* This new DSCC ad is already stirring up a hornet’s nest. Watch…
The NRSC’s torrid response…
“The facts are clear: Only one candidate in this race honorably served our nation’s military, while the other loaned millions of dollars to known criminals and lost millions of dollars in Illinois’ college savings program. The Democrats are trying to smear the record of a decorated service member in an effort to prop up a failed mob banker who has never worn a military uniform for one single day in his life. This ad is shameful, and it’s offensive to all of the men and women who have bravely served our nation’s armed forces.” – Amber Marchand, NRSC Press Secretary
The Republicans tried to get out in front of this two days ago with a friendly leak…
Just in case you didn’t think the Illinois Senate race could sink any lower, THE WEEKLY STANDARD has learned that Democrat Alexi Giannoulias is planning to launch a final ad campaign featuring a “veteran” to attack Mark Kirk’s service record. […]
More importantly, where is the outrage?
Alexi Giannoulias never served. He has never put his own life on the line for the United States of America. Mark Kirk has – repeatedly.
As the Chicago Tribune recently noted, “All of us do, though, know that Kirk has a record of service, military and congressional, that is 100 percent verifiable. As a naval intelligence officer, he has put his life on the line for this nation.”
Will veterans stand for this? A man who never served recruiting veterans to smear a fellow veteran for political gain? Will the mainstream media catch on and finally call out Giannoulias for going over the line? We’ll see.
Turns out, though, they had a lot of veterans in the ad, not just one.
I kid you not. Seriously. That’s the Tribune’s headline. From the story…
During the [”Hardball with Chris Matthews”] show, Matthews quizzed Giannoulias for more than 10 minutes about Obama, Iraq and Afghanistan before asking the question some Chicagoans have also begun to ask: Would former White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel make a good mayor for Chicago?
Dodging the question, Giannoulias said, “I am focused on Nov. 2.”
Thanks, Tribune. 13 days out and that’s what you wrote about yesterday. I truly cannot thank you enough.
Honestly, I think the attack piece is pretty weak. Nothing hard hitting, a few vets attacking on cherry picked votes from ‘05, like Seals tried a couple of years ago. Nothing but a white noise piece in the crush of election ads.
Have to agree with Rich on the mayoral piece…I mean really, WHO CARES?
Let me get this straight. Giannoulias can’t run an ad that bangs Kirk for lying, overstating,embellishing and/or falsely bragging about the extent of his military career as a reservist because he never served in the military? So Kirk should get a free pass on this issue, which is probably the one issue that pulls back the curtain and allows a voter to have an idea of what kind of character this man might have? But meanwhile, Kirk can bang away at loans that Giannoulias didn’t make to Tony Rezko.
Neither candidate is very impressive, which is a shame because we have a big, important state and this is a big, important job, but I wouldn’t want to see a guy get elected by trying to make it seem like he played a more important role in the military than he really did. If you’d lie about that, you’d probably lie about a lot more.
Giannoulias may be a callow youth who gives all appearances of being unprepared for the job, but Kirk comes across as a weanling woodlouse.
Finally, on the specific subject of the ad, I think Giannoulias is smart to have veterans do the talking rather than him. It’s a hard, but well-deserved smackdown.
I watched the Hardball interview yesterday and I was pretty impressed with Alexi. I like how Chris Matthews pointed out that while a lot of other candidates for Congress and US Senate around the country are backing away from President Obama’s agenda, Giannoulias is very direct with showing his support. I like that in a candidate.
- Phineas J. Whoopee - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 10:59 am:
Hey, what goes around comes around and if Kirk wants to embellish then his opponent has a right to call him out.
seals ran a similar kind of ad-getting a veteran to trash kirk for iraq. this is vintage 2006 raise pay/cut benefits. it didn’t work then. if this is the last gasp from alexi, not a good sign.
- Small Town Liberal - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 11:00 am:
- But lets face it, Kirk is no Max Cleland. -
Hah, c’mon, in his own mind I’m sure Kirk has lost a bunch of limbs.
I give the veteran ad a 9 as well. It’s hard hitting and effective. Several voters talked to me including Republicans state that they have a hard choice to make. They don’t like Alexi as much but they hate Kirk for lying about his military service
===Meanwhile, this has to be one of the goofiest headlines ever…===
I still go with the following headline being pretty goofy. The AG’s race is heating up? Really?
Races for comptroller and attorney general heat up.
The races for governor and U.S. Senate have gotten the lion’s share of attention during Illinois’ current election cycle. But important races also are taking place for other Illinois offices.
===Meanwhile, this has to be one of the goofiest headlines ever…===
I still go with this headline being pretty goofy. The AG’s race is heating up? Really?
Races for comptroller and attorney general heat up.
The races for governor and U.S. Senate have gotten the lion’s share of attention during Illinois’ current election cycle. But important races also are taking place for other Illinois offices. http://www.daily-chronicle.com/articles/2010/10/19/93294595/index.xml
What takes it from a 7 to a 10 is tying in the fact that he repeatedly voted himself a raise. That context really shows the nature of Mark Kirk. He gets more. The troops don’t.
I’m a war veteran (navy), and I don’t like Rep. Kirk because he’s too liberal. His latest rating from Planned Parenthood is 100%, and his latest grade from Gun Owners of America is F-. He voted for the cap & trade bill. He voted against the health care law, but he doesn’t want to repeal it.
I thought it was obscene when the Republicans did it to Cleland and Kerry. And I think it is revolting, and that the Democrats are huge hypocrites to do it to Kirk. Shame on Alexi and the DSCC.
The ad will do some damage. Kirk embodies what a lot of enlisted and NCOs in the military resent about some officers, especially reservists, who use their service to boost their egos and ambitions.
The difference between it and the ad Seals ran is that Kirk has been exposed as a serial embellisher so it carries extra weight.
I have to admit the tone of this cycle is just starting to bother me. No wonder we don’t have leaders would any sane person subject themselves to this?
Great Ad…doesn’t compare to the dirty ads done on Cleland and Kerry, though the pay raises is rather dicey stuff. I would have stuck w/ the falsehoods.
==No wonder we don’t have leaders. Would any sane person subject themselves to this?==
Amen. This blood sport is, in my opinion, scaring away the decent people who could truly lead. The attack ads in the St. Louis market for Illinois candidates are just brutal. Everyone has done something in his/her past they’re not proud of, and by all appearances if you choose to run for public office the opposition will find out about it and let everyone else know.
Veterans for Giannoulias?
Sorry, but this ad preaches to the choir.
If you don’t like military service, are cynical towards those who volunteer, don’t wish to give credit to candidates that do, then you probably already decided to vote for a Democrat with similar views as Giannoulias.
*If you don’t like military service, are cynical towards those who volunteer, don’t wish to give credit to candidates that do, then you probably already decided to vote for a Democrat with similar views as Giannoulias.*
VM-
Your constant refrain that Dems don’t like or respect those that serve in the military is getting old. Try a more nuanced argument, will ya?
Shame on Kirk for serving in the military. Let this be a lesson to anyone who considers joining a branch of the service. About time someone called these Vets out.
Even if his longest deployment was 1 day, it is still one day longer than you or I. That counts for a lot.
The sacrifices these men and women make are noble and worthy. I’m sickened that in this day and age, with the problems we have, that so much is made of this issue.
Kirk lied. Alexi did/does too with his involvement with the bank. I guess more attention should go to an embellishment that was for self-gradification rather than one that has at the very least impacted people’s lives–if not their pocket books.
Vanilla Man, how DARE you claim that claim that Democrats don’t support those who served! You’ve made some stupid and offensive comments over the years, but today’s takes the cake.
Democrats don’t support our military? What an absolutely offensive thing to say.
Listen to the ad. Kirk did nothing at all for our vets. If that doesn’t work with your chosen narrative, too bad. But it is the truth. Deal with it. And then crawl back under your rock.
- Another Anonymous - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 11:58 am:
I’m voting for Kirk, but I still like the Alexi ad on Hartmarx.
Sure I have heard the message before, but it is nice to have at least one positive ad running. A reason to vote for someone rather than against someone. Other campaigns might want to give it a try.
- The 'Dale to HPark - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 12:06 pm:
The Trib is a total mess and has been for a long time. Everyone in the Tower wants to blame the current idiots, and they haven’t helped, but who ever is calling the shots in the newsroom isn’t doing much better. How many times can you get beaten to stories by the Sun-Times, who have about a twentieth of the resources that the Trib has, and still think everything is okay and good? It’s not a good news paper and hasn’t been my entire life… and I’m 30.
–If you don’t like military service, are cynical towards those who volunteer, don’t wish to give credit to candidates that do, then you probably already decided to vote for a Democrat with similar views as Giannoulias.–
Unless you can back that up with some facts, you simply have no class.
- walter sobchak - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 12:36 pm:
A clueless cookie cutter ad from the school of misrepresenting minor votes from a long history of voting on complex omnibus bills. Both sides do it and as the comments above suggest, they inflame those wishing to be inflamed and do nothing for anyone with an IQ above a pomegranate. ‘Real veterans’ were used is a correct sentence. They were used. There’s no getting around Kirk’s embellishing of his military record but he is not a feckless rich kid getting another leg up because he bought his way into the Democratic Party. I watched Hardball and thought: unctuous.
and the pay raise votes….looks like the last one was 4 years ago, when the economy was doing well.
It seems to me that the reason to drop this one so late is so that there isn’t enough time to point out that AG is playing fast and loose with the facts.
“It seems to me that the reason to drop this one so late is so that there isn’t enough time to point out that AG is playing fast and loose with the facts.”
Would that make AG a LIAR?!? Or just someone who is confusing facts for his own benefit?
- Louis G. Atsaves - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 12:47 pm:
The Alexi/Vets ad looks about the same as the last second ad Seals used against Kirk two years ago. Ask Seals how well it worked as a last second attack.
So Alexi is good at telling other banks what to do with regards to Hartmarx. Since he’s so good at it, maybe he should have stuck his head in the door at Broadway Bank.
A couple of points that have been made repeatedly here about past campaigns may be off the mark.
First, pay raises. That issue is gigantic this year, as subscribers know. It’s a killer as well. It hasn’t been nearly this effective in the past.
Second, the Kirk embellishments were not known two years ago. And Kirk was running in a district that knew him and liked him and trusted him. He’s running statewide now.
Will this ad work? I don’t know. I’ve given up trying to think about stuff like that. But comparing them to in-district ads in the past doesn’t hold up to any sort of logic.
The Seals ad didn’t work because Seals’ team didn’t do its job on Op Research. Look at all the Kirk dirt that Giannoulias’ team came up with that Seals’ crew never discovered. Simple laziness.
Kirk’s mistake was the overstatement of his service. If he just went with what he had actually done in the military, against a candidate with troubles, the race would be over.
Jim, there is much more to it. How about voting raises for yourself, while denying benefits to combat troops? That doesn’t bother you?
Do all the Kirk supporters here agree with Mark Kirk that, due to the fine performance by Congress over the past 10 years, members of Congress deserve raises?
“…new NBC/WSJ poll, which finds that only 23% of registered voters would back a generic congressional candidate who has served in Congress for more than 10 years, but 48% would support someone running for the first time. Being perceived as part of Washington is a bigger problem this midterm cycle than being perceived as too inexperienced to serve in Congress.
Kirk is a creature of DC. This is not the year to be the insider. If that DSCC ad does nothing else, it reminds voters that Kirk has been in Congress for a long time. That’s another reason Kirk can’t close the deal.
This ad is nothing like the Swift Boat ads, which were real people who served with Kerry. It probably will be marginally effective.
However, it leaves the door wide open for a killer response ad with Kirk’s fellow soldiers attesting to his service and reminding people Alexi never served. Don’t know if such people exist.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 1:36 pm:
It’s kitchen sink time. First the Alexi/Vets against Kirk ad. Now something about accusing Kirk of “treason?”
You jumped the shark tank with that one Alexi. There is no turning back other than saying “I’m sorry.” And since all the “I’m sorry” statements of Kirk were never accepted by you and thrown back into his face anyway . . . . good luck trying to wiggle out of that one.
George: i’d be shocked if there were any outrage whatsoever. this is a guy who needed a protection detail to serve out his reserve time because he wanted to serve in a “combat zone.” i personally know officers who chuckled at that.
Publius: you hit the nail on the head — “they hate Kirk for lying about his military service.” unfortunately, the same is true for members of congress. they aren’t too happy with kirk lying to *them* about his military service (specifically, his use of his military service to bang them over the heads about invading iraq).
the term HONOR should never, ever be used to describe mark kirk — and when it is, it’s a clear insult to those who serve and have served honorably in our military…
Given how much Rahm nonsense is going around, I’m actually surprised that more candidates are not asked who they are supporting for what office. For example, Rahm, who are you
supporting for Assessor? After all, you do live here, so what
is your opinion?
Bored - you seem to be forgetting that Kirk did serve. He did operate in Northern Watch, he has been on the ground in Afghanistan. Under his leadership, his unit did receive the award in question. His colleagues in DC know Kirk as the middle of the road Republican that he is and they have worked with him in that capacity for a decade.
While I am not a veteran, I did spend the first 15 years of my life growing up in a military family on installations across the globe, including S. Korea. And for the military families that my family calls friends, the one issue here is this: Kirk served honorably and Alexi has never served. They would rather have the guy who has worn the uniform and understands the military culture than the rich kid from a banking family in Chicago.
I know it’s getting to them because the Weekly Standard went after Carl and I personally and the Kirk folks usually leave that to their low level stooges. Weekly Standard “reporter” Daniel Halper had neither the guts nor the journalistic integrity to respond to my inquiry why he put my picture and FB post in the story when I had nothing to do with it.
Skeeter nailed it and Rich reiterated — pay raises are a big deal this year. Have you seen the email making the rounds from seniors talking about Congressional pay raises when they are only getting $250? All of Congress is seen as self-serving. Barack’s ad for Alexi? Imo, gags a maggot on a garbage truck, but then the ad isn’t trying to appeal to anyone who has read about Jaws, and the Russian mob.
My reaction is that by mentioning the pay raises the ad cheapens itself to sounding like just another political attack ad.
But maybe it is a hot button issue.
I don’t know about Kirk’s personal wealth, but my impression is that he has a pretty middle-class background. He would be one of the few members of the U.S. Senate who did not have a net worth well in excess of $1 million.
(Kirk might be worth slightly over a million, but most U.S. Senators are multi millionaires.)
A.B.: no, i’m not forgetting at all that he served. if he hadn’t used his military service to bludgeon democrats to death, his service would be admirable — except that he lied about it.
i used to work for the senate majority leader, and many of my old (republican) contacts have a FAR DIFFERENT view of mark kirk than you do. where do you think i got the notion that mark kirk has never voted against a whipped bill without his leadership’s express permission?
mark kirk served, and that’s all we can honestly say. i’d question whether he served honorably, given the fact that he’s used his military service for political gain, has been chastised for it, and still continues to do so. THERE IS NO HONOR in kirk’s service. honor would have forced him to keep his mouth shut, and allow civilian oversight of the military as the constitution intended it to be…
Oh Yes…I’m pretty sure the great Senators Obama & Durbin both voted for pay raises as well.
This ad and this afternoon’s press conference by Alexi is a disgrace and very, very low. He has ran a complete negative campaign and has no issues to run on…what has he done as Treasurer??
He is a White House lap dog and would vote with Durbin 100% of the time…ILL needs some balance and this 34 year old is not the answer.
Full disclosure–I’m usually a Democratic voter and would probably be voting for Giannoulias anyway. But I’m a veteran, including the intelligence branch, so Kirk would have had some appeal to me. Not anymore–there’s something downright weird about him. Many have talked about his embellishments from the point of view of a character issue, which I understand, but I’m more interested in what it might mean about the psyche of this guy–it seems a little Gary Hart to me, in a weird way.
While as a Democrat I wish more of my team had military backgrounds, it’s worth noting that Giannoulias’ Treasurer’s office has expanded loan programs to veterans.
RFK fan: you should know that democrats have started to turn this around. the breakdown in the military vote was much closer to 50-50 in 2008, and democrats like patrick murphy and joe sestak have emerged with honorable military backgrounds…
I prepared a more effective ad against Kirk but it has been suppressed by the media. I am amazed at the number of brain-dead Republicans who continue to support Kirk. Kirk is the biggest imposter in U. S. Navy history. We’ll have more to say about this in the closing days.
Andy Martin
- VoterUSA - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 10:48 am:
Holy-swiftboat, very hard hitting against Kirk… I give it a 9
- A.B. - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 10:50 am:
Honestly, I think the attack piece is pretty weak. Nothing hard hitting, a few vets attacking on cherry picked votes from ‘05, like Seals tried a couple of years ago. Nothing but a white noise piece in the crush of election ads.
Have to agree with Rich on the mayoral piece…I mean really, WHO CARES?
- George - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 10:51 am:
Republicans don’t like it when it gets used against them.
But lets face it, Kirk is no Max Cleland.
Don’t expect much outrage.
- Davey Boy Smithe - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 10:52 am:
Oh yes, the Hartmarx jobs! Besides those union jobs, which other jobs has the Treasurer saved or attempted to save?
Saw the Kirk ad this morning on WGN morning news. Not good for Kirk.
- chiatty - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 10:52 am:
Let me get this straight. Giannoulias can’t run an ad that bangs Kirk for lying, overstating,embellishing and/or falsely bragging about the extent of his military career as a reservist because he never served in the military? So Kirk should get a free pass on this issue, which is probably the one issue that pulls back the curtain and allows a voter to have an idea of what kind of character this man might have? But meanwhile, Kirk can bang away at loans that Giannoulias didn’t make to Tony Rezko.
Neither candidate is very impressive, which is a shame because we have a big, important state and this is a big, important job, but I wouldn’t want to see a guy get elected by trying to make it seem like he played a more important role in the military than he really did. If you’d lie about that, you’d probably lie about a lot more.
Giannoulias may be a callow youth who gives all appearances of being unprepared for the job, but Kirk comes across as a weanling woodlouse.
Finally, on the specific subject of the ad, I think Giannoulias is smart to have veterans do the talking rather than him. It’s a hard, but well-deserved smackdown.
- Chathamite - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 10:55 am:
I watched the Hardball interview yesterday and I was pretty impressed with Alexi. I like how Chris Matthews pointed out that while a lot of other candidates for Congress and US Senate around the country are backing away from President Obama’s agenda, Giannoulias is very direct with showing his support. I like that in a candidate.
- Phineas J. Whoopee - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 10:59 am:
Hey, what goes around comes around and if Kirk wants to embellish then his opponent has a right to call him out.
- shore - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 11:00 am:
seals ran a similar kind of ad-getting a veteran to trash kirk for iraq. this is vintage 2006 raise pay/cut benefits. it didn’t work then. if this is the last gasp from alexi, not a good sign.
- Small Town Liberal - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 11:00 am:
- But lets face it, Kirk is no Max Cleland. -
Hah, c’mon, in his own mind I’m sure Kirk has lost a bunch of limbs.
- Publius - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 11:00 am:
I give the veteran ad a 9 as well. It’s hard hitting and effective. Several voters talked to me including Republicans state that they have a hard choice to make. They don’t like Alexi as much but they hate Kirk for lying about his military service
- Been There - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 11:01 am:
===Meanwhile, this has to be one of the goofiest headlines ever…===
I still go with the following headline being pretty goofy. The AG’s race is heating up? Really?
Races for comptroller and attorney general heat up.
The races for governor and U.S. Senate have gotten the lion’s share of attention during Illinois’ current election cycle. But important races also are taking place for other Illinois offices.
===Meanwhile, this has to be one of the goofiest headlines ever…===
I still go with this headline being pretty goofy. The AG’s race is heating up? Really?
Races for comptroller and attorney general heat up.
The races for governor and U.S. Senate have gotten the lion’s share of attention during Illinois’ current election cycle. But important races also are taking place for other Illinois offices.
http://www.daily-chronicle.com/articles/2010/10/19/93294595/index.xml
- Skeeter - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 11:01 am:
WOW. That anti-Kirk ad is brutal. 10/10.
What takes it from a 7 to a 10 is tying in the fact that he repeatedly voted himself a raise. That context really shows the nature of Mark Kirk. He gets more. The troops don’t.
- Conservative Veteran - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 11:01 am:
I’m a war veteran (navy), and I don’t like Rep. Kirk because he’s too liberal. His latest rating from Planned Parenthood is 100%, and his latest grade from Gun Owners of America is F-. He voted for the cap & trade bill. He voted against the health care law, but he doesn’t want to repeal it.
- just sayin' - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 11:04 am:
Right, Mark Kirk served honorably - if you don’t count all the lying about his service.
- Davey Boy Smithe - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 11:07 am:
Wonder if Kirk will counter attack with former Broadyway Bank employees or customers. If he did, would that work?
- phocion - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 11:09 am:
I thought it was obscene when the Republicans did it to Cleland and Kerry. And I think it is revolting, and that the Democrats are huge hypocrites to do it to Kirk. Shame on Alexi and the DSCC.
- Verdicto - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 11:12 am:
The ad will do some damage. Kirk embodies what a lot of enlisted and NCOs in the military resent about some officers, especially reservists, who use their service to boost their egos and ambitions.
The difference between it and the ad Seals ran is that Kirk has been exposed as a serial embellisher so it carries extra weight.
- OneMan - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 11:14 am:
At this point nothing surprises me anymore…
I have to admit the tone of this cycle is just starting to bother me. No wonder we don’t have leaders would any sane person subject themselves to this?
- D.P. Gumby - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 11:17 am:
Great Ad…doesn’t compare to the dirty ads done on Cleland and Kerry, though the pay raises is rather dicey stuff. I would have stuck w/ the falsehoods.
- Bill F. - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 11:20 am:
How dare Mark Kirk attack Alexi Giannoulias’ banking experience. The fact is, only one candidate in this race has worked at a bank.
And how dare Bill Brady attack Pat Quinn’s experience as governor. The fact is, only Pat Quinn has served as governor.
Etcetera. Etcetera.
- Vote Quimby! - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 11:22 am:
==No wonder we don’t have leaders. Would any sane person subject themselves to this?==
Amen. This blood sport is, in my opinion, scaring away the decent people who could truly lead. The attack ads in the St. Louis market for Illinois candidates are just brutal. Everyone has done something in his/her past they’re not proud of, and by all appearances if you choose to run for public office the opposition will find out about it and let everyone else know.
- Draznnl (Rhymes with orange) - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 11:23 am:
Thank you Tribune. That headline’s really going to help us all decide who to vote for in the Senate race. Glad you have your priorities straight.
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 11:37 am:
Veterans for Giannoulias?
Sorry, but this ad preaches to the choir.
If you don’t like military service, are cynical towards those who volunteer, don’t wish to give credit to candidates that do, then you probably already decided to vote for a Democrat with similar views as Giannoulias.
- Montrose - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 11:40 am:
*If you don’t like military service, are cynical towards those who volunteer, don’t wish to give credit to candidates that do, then you probably already decided to vote for a Democrat with similar views as Giannoulias.*
VM-
Your constant refrain that Dems don’t like or respect those that serve in the military is getting old. Try a more nuanced argument, will ya?
- We Todd Did - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 11:40 am:
Shame on Kirk for serving in the military. Let this be a lesson to anyone who considers joining a branch of the service. About time someone called these Vets out.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 11:43 am:
Kirk deserves all he gets and more, and he has no one to blame for himself.
For the record, I never served or lied about it. But I admire and owe all those regulars and reservists who have done the heavy lifting.
There are mothers and fathers who have done multiple hitches, some as long as a year. What’s the longest deployment Kirk ever had?
- Phineas J. Whoopee - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 11:43 am:
Mark Kirk reminds me of the type of military officer who was afraid to go ahead of his troops in battle because he was worried about friendly fire.
- Cheryl44 - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 11:44 am:
Oh the poor Republicans. They can dish it out but they can’t take it.
- Living in Oklahoma - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 11:47 am:
Impressive ad against Kirk. Wonder if there can be enough money put behind it to make an impact this late in the game.
- Logical Thinker - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 11:48 am:
Wordslinger,
Even if his longest deployment was 1 day, it is still one day longer than you or I. That counts for a lot.
The sacrifices these men and women make are noble and worthy. I’m sickened that in this day and age, with the problems we have, that so much is made of this issue.
Kirk lied. Alexi did/does too with his involvement with the bank. I guess more attention should go to an embellishment that was for self-gradification rather than one that has at the very least impacted people’s lives–if not their pocket books.
Seems logical to me.
- Logical Thinker - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 11:49 am:
Spare the hypocrisy Cheryl.
- Don't Worry, Be Happy - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 11:53 am:
Unsolicited Advice
Dear Weekly Standard: Umm, the outrage is in the ad…
- wordslinger - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 11:55 am:
LT, maybe his time would be better served trying to pry away some of that 90% of the world’s natural resources you say the Chinese control. Logical?
- Skeeter - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 11:57 am:
Vanilla Man, how DARE you claim that claim that Democrats don’t support those who served! You’ve made some stupid and offensive comments over the years, but today’s takes the cake.
Democrats don’t support our military? What an absolutely offensive thing to say.
Listen to the ad. Kirk did nothing at all for our vets. If that doesn’t work with your chosen narrative, too bad. But it is the truth. Deal with it. And then crawl back under your rock.
- Another Anonymous - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 11:58 am:
I’m voting for Kirk, but I still like the Alexi ad on Hartmarx.
Sure I have heard the message before, but it is nice to have at least one positive ad running. A reason to vote for someone rather than against someone. Other campaigns might want to give it a try.
- The 'Dale to HPark - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 12:06 pm:
The Trib is a total mess and has been for a long time. Everyone in the Tower wants to blame the current idiots, and they haven’t helped, but who ever is calling the shots in the newsroom isn’t doing much better. How many times can you get beaten to stories by the Sun-Times, who have about a twentieth of the resources that the Trib has, and still think everything is okay and good? It’s not a good news paper and hasn’t been my entire life… and I’m 30.
- T.J. - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 12:06 pm:
If Cleland had cared about national security, he would still be in office.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 12:10 pm:
–If you don’t like military service, are cynical towards those who volunteer, don’t wish to give credit to candidates that do, then you probably already decided to vote for a Democrat with similar views as Giannoulias.–
Unless you can back that up with some facts, you simply have no class.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 12:12 pm:
T.J., what is wrong with you?
- Amalia - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 12:17 pm:
Swiftboaters for Alexi!
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 12:34 pm:
TJ, if Cleland didn’t care about national security he’d still be able to walk.
- just sayin' - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 12:34 pm:
Bill F., good points. Nicely done.
- walter sobchak - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 12:36 pm:
A clueless cookie cutter ad from the school of misrepresenting minor votes from a long history of voting on complex omnibus bills. Both sides do it and as the comments above suggest, they inflame those wishing to be inflamed and do nothing for anyone with an IQ above a pomegranate. ‘Real veterans’ were used is a correct sentence. They were used. There’s no getting around Kirk’s embellishing of his military record but he is not a feckless rich kid getting another leg up because he bought his way into the Democratic Party. I watched Hardball and thought: unctuous.
- A.B. - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 12:43 pm:
Funny that the vote on job training was a procedural vote: motion to recommit with instructions. Here’s the link to the vote: http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/roll047.xml
and the pay raise votes….looks like the last one was 4 years ago, when the economy was doing well.
It seems to me that the reason to drop this one so late is so that there isn’t enough time to point out that AG is playing fast and loose with the facts.
- Logical Thinker - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 12:44 pm:
Wordslinger,
“LT, maybe his time would be better served trying to pry away some of that 90% of the world’s natural resources you say the Chinese control. Logical?”
Mock if you must.
- Logical Thinker - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 12:45 pm:
“It seems to me that the reason to drop this one so late is so that there isn’t enough time to point out that AG is playing fast and loose with the facts.”
Would that make AG a LIAR?!? Or just someone who is confusing facts for his own benefit?
- Louis G. Atsaves - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 12:47 pm:
The Alexi/Vets ad looks about the same as the last second ad Seals used against Kirk two years ago. Ask Seals how well it worked as a last second attack.
- Skeeter - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 12:47 pm:
Logical, the Logical thing to do is, if you are going to call somebody a liar, point out an actual lie.
- ourMagician - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 12:49 pm:
So Alexi is good at telling other banks what to do with regards to Hartmarx. Since he’s so good at it, maybe he should have stuck his head in the door at Broadway Bank.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 12:50 pm:
A couple of points that have been made repeatedly here about past campaigns may be off the mark.
First, pay raises. That issue is gigantic this year, as subscribers know. It’s a killer as well. It hasn’t been nearly this effective in the past.
Second, the Kirk embellishments were not known two years ago. And Kirk was running in a district that knew him and liked him and trusted him. He’s running statewide now.
Will this ad work? I don’t know. I’ve given up trying to think about stuff like that. But comparing them to in-district ads in the past doesn’t hold up to any sort of logic.
- chiatty - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 12:51 pm:
The Seals ad didn’t work because Seals’ team didn’t do its job on Op Research. Look at all the Kirk dirt that Giannoulias’ team came up with that Seals’ crew never discovered. Simple laziness.
- Jim - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 1:10 pm:
Kirk’s mistake was the overstatement of his service. If he just went with what he had actually done in the military, against a candidate with troubles, the race would be over.
- just sayin' - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 1:10 pm:
“Second, the Kirk embellishments were not known two years ago.” Exactly right and that’s huge.
- Ghost - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 1:12 pm:
Rich, shouldnt the QOTD ask how many points we think Rahm will win by????
:)
- Skeeter - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 1:14 pm:
Jim, there is much more to it. How about voting raises for yourself, while denying benefits to combat troops? That doesn’t bother you?
Do all the Kirk supporters here agree with Mark Kirk that, due to the fine performance by Congress over the past 10 years, members of Congress deserve raises?
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 1:20 pm:
From First Read:
“…new NBC/WSJ poll, which finds that only 23% of registered voters would back a generic congressional candidate who has served in Congress for more than 10 years, but 48% would support someone running for the first time. Being perceived as part of Washington is a bigger problem this midterm cycle than being perceived as too inexperienced to serve in Congress.
Kirk is a creature of DC. This is not the year to be the insider. If that DSCC ad does nothing else, it reminds voters that Kirk has been in Congress for a long time. That’s another reason Kirk can’t close the deal.
- colt 45 - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 1:24 pm:
a tough ad, for sure. alexi may have crossed a line into the uncontrolable, though. most vets don’t like non-vets talking about service records.
- Ken Po - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 1:30 pm:
This ad is nothing like the Swift Boat ads, which were real people who served with Kerry. It probably will be marginally effective.
However, it leaves the door wide open for a killer response ad with Kirk’s fellow soldiers attesting to his service and reminding people Alexi never served. Don’t know if such people exist.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 1:36 pm:
It’s kitchen sink time. First the Alexi/Vets against Kirk ad. Now something about accusing Kirk of “treason?”
You jumped the shark tank with that one Alexi. There is no turning back other than saying “I’m sorry.” And since all the “I’m sorry” statements of Kirk were never accepted by you and thrown back into his face anyway . . . . good luck trying to wiggle out of that one.
- bored now - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 1:50 pm:
George: i’d be shocked if there were any outrage whatsoever. this is a guy who needed a protection detail to serve out his reserve time because he wanted to serve in a “combat zone.” i personally know officers who chuckled at that.
Publius: you hit the nail on the head — “they hate Kirk for lying about his military service.” unfortunately, the same is true for members of congress. they aren’t too happy with kirk lying to *them* about his military service (specifically, his use of his military service to bang them over the heads about invading iraq).
the term HONOR should never, ever be used to describe mark kirk — and when it is, it’s a clear insult to those who serve and have served honorably in our military…
- Amalia - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 2:03 pm:
Given how much Rahm nonsense is going around, I’m actually surprised that more candidates are not asked who they are supporting for what office. For example, Rahm, who are you
supporting for Assessor? After all, you do live here, so what
is your opinion?
- A.B. - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 3:00 pm:
Bored - you seem to be forgetting that Kirk did serve. He did operate in Northern Watch, he has been on the ground in Afghanistan. Under his leadership, his unit did receive the award in question. His colleagues in DC know Kirk as the middle of the road Republican that he is and they have worked with him in that capacity for a decade.
While I am not a veteran, I did spend the first 15 years of my life growing up in a military family on installations across the globe, including S. Korea. And for the military families that my family calls friends, the one issue here is this: Kirk served honorably and Alexi has never served. They would rather have the guy who has worn the uniform and understands the military culture than the rich kid from a banking family in Chicago.
- Ellen Beth Gill - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 3:35 pm:
I know it’s getting to them because the Weekly Standard went after Carl and I personally and the Kirk folks usually leave that to their low level stooges. Weekly Standard “reporter” Daniel Halper had neither the guts nor the journalistic integrity to respond to my inquiry why he put my picture and FB post in the story when I had nothing to do with it.
- Wumpus - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 4:07 pm:
And gianoulius lied to the feds to pocket $2 mil
- HoosierDaddy - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 4:32 pm:
Screw ‘em both. I already voted libertarian.
- justsickofit - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 4:33 pm:
Skeeter nailed it and Rich reiterated — pay raises are a big deal this year. Have you seen the email making the rounds from seniors talking about Congressional pay raises when they are only getting $250? All of Congress is seen as self-serving. Barack’s ad for Alexi? Imo, gags a maggot on a garbage truck, but then the ad isn’t trying to appeal to anyone who has read about Jaws, and the Russian mob.
- Carl Nyberg - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 4:37 pm:
My reaction is that by mentioning the pay raises the ad cheapens itself to sounding like just another political attack ad.
But maybe it is a hot button issue.
I don’t know about Kirk’s personal wealth, but my impression is that he has a pretty middle-class background. He would be one of the few members of the U.S. Senate who did not have a net worth well in excess of $1 million.
(Kirk might be worth slightly over a million, but most U.S. Senators are multi millionaires.)
- bored now - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 4:47 pm:
A.B.: no, i’m not forgetting at all that he served. if he hadn’t used his military service to bludgeon democrats to death, his service would be admirable — except that he lied about it.
i used to work for the senate majority leader, and many of my old (republican) contacts have a FAR DIFFERENT view of mark kirk than you do. where do you think i got the notion that mark kirk has never voted against a whipped bill without his leadership’s express permission?
mark kirk served, and that’s all we can honestly say. i’d question whether he served honorably, given the fact that he’s used his military service for political gain, has been chastised for it, and still continues to do so. THERE IS NO HONOR in kirk’s service. honor would have forced him to keep his mouth shut, and allow civilian oversight of the military as the constitution intended it to be…
- Scoot - Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 7:00 pm:
Oh Yes…I’m pretty sure the great Senators Obama & Durbin both voted for pay raises as well.
This ad and this afternoon’s press conference by Alexi is a disgrace and very, very low. He has ran a complete negative campaign and has no issues to run on…what has he done as Treasurer??
He is a White House lap dog and would vote with Durbin 100% of the time…ILL needs some balance and this 34 year old is not the answer.
- RFK fan - Friday, Oct 22, 10 @ 7:21 am:
Full disclosure–I’m usually a Democratic voter and would probably be voting for Giannoulias anyway. But I’m a veteran, including the intelligence branch, so Kirk would have had some appeal to me. Not anymore–there’s something downright weird about him. Many have talked about his embellishments from the point of view of a character issue, which I understand, but I’m more interested in what it might mean about the psyche of this guy–it seems a little Gary Hart to me, in a weird way.
While as a Democrat I wish more of my team had military backgrounds, it’s worth noting that Giannoulias’ Treasurer’s office has expanded loan programs to veterans.
- bored now - Friday, Oct 22, 10 @ 8:47 am:
RFK fan: you should know that democrats have started to turn this around. the breakdown in the military vote was much closer to 50-50 in 2008, and democrats like patrick murphy and joe sestak have emerged with honorable military backgrounds…
- Andy Martin - Friday, Oct 22, 10 @ 8:48 am:
I prepared a more effective ad against Kirk but it has been suppressed by the media. I am amazed at the number of brain-dead Republicans who continue to support Kirk. Kirk is the biggest imposter in U. S. Navy history. We’ll have more to say about this in the closing days.
Andy Martin