* USA Today…
Kirk said he is running for another term because he believes he will be the “best advocate for the state of Illinois.” He sees himself as one of the more moderate members of Congress — he supports same-sex marriage and was the first Republican senator to meet with Garland, Obama’s Supreme Court nominee. Kirk called Trump a “river boat gamble” but said he still supports the presumptive Republican nominee.
“I had my reservations,” he said. “I’ve been thinking, in an age of Trump where you don’t know the direction of the country, the person you need most is a steady conservative hand like Mark Kirk in the Senate to be advising the president, especially on national security topics…which is my particular expertise after 23 years in the Navy.”
* Duckworth deputy campaign manager Matt McGrath responded…
“It is abundantly clear to most people in Illinois that Donald Trump lacks the knowledge and temperament to be President, and should never be placed anywhere near the nuclear codes. Republican Mark Kirk, who has been wrong about virtually every major foreign policy decision for the last 15 years, apparently views such a frightening possibility as an opportunity to increase his influence. Sad!”
OK, but I thought his statement, while admittedly self-serving, was somewhat reasonable.
Your thoughts?
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 2:15 pm:
Kev,
Kirk is losin’ me. At some point, I may have to walk, bud.
OW
- The Captain - Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 2:18 pm:
He’s tried so hard to portray himself as a moderate and then he promises to be a steady conservative. Very mixed message and I’m not sure the new branding as a steady conservative is the way to go in a blue state in a presidential year when you’re own polling has you behind.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 2:25 pm:
Not right about virtually a single major foreign policy decision in 15 consecutive years? Is that Tammyspeak?
Yet another Duckworth overstated breathless press release.
- Commander Norton - Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 2:29 pm:
Also, it’s ironically Trumpian to end a press statement with “Sad!”
- A guy - Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 2:31 pm:
It was self-serving, it always is. It was also reasonable.
He should keep being reasonable and let the other side continue to have Matt McG hyperventilate a response before anyone seriously looks at the response. He’s turned every response into an hysterical rant. Dude’s gotta limit the Red Bulls.
- @MisterJayEm - Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 2:34 pm:
“He’s tried so hard to portray himself as a moderate and then he promises to be a steady conservative.”
Like Trump, Kirk is establishing himself as a candidate completely unconstrained by his previous statements.
– MrJM
- Truthteller - Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 2:40 pm:
I don’t recall Kirk being on Trump’s list of foreign policy advisors, which included a couple of grad students.
More than a little presumptuous of Kirk to appoint himself as advisor. Must be the North Shore in him
- slow down - Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 2:43 pm:
Any day where Kirk is talking about Trump and his support for Trump’s candidacy is a losing day for Kirk. It really is that simple.
- South of Sherman - Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 3:04 pm:
Not reasonable at all. Anyone who cares about national security should not want Trump anywhere near the launch codes, nor should they assume that their supposed expertise in the arena is of any interest at all to Trump.
Mark Kirk clearly is willing to compromise whatever principles he has for the sake of the party. Kirk as a kneejerk pro-Trump vote in the Senate does not make me feel even a tiny bit better about the prospect of a Trump presidency.
- Springfieldish - Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 3:05 pm:
It’s as if Kirk and staff haven’t actually been talking to or even watching the Donald. Trump doesn’t have advisors. He is his own advisor. He’s got a big brain, Trump does. I mean, c’mon, look at his fingers! You know that means there’s a big thing up there somewhere, right? Sure.
Kirk is now haplessly pandering to the suffers of Trumpitis in much the same way the makers of Viagra used Bob Dole. Dole went from respected to a side-show in an exponent of 30 second intervals. Kirk has, in one fell swoop, become a drooling Trump-entourage wanna-be. A not-senatorial advisor to the not-presidential. Sad indeed.
- The Muse - Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 3:09 pm:
I think it would be a reasonable statement if the presumptive nominee came off as a more reasonable person who would be willing to heed the advice of a man of Sen. Kirk’s stature. If Trump’s making enemies with people like Sen. John McCain (questioning his military record) I don’t see how he’d expect Trump to listen to any advice he’d give.
- illini97 - Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 3:23 pm:
This tries to be reasonable, but ends up all garbled to me.
“Trump is reckless. So clearly what we need is not Clinton and Duckworth, but me trying to rein Trump in. Because Trump has shown he listens to conflicting opinions?”
No thanks, Kirk has made a strong case that “Team R” gets a vote against it.
- Northsider - Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 3:41 pm:
Shorter Kirk: I support/endorse Trump.
If I knew nothing else about Mark Kirk, that tells me all I need to know.
- DGD - Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 3:49 pm:
Kirk is conservative ?
- Wensicia - Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 4:12 pm:
Trump needs a steady conservative hand? Who is Kirk referring to, cause it sure ain’t himself.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 5:48 pm:
He will take his steady conservatism with him to the unemployment line. As will many other IL GOPers, cons or not.
- Conservative Veteran - Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 10:33 pm:
Sen. Kirk isn’t conservative. According to www.vote-smart.org, here are some of his latest interest group ratings: Planned Parenthood, 100%; NEA, 100%; John Birch Society, 35%; and Gun Owners of America, 0%.
- Whoelse - Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 10:48 pm:
Kirk is toast