your message for each group you talk to. - Abe Froman - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 2:39 pm: Let’s try to be a little more prudent with the use of the “flip-flop” phrase. It really should be used to apply to a change of position when all else remains equal. But if a politician sees a true shift in public sentiment, they may change positions and not be lambasted for it. If you are going from representing 1/19th of the state to the whole state and change some positions accordingly (As did Durbin and Simon) it is not a mortal sin, it is actually prudent. We gripe and moan that politicians don’t listen and then when they do, we crucify them for it. Kirk makes a very good point that there is little agriculture, coal or heavy manufacturing in his distict and that these are the sectors most concerned about the impacts of cap and trade. If a congressman from Chicago has spent his career pimping for the city’s interests and then runs for the Senate we would expect him/her to make some adjustments in their view of the world. Open-minded, prudent, willing to listen seems preferable to inflexible and doctrinaire. - Who Knows? - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 2:41 pm: ===Representative Jackson may have violated federal law and House rules concerning the proper use of the Member’s Representational Allowance.” The allowance is a monetary amount allotted to each congressional office for official operations.=== The above doesn’t necessarily sound to bad until you remember they brought down Rostinkoski over personal use of stamps. Ouch. While I think the feds asking for a delay could mean trouble for Jackson it may just mean they want to save his testimony for the Blago trial and they don’t want it coming out now even if it is not damaging to Jackson. Interesting though that the Feds haven’t asked for a delay in some other legal proceedings. - Anon - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 2:41 pm: ==Its interesting that telling lies in congress is ok but calling someone a liar is going to far. It shouldnt of happened but I agree with Irish he has the right to act like an idiot let his district deciede what they are willing to accept. - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 1:49 pm: Decorum is what it is. It’s difficult sometimes for those not familiar with an institution to understand its archaic rules, but that’s the way it goes. == Brings to mind the little ditty from the Profumo affair, a big scandal where Profumo had to resign after being caught lying in the House of Commons about not having sex with that woman . . . Guess their rules are different. “What have I done?” said Christine: “I’ve ruined the party machine. To lie in the nude Is not very rude, But to lie in the House is obscene.” That said, I don’t think being right is an excuse for a congressman to disrespect the President (or any other government official) at an official function. Do it in a press conference afterwards or on the campaign stump. Don’t even contradict them in a civil manner until it’s your turn to speak, which it wasn’t in this case. The judge is always “Your Honor” when court is in session. - Gview - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 2:43 pm: I like Kirk more now that he is against Cap and Trade. Saw that Alexi is still for that bill. - VanillaMan - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 2:44 pm: Being physically attractive can be important. Almost anyone under 30 years of age can take a good photo. We have had two presidential candidates do beach beefcake photo shoots, (Obama and Romney). The governor of California did nude shots, and posed au natural as a profession. One of the Massachusetts GOP senatorial candidates did a nude Cosmo centerfold shot as a college student. Jerry Ford was a male model. Ronald Reagan didn’t get into films playing Quasimodo. He was a lifeguard and swimsuit model. Sarah Palin - sheesh! Angela Merkel’s low cut gowns! The list goes on and on… There is nothing wrong with marketing your attractiveness. It opens doors and let’s you be heard. In this day and age, with young voters - let the Schocks have their day in the sun. It works for me. - wordslinger - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 2:45 pm: Trips has been on the back burner for a while, but I think we’re going to hear more and more the closer we get to the Blago trial. He was awfully proximate to the buzz on the Senate seat, when Blago’s crew was being taped. Schock? He should enjoy his youth and bachelorhood as much as he can (and can get away with) for as long as he can. You only get one (the youth, at least). Who would begrudge that to anyone? - Pat collins - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 2:58 pm: Pat Collins: You are no slouch in the looks department fella, so take heart… I would really like to believe you know what I look like. I REALLY would - Responsa - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 3:08 pm: Mark Kirk has taken a lot of heat for his House C&T vote and there has been much conjecture as to his motives and possible change of heart now that he is running for state wide office. But maybe there’s a much simpler explanation. Perhaps he (like virtually ALL the members of congress) voted on the lengthy bill without having been able to read it in its entirety since it was rushed to passage. According to reports the bill was still being changed and put together well after midnight the night before the vote. Now that the House bill has been actually read and analyzed by both Washington insiders and outsiders, serious questions have been raised and most Senate Democrats have backed far away from the C&T legislation as it was passed in the House. Yeah, this may be embarrassing and requires some explanation from Kirk but it hardly seems to be a deal killer for him– particularly when the bill as passed in the House will never see the light of day, anyway. Also, is voting on a bill and then changing your mind THAT much worse than voting “present? - Bluefish - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 3:10 pm: YDD - Are you picking on Two Brothers? Their red rye ale rocks! - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 3:11 pm: ===voted on the lengthy bill without having been able to read it in its entirety since it was rushed to passage=== I may be wrong here, but I’m pretty sure Kirk said he had read the whole thing. - Conservative Veteran - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 3:15 pm: Rich, you’re correct. I attended Kirk’s Wheeling Township townhall, on July 19, and he said that he didn’t read the entire cap & trade bill. - Bill - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 3:23 pm: ==Two Brothers has better offerings.== Quit talking about me! - Responsa - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 3:29 pm: CV, please clarify. In your 3:15 post you said Rich is correct—but Rich said he is under the impression that Kirk DID read the C&T bill. Yet you say you personally heard Kirk say that he did NOT read the entire bill before voting. - wordslinger - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 3:31 pm: ===voted on the lengthy bill without having been able to read it in its entirety since it was rushed to passage=== This is one of my all-time favorites. As we know, members of Congress like nothing more than poring over bill after bill — dotting I’s, crossing T’s — til the wee hours of the morning. That’s why they ran for Congress. Every member of Congress knows all they want or need to know about any bill. A Reading Society, it ain’t. - boredthinkpad - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 3:46 pm: Wonder what this Jesse Jackson delay means for a potential Sandi Jackson Lt. Gov run. I’ve been hearing rumblings that she’ll throw her hat in the ring(she’s already collected signatures for it) but is waiting on polling. Any guess on what she does now? - boredthinkpad - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 3:48 pm: Just asking. Rich I’m unclear if this is bad “rumors” as listed in your bright red warning or if this is acceptable. Little help? I don’t want to get banned. - Rob_N - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 3:58 pm: (Something went kaflooey when I tried posting this originally… I’ve updated it since you’ve updated your post w/ the Hinz link) Rich says, “All that being said, there is a valid question for Kirk, and them: What else are you gonna flip on? … If it’s one thing, probably no big deal, especially if it conforms to the majority. If it becomes a pattern, however, it’s dangerous.” Greg Hinz asks the same things you do. Given my position feel free to take what I say with a grain of salt, but it clearly looks like Kirk’s weathervane style of representing his constituents (actual or would-be) is a pattern. Cap & Trade - voted for it based on his belief it was a national security concern. At the time, that’s what he told the media and what he told his Republican base. The 10th CD is just as much a part of the nation as the entire state, yet now he’s against it. Now he says he was just representing his district, even though he sure got an earful from his local GOP base (as that oft-cited Wheeling Township GOP meeting made clear). Rail - in the past he has proudly touted the dollars he brought to the district to boost Metra (esp. the still relatively new north line). Yet more recently Kirk has opposed high speed rail development which, one would think, would be a benefit to the entire state just as Metra has been in the 10th. (This vote against rail service also came after weeks of Kirk saying the Stimulus Package should’ve included more dollars for infrastructure, including transportation.) Iraq - Voted for the Authorization to Use Military Force. Voted for supplementals to continue funding the war. Then, after Seals’ surprisingly strong 2006 showing Kirk suddenly started voting against the war (including against the “surge”). Corruption - Kirk’s Senate campaign internet commercial focuses heavily on “fighting corruption” (it’s unclear how he thinks he’ll combat characters like Blago from DC). Yet, he accepted his own share of donations from the infamous Tony Rezko. ….Big stuff like Iraq. Little stuff like rail. In-between stuff like Cap and Trade. Purely populist stuff like beating the anti-Blago drum. Kirk puts his finger to whichever political winds he feels like following and hopes voters don’t notice. - Rob_N - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 4:02 pm: PS: Don’t forget the whole Senate campaign roll-out… - Going to announce in the spring - Waiting on what Lisa Madigan decides - Tells insiders he’s running for Senate the same day Madigan announces she’s running for re-election to AG - McKenna indicates he may stay in Senate race; Kirk tells WaPo he won’t run if McKenna’s in - Kirk tells WaPo he didn’t tell them that - McKenna drops out - Kirk announces Clearly, nothing to the idea that there’s any pattern of indecisive flip-flopping here. - Rob_N - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 4:23 pm: Rich, Con Vet, and Responsa - According to Antonietta Simonian“Kirk read each of the 1,200 plus pages of the legislation and voted his conscience.” Ms. Simonian also included Rep. Kirk’s full statement available on his House website. In it, Kirk includes a lot of details on national energy independence as well as pollution and global warming. Those are factors which affect both the 10th CD and the State of Illinois equally … rendering his most recent excuse (blame the 10th, not me!) rather hollow. - Ahem...The REAL Anonymous - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 4:34 pm: Sorry, the children have obviously been hard at play today, while I’ve been trying to figure out a way to save our State. Back to business: whose pulchritude is being questioned and/or acknowledged by whom? - Quinn T. Sential - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 4:42 pm: What does EMILY’S LIST do if the general election candidates are Dan Seals and Beth Coulson? Or Julie Hamos and Beth Coulson for that matter? - Ahem...The REAL Anonymous - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 4:51 pm: Oh! I see. lol - Ahem...The REAL Anonymous - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 5:10 pm: Sorry. Still analyzing. This may take a while. Preliminary results, however, indicate pretty high levels of pulchritude. - Rob_N - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 5:11 pm: Quinn, EMILY’s List would focus on other female candidates. They back Democratic women running for office. Read their site for more info. - Anon3 - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 5:42 pm: Rather then what Rep Schock does to keep in shape (I would bet for once you might get a 100% agreement here) it seems the better question does all this type of media for a Repbulican make him seem more of a light weight or is all press good press? This minor tv celeb. status seems so odd to me, but I grew up in Speaker Hastert’s district so the abs of our rep in Congress where never a topic of discussion. - Amalia - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 7:39 pm: Schock is so not my interest in so many ways, but, in the way that counts the most I find him odd. heard him say more than a few words at an association dinner. he was smarmy and kinda strange, and a lightweight. are Republican women, and gay men, so desperate for a party hottie that they are into this guy? cause on the things that count, smarts, he’s not so much. - Anonymous - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 11:20 pm: Shock is a rising, young star–which IN ADDITION to his abilities provides us with two things: 1) an opportunity for him to “market” himself differently (as V-Man mentioned) to attract and retain younger voters, and 2) an opportunity for our generation to fuss and watch over him as he progresses. It’s a win for everyone. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.