* This morning, the Rockford Register Star wrote that Congressman Dan Manzullo is “normally a rational, deliberative lawmaker.” Well, Manzullo was interviewed on WREX TV in Rockford the other day and had this to say about moving the Gitmo terrorists to Thomson prison…

“These are really, really mean people whose job it is to kill people, driven by some savage religion,” says U.S. Rep. Don Manzullo, R-16.

Watch it…

Manzullo is rightly upset that he wasn’t in the loop on this thing. He found out like everybody else - after the Thomson decision was leaked to the media. But considering his reaction, it’s no wonder nobody talked to him first.

* Congressman Mark Kirk has a new name for the Thomson prison: “Great Lakes Gitmo.”

Huh?

Kirk also claimed that the Obama administration had given $200 million to the island nation of Palau to accept “six terrorists.” Those “terrorists” have actually been deemed no threat by the military. And, as I told subscribers yesterday, that $200 million was really a $50 million increase in Palau’s 15-year $150 million aid package. That’s still a nice little bump. Illinois should be getting more money for this. Period. Watch Kirk…

It’s not like Kirk and the other opponents lack for material here. I mean, the opposition speeches practically write themselves. But why do they feel the need to make stuff up, create silly nicknames and slur entire religions?

* Meanwhile, Republican state Rep. Jim Sacia, who represents the Thomson prison area, let loose on some of his fellow Republicans today…

“I understand I’m on different pages of music with others in my party. First of all this should not be a partisan issue in anyway. If President Obama brings the detainees on U.S. soil and we sit here with a brand new state-of-the-art, max security prison, sitting vacant for the last eight years, and pass on an opportunity to sell it to the federal government, which we would fill it with 1,500 regular prisoners and 800 detainees, what is the problem? The building was designed to do that.

“The only reason we have rhetoric now is because of the closing of Gitmo,” Sacia concluded. “It makes no sense at all. This is a tremendous opportunity and we would be idiots to waste it.” […]

“I saw Mark Kirk making some comment about potentially a terrorist attacking Chicago,” [Rep. Sacia] said. “For Christ sakes. Chicago is 150 miles from Thomson… I’m very upset about [his rhetoric]. I understand people wanting to take a stand. But before you take a stand get the facts. I didn’t make a comment on this until I sat through a three hour briefing yesterday.”

“It certainly wouldn’t be my position if I were running for [the Senate],” Sacia added.

Sacia is a former FBI agent, by the way.

But the Illinois GOP is not letting up. From a press release…

In a crushing blow to Governor Pat Quinn and Senator Dick Durbin’s plan to move Gitmo to Illinois, Democratic Illinois Congresswoman Melissa Bean today announced she opposed any transfer of terrorists to the United States – including Illinois.

The Lake County News Sun today quotes Congresswoman Bean as saying: “I remain opposed to transferring Guantanamo detainees to Illinois, or anywhere in the United States, without substantial assurances regarding potential security threats.”

Bean’s statement comes on the heels of new survey results showing that only 32% of Illinois voters support the Quinn/Durbin plan while 57% oppose.

“We hope other Democrats like Bill Foster and Debbie Halvorson will have the courage to stand up to Governor Quinn and Senator Durbin and do what’s right for the people of Illinois,” Illinois Republican Party Chairman Pat Brady said.

Clever politics, for sure.

* You really gotta wonder just how much thought Pat Quinn put into this idea. Did he even have a clue about the sort of political bomb he was detonating? The last line in this Bob Schillerstrom press release pretty much sums it up…

“I understand and appreciate the deep concerns of families presented with the idea of bringing Gitmo detainees to Illinois. We should all agree that the safety of our communities must be the first consideration of government and not compromised, regardless of perceived economic benefit.

“It is stunning to see some sidestep public safety and address this as a question of job creation. And it is also surprising to see others dismiss those jobs without discussion of the merits of the proposal. More information would assist all parties in separating fact from fiction. That is why I urge the Governor’s Office and White House to detail security safeguards planned for the Thomson Correctional Center and its surrounding communities – as they should have in the first place.

“Without more information, we should expect nothing more than the backlash that has occurred in recent days.”