* Good catch by Progress Illinois of a remark by WTTW’s Elizabeth Brackett about how she had talked with some of Republican Congressman Mark Kirk’s people and was told Kirk won’t run for the Senate if Attorney General Lisa Madigan does…

I don’t think Madigan will run for the Senate, but since this idea apparently freezes Kirk in place, it’s not a dumb move by the Dems.

* Chris Kennedyy’s people are calling around…

…an Illinois Democrat also speaking on the condition of anonymity, told CNN that Kennedy’s political allies are telling state Democrats that he will indeed seek the Democratic nomination for the seat once held by President Obama.

Roland Burris’ spokesperson isn’t impressed…

Senator Burris’s political adviser Delmarie Cobb is not impressed by Chris Kennedy’s possible entry into the race.

“He hasn’t been that involved in terms of any public policy or out front on any issues, so he would have to begin from scratch,” Cobb said.

Beginning “from scrtch” is still better than starting from that cavernous hole that Burris put himself in.

Daley is impressed…

Caroline Kennedy’s campaign for New York’s U.S. Senate seat was a non-starter, but the Kennedy name is still magic in Illinois, Mayor Daley said Wednesday, in a political assessment that Chris Kennedy should find encouraging.

“Sure it does. Yes, it does. You’d better believe it. Same thing as Barack Obama’s name. Those two names. You’d better believe it,” Daley said.

Having met him on more than one occasion, I can tell you that Chis is definitely not the mumbling Caroline.

* Related…

* Representative Jesse Jackson Jr.’s congressional campaign organization has paid his wife at least $247,500 since 2001, including at least $95,000 after Sandra Jackson joined the Chicago City Council two years ago, according to federal election records.

* Pew Research Political Values Study: “The lead,” as Pew Research president Andrew Kohut explained in a briefing yesterday, “is that centrism has emerged as a dominant factor in public opinion.” The percentage of adults who describe their party identification as independent — 36% so far in 2009 — equals its highest level in 70 years.” Meanwhile, Republican numbers “have dropped precipitously” since 2004, while the Democratic numbers though markedly improved during the Bush years have ‘fallen off a little bit” since November 2008. Meanwhile, basic measures on other political attitudes remain stable.

* Local diversity champ weighing statewide bid [fixed link]: In the General Assembly where she served four years, Kelly avoided the political theater embedded in the lawmaking process. She rarely spoke on the House floor during debate, unlike some members who regularly throb and thrash at the microphone to the delight of their colleagues.