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* And, now, ladies and gentlemen, Saddam Hussein…

A new name has emerged in the U.S. Senate race between Mark Kirk and Alexi Giannoulias.

It’s Saddam Hussein, the former dictator of Iraq.

Kirk’s campaign first leveled the accusation in a press blast after Alexi Giannoulias released a new campaign ad Monday morning, and Kirk reiterated Alexi’s supposed tie to the “Butcher of Baghdad” during a campaign question and answer session at the Sofitel Hotel Monday while he addressed the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

If you want to read the Kirk campaign’s full explanation of this, click here. It’s a bit of a stretch, but they seem to think it’s a worthwhile charge.

*** UPDATE *** The Sun-Times has more…

On a day that Democrat Alexi Giannoulias released a new commercial slamming him as a liar, Republican Mark Kirk tried to shift the focus back onto Giannoulias’ family bank, saying the bank gave a loan to Nadhmi Auchi, who Kirk said sold arms to Saddam Hussein.

“According to the New York Times, he was a banker to Saddam Hussein,” Kirk said of Auchi. “And According to the Observer of London, he was a middleman in the billion-dollar naval arms deal between Hussein and the Italian Navy.”

Voters should care, Kirk said: “This is not political Kryptonite — this is Hemlock,” Kirk said.

Kirk delivered his remarks after giving a 40-minute speech on foreign policy — Iran, Afghanistan, etc. — to the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. It was the first of a series of speeches Kirk planned to “elevate” the debate above mud-slinging in the senate race, Kirk said. Then he went back to trying to link his opponent to Saddam Hussein.

“This was a huge loan,” Kirk said of the $22.75 million loan the Sun-Times disclosed last week from Broadway Bank to Nadhmi Auchi and Tony Rezko to develop a 66-acre South Loop site. “The owners of the bank and its officers would have known that they were lending money to a convicted felon with a record of facilitating arms deals to Saddam Hussein and I’m not even talking about Tony Rezko.”

Giannoulias’ campaign said he left five months before the loan was approved and had nothing to do with it. But Kirk said today he had his doubts and he noted Giannoulias was at least still a part-owner of the bank.

“When you look at Treasurer Giannoulias’ statements, I can’t tell when he left the bank,” Kirk said. “The other day, he said he was at the at bank in March of 2006, which would have been a month after this loan was approved. They were running a federally insured institution and so you would think that dealing with a person barred from the United States, convicted of a felony, that a simple Google search would have revealed his business dealings.”

Actually, Giannouolias said in March of 2006 that he was still running things. Now he says he was on a paid leave by that time. But, whatever, you get the drift.

*** UPDATE 2 *** Video…

[ *** End Of Updates *** ]

* Meanwhile, Kirk says he will likely vote for a bill that will pump hundreds of millions of federal dollars into Illinois coffers…

Republican Senate candidate Mark Kirk says he’s inclined to vote for a $26 billion jobs bill that Democrats are pushing. […]

On Monday, Kirk called the measure deficit neutral and said it would keep teachers in the classroom.

He says he still needs to read the fine print but expects to support the bill.

* Giannoulias was on MSNBC’s Morning Joe today. You can watch the full thing here, or you can choose to view the short clip that the Kirk campaign wants you to see…

From a Kirk press release…

Scarborough: Did you guys give loans to organized crime?
Giannoulias: No.

Scarborough: Is that a no?
Giannoulias: Yes that’s correct.

Giannoulias Lies about Loans to Mobsters: This morning, in a flat-out lie, Alexi Giannoulias told MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” that Broadway Bank never made loans to organized crime figures.

Actually, he was not asked if he made loans to organized crime “figures.” He was asked if he made loans to organized crime. Parsing, yes, but if you’re gonna accuse somebody of lying, at least get the quote right.

* And the Adam Kinzinger campaign is touting a new poll by Public Opinion Strategies that has him leading Democratic US Rep. Debbie Halvorson by 11 points, 51-40. From the pollster…

* Among high interest voters (those who rank interest at 8-10 on a scale of 1-10), Kinzinger’s lead expands to 57-35, with seven percent undecided

* Twenty-six percent of respondents believe the country is headed in the right direction, while 68 percent believe it is on the wrong track

* Thirty-one percent of respondents support re-electing Halvorson, while 55 percent think it is time for new representation

Public Opinion Strategies is working with 50 House and Senate campaigns this year, so it’s a biggie. But the firm had real problems with this district two years ago, claiming in late September that Marty Ozinga was only trailing by two points. Ozinga got clobbered, scoring just 34.5 percent of the vote. The firm also rated almost at the bottom of 538’s June rankings - just below the now widely discredited R2K.

Also, I seriously doubt that Kinzinger has a name ID of 60 percent, as the pollster claims. It doesn’t make sense, especially since only 27 percent rated him favorably and 4 rated him unfavorably.

Even so, the Halvorson campaign isn’t releasing its own numbers, so you gotta figure that Kinzinger isn’t doing too badly.

…Adding… I’m not saying it, but if I was saying, this looks a whole lot like a high tech brick through your own campaign window. Just saying…

An independent candidate for governor believes someone is trying to sabotage his effort to get people employed.

Scott Lee Cohen calls it a despicable act. His office has received well over 100 phone calls from people seeking more information about a job fair he plans on holding Aug. 19 in Chicago . The problem: those people had been given the wrong date, and not by Cohen’s campaign or from fliers that he has disbursed to local churches and other outlets. He believes someone is intentionally mass texting people the wrong information.

“I don’t know who’s doing it. However, if it’s an attack on me, to try and hurt me, what they’re really doing is hurting the people of Illinois. I think it’s a despicable act…a cowardly act,” Cohen said.

Cohen believes it’s deliberate, although he isn’t pointing fingers because he doesn’t know who’s doing it. “I believe it is deliberate. … If this is a political ploy, then whoever is doing it is really a sick individual.”

…Adding More… A friend of mine just forwarded me the text message that he received…

From: 7736551309
Received: Aug 4, 2010 4:01 PM
Subject: Fwd: Fwd: “Job Fair” August 19th,

Fwd: Fwd: “Job Fair” August 19th, 2010 @ 566 W. Lake - Lower Level - Call Andrew @ (312) 441-0300 for more info.

I called the 773 number and it went straight to voicemail, which was full.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 2:30 pm

Comments

So Kirk has walked right off into Crazyland. Great.

Comment by Cheryl44 Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 2:34 pm
Does Kirk want to talk about Saddam Hussein? The Saddam Hussein who Kirk said had WMD that made him an imminent threat to the United States?

Really?

Unreal.

Comment by Carl Nyberg Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 2:35 pm
If this is correct…

Auchi is barred from entering the United States and is deemed an undesirable alien by the State Department.

And it was before he got the loan, that might be something…

Comment by OneMan Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 2:39 pm
Didn’t Mark Kirk drag Saddam Hussein, kicking and screaming, from his spider hole? I think we have a, uhm, misremembering issue here folks.

Comment by Anon Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 2:45 pm
As my man Hawk Harrelson would say, “Stretch! Stretch!”. If I were Kirk, I’d try to keep it simple. Also, I chuckled a little bit when Alexi was saying that Kirk has never worked in the private sector. Alexi, you played hoops in Greece and then you worked in your dad’s bank. Not sure that’s a good attack since he went to the Naval Reserve and then got elected into office. Maybe I’m wrong.

Comment by Davey Boy Smithe Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 2:48 pm
- It’s a bit of a stretch -

Kind of par for the course with Kirk, eh?

Comment by Small Town Liberal Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 2:52 pm
Maybe Alexi doesn’t think Michael “Jaws” Giorango is a mob figure.

Comment by Luke Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 2:52 pm
Did a Kirk staffer leave a DVD of Arrested Development in the office TV? The Bluth family isn’t real, man.

Comment by State Sen. Clay Davis Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 2:53 pm
Why would you spend the cycles going after SLC?

Comment by OneMan Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 2:53 pm
the congressman was against the obama surge in afghanistan and against the bush surge in iraq which worked. if the chicago media wants to put down the smores and stop singing campfire songs at the dirksen building and start reporting, his supporters like me would like to know whether he is going to chicken out on Iran the way he did iraq and afghanistan in 07 and 08 when it became unpopular with the soccer moms.

If you like gore and blood, you’ll get your fill when the congressman and alexi debate foreign policy and the congressman rips him apart. Hopefully the debate moderators will have some intelligence this time-where are you john callaway-because this is an area Alexi is definitely not cut out to be senator.

alexi has spent 2 years trashing kirk as a conservative when his 10 year record shows him to be a moderate so I don’t think you can call a Kirk allegation squeamish.

Comment by shore Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 3:11 pm
Saddam Hussein was a mobster? Go figure.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 3:12 pm
So, instead of saying the tiresome canard tha Kirk is lying, as they usually do, I’d love to see Alexi’s defenders take on the content of Kirk’s attacks for a change.

Did the Broadway Bank lend to money to Saddam’s financier and was Alexi on the payroll when the loan was initiated or when the loan was executed?

Did the Broadway Bank lend money to known mobsters when Alexi was on the payroll or when the loan was initiated?

Discuss…

Comment by Cincinnatus Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 3:16 pm
Clay Davis, well done. Long live the Bluths. Three seasons were not enough!

Comment by Davey Boy Smithe Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 3:19 pm
Me thinks Debbie is in trouble.

Comment by Ravenswood Right Winger Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 3:23 pm
Davey Boy Smithe,

If talking about Alexi instead of Arrested Development, should not we discuss Six Feet Under?

Comment by Cincinnatus Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 3:33 pm
Of course, if Alexi should win, he wants to be on the Senate Banking Committee:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2010/04/12/bloomberg1376-L0SF4C1A74E9-1.DTL

Comment by Cincinnatus Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 3:34 pm
Kirk can confirm the Saddam link, because he was leading a squadron of fighter jets over Saddam’s palace at the time, under heavy anti-aircraft fi- …what? You say he wasn’t? Oh, never mind then.

This campaign is like watching two half-conscious winos slugging it out in the alley over a bottle of Thunderbird.

Comment by Newsclown Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 3:35 pm
I’m in the area and haven’t seen a whisper of the Kinzinger campaign. How can you be that far ahead if no one knows you’re running?

Comment by rhymin' simon Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 3:36 pm
Newsclown,

Nice try at distraction. Got anything to add about the substance of Kirk’s attack?

Comment by Cincinnatus Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 3:41 pm
Geewhiz, there could be a lot of urine soaked houses if you get into a match over who was friends with Saddam. About two degrees of separation would find many US corporations doing business with Iraq during Saddam’s tenure. And a single degree if you include US presidents, secretaries of state, defense, etc. Despite any later sanctions, there were plenty of US companies that had the greedy, dirty fingers. I’ll bet a few are current friends of Kirk.

Comment by Vole Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 3:41 pm
Oberweis wins again…more milk out my nose from laughter!

Comment by D.P. Gumby Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 4:03 pm
On the other hand… I have been to the movie theatre at that site. Saw Avatar there in 3D on a huge screen while drinking a beer in my super-cushy, extra wide seat with tons of leg room.

Does that make me a terrorist?

Comment by George Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 4:04 pm
And isn’t Kirk’s attack a little facetious for the Council on Global Affairs?

Auchi was accused of providing arms to Saddam Hussein in 1980.

You know who else was providing arms to Saddam Hussein in 1980?

This guy.

Comment by George Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 4:14 pm
===I have been to the movie theatre at that site.===
George, I think you might have been on the wrong side of Roosevelt Rd. I believe the land in question is south of Roosevelt and still vacant.

Comment by Been There Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 4:14 pm
I think Vole’s last comment should earn him the honor of having his nickname forever put in burgundy. Well said, Vole.

Comment by Mayor Quimby Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 4:14 pm
===who else was providing arms to Saddam Hussein in 1980?==

Um, no. that was three years later. Point taken, though.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 4:17 pm
- Nice try at distraction. -

Its called humor, you should try it sometime.

Comment by Small Town Liberal Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 4:18 pm
The 1983 picture was for effect.

Comment by George Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 4:20 pm
OK.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 4:20 pm
George, I think you might have been on the wrong side of Roosevelt Rd.

Oh, good. So I’m not a terrorist.

Comment by George Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 4:20 pm
Hooray!

But my father-in-law retired from the Iraqi government, so I don’t know what that makes me.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 4:21 pm
Fact. Alexi bough food from a grocery store. That store used the money to puchase its inventory. That inventory puchase included money that eneded up in the hands of farmers for producing the food. terrorists eat food….therefore Alexi by supporting food is supporting all acts of terrorism.

Comment by Ghost Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 4:30 pm
Rich-

It depends. Did he give you a dowry consisting of VX gas? We’re still looking for that.

Comment by John Bambenek Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 4:32 pm
John, we should let the weapons inspectors do their job…

They will be at Rich’s door shortly.

Comment by George Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 4:34 pm
They don’t give dowries. It’s the opposite, which I belatedly discovered (on my wedding day) much to my chagrin. But I didn’t pay to play. Gotta stick with one’s principles.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 4:35 pm
“On the next Alexi Development: LeAlan chases a loose seal, Alexi burns down the Banana Stand and Mark gets disappointing news from the Blue Man Group.”

Comment by MrJM Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 4:38 pm
Lot’s of distraction still from the claims of the ad.

Let’s summarize the comments:

Plenty of people worked with Saddam, so I guess that makes Alexi’s association okay.

I have no sense of humor, so I guess Kirk was lying, and it makes Alexi’s association is okay.

Rumsfeld did it, so Alexi must be okay.

Terrorists! Terrorists.

Still not a single explanation from the Alexi supporters…

Comment by Cincinnatus Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 4:39 pm
a speech on foreign affairs and the headline coming away from it was the bank. 6 more speeches guesses on subject-if they aren’t regional issues.

education?-he’ll hit alexi on the 85 million blown
economy-he’ll hit alexi on the bank
agriculture-hard to think of a tie-in
cleaning up corruption-bank
small business-hitting alexi on his bank bailout?

Comment by shore Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 4:45 pm
shore,

Spot on. Here is a story from the Weekly Standard blog that went live a few minutes ago:

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/giannoulias-would-be-disaster-taxpayers

Check out your accuracy. You were right there…

Comment by Cincinnatus Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 4:55 pm
“agriculture-hard to think of a tie-in”

oil, corn ethanol, energy security, energy independence, Middle East, terrorism, Iraq, Saddam, Alexi

Oh boy. calling 911

Comment by Vole Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 4:56 pm
Will the Republicans be running a candidate for the Senate?

Comment by Keyser Soze Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 5:09 pm
Cincinnatus,

I don’t think you will see any Alexi supporters flocking to the blog to offer an “explanation,” because there really isn’t anything to explain.

Alexi’s family bank gave a loan to a guy (Auchi) who (according to articles I found in the past half hour in trying to find out more about him), was honored by Queen Elizabeth, and knighted by Pope John Paul II.

It isn’t that “plenty of people worked with Saddam” so Auchi is the greatest guy ever. Auchi worked with Saddam when the U.S. was working with Saddam. He was our greatest friend ever, remember that? Don’t come here and pretend ignorance.

Comment by George Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 5:11 pm
I don’t know anything about ag so sorry for that.

I can’t see him giving 7 policy speeches on the same topic around the state-the beat writers won’t give him coverage on that. So my guess is you take the 6 issues of most relevance left, put in some kirk stuff that plays to the crowd- i.e. israel for foreign policy and an angle bashing alexi.

It will also be interesting to see what campaigns do as my guess is they are in limbo until blago verdict comes because you know that will stomp out anything they are doing for the rest of the week. I expect a-1 full cover d-day esque headline.

education-for rich miller’s soccer moms-slam dunk-maybe some praise for obama’s race to the top thing to look bipartisan, would be interesting to see if he talks up his classroom thing now that he’s been hit on it.

the economy-taxes/spending/alexi’s bank bailout, his small business plan.

ag-because he needs to show farmers that under the brooks brothers suit he’s been wearing for 30 years he knows those issues and isn’t just mr. corporate white collar north shore.

corruption-expect to see campaign finance reform vote-an early kirk for congress hit along with some rangel/stroger/blago/alexi bank bashing and a side of “corruption tax”.

Other options

-veterans again testy with his resume screwups

-enviornment-pre cap and trade was an issue where he really stole the democrats bacon on the north shore with a strongly pro-enviornment record.

Comment by shore Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 5:32 pm
If Alexi loaned money to Auchi in 1980, I’d give him a pass. But he was only 4 years old then.

Comment by Cincinnatus Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 5:33 pm
Cincinnatus,

I think you’ve really jumped the shark on this one, your partisanship having *really* gotten the best of you this time. Have you tried this?

Comment by Λεωνίδας Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 5:34 pm
quite foolish of Kirk’s people to be pushing this extreme allegation - reasonable people, even people like me who probably aren’t going to vote for alexi, aren’t going to believe that Alexi is pro-Saddam.

Comment by Robert Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 5:37 pm
If you had not voted for Bush because he chose Rumsfeld as his Defense Secretary, I would give you a pass.

Comment by George Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 5:50 pm
So Alexi is not responsible for anything that ever happened while he was at Broadway Bank. That takes away about 3/4ths of his resume. Guess that only leaves his stellar performance as Treasurer, and his hoop shooting ability with Obama.

Comment by Cincinnatus Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 6:09 pm
it just goes to show — which i’ve been saying all along — that mark kirk will say anything — ANYTHING — to get elected. doesn’t have to be true. doesn’t have to even be believable. it just has to cast alexi in a negative light.

given the fact that kirk clearly flubbed his appearance before the council, should we even have a foreign policy debate. i know, i know, kirk won’t show up (and he’ll somehow blame his cowardice on alexi, too!), but it’s obvious that alexi will slaughter the congressman.

i’m beyond thinking that kirk is an idiot. i’m starting to wonder if we shouldn’t be alerting the guys in white coats…

Comment by bored now Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 6:54 pm
@bored now - At least Kirk isn’t trying to link Alexi to Scott Lee Cohen.

That would be despicable.

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 7:45 pm
“Nadhmi Auchi was honoured in 2003 by the Roman Catholic Sacred Military Constantian Order of St George with the honour and dignity of Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Francis I in recognition of his major contributions to inter-church and inter-faith dialogue. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II granted him his Coat of Arms in 2004. *** In 2009 he became a member of the Royal Society of Medicine’s Court of Benefactors. in the same year he received the Holy Cross Pro Ecclesia et pontifice Medal decreed on him by his Holiness Pope Benedict XVI in recognition of his contribution and support of the various interfaith and humanitarian work in the former Yugoslavia, Later in the year he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Economic Sciences by the Netherland’s Lahaye University in recognition of his distinct achievements & leadership in the investment sector locally and globally.”

So Alexi’s international cabal includes Saddam Hussein, the Pope and the Queen of England?

Dear God, Mr. Kirk, just how high does this guilt-by-association conspiracy go?!?

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 7:57 pm
good point…

Comment by bored now Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 7:58 pm
Alexi would loan money to anyone just to get elected. Look, he knew EXACTLY what he was doing, kissing the rings of those powerful to prop himself. How many 29 year-olds are Treasurers across the country? How many 33 year-olds are running as a serious candidate from a major party for US Senator? Short cuts. Or shortcuts. You don’t get experience from playing hoops in Athens. You can’t say you know how hard it is to become something from nothing since you were born into a family worth a 100 million dollars. So instead of accomplishing anything, you befriend our President and take every single shortcut available (I was a great banker in 2006 to I did nothing at Broadyway in 2010; invest in risky areas for Bright Start in 2007 to I did nothing to Bright Start in 2010 when Hoffman called him on it) in order to leap in front of a dozen smarter people to run for Senator. We Democrats had a name for a guy like that. He’s name was Blagoveich.

Comment by BH Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 8:30 pm
I think there is no doubt Kirk has went off the deep end. This is simply nuts.

Comment by (618) Democrat Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 8:32 pm
Haven’t read through the comments yet. Here’s my analysis:

Alexi’s Team were right on target with this one. Took guts to go on Joe’s show, and he did well. Quotes/points that stood out: Kirk’s connections to DC v. AG’s “family business” (and I’ll add that even the Mobster thing isn’t *muddying* the word “family”); FORTUNATE to be a US Senator; originally ran as an “outsider”; and use of the word “sensationalism” against Kirk’s Campaign.

The lie about “mobsters” got lost IMHO. He did well. Still likeable, and he’s showing steady improvement.

Comment by The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 9:03 pm
I will have to admit that with the number of times he brought up his Dad, am *almost* expecting that to become a defense in future if more comes out. Tricky that would be for Giannoulias.

Comment by The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 9:05 pm
Robert, I agree about the foolishness of the Kirk people. I would caution anyone considering running for politics against hiring the people Kirk has running his campaign. They are just allowing him to look worse and worse with each passing day. I’m not sure if his handlers are pushing the craziness that has been Kirk’s campaign as of late, or if they are a bunch of yes-men types who are too afraid to rein him in.

I wouldn’t be surprised if LeAlan Jones does quite well in the race considering his party. As Kirk and Alexi G. grate on peoples’ nerves, Jones looks more appealing for the protest against the two major party candidates.

Comment by Will County Woman Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 9:07 pm
Also, I don’t understand why Kirk’s campaign would even go with an excerpt of that interview. Just like the Obama clip on “trust”. I don’t get it. I don’t see either as truly damaging to AG, and it almost seems like half-decent pubicity for AG from Kirk’s Campaign.

Hmmm.

Comment by The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 9:08 pm
=I would caution anyone considering running for politics against hiring the people Kirk has running his campaign.=

Well said, WCW. Brava.

Comment by The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 9:09 pm
lol “pubLicity”. Sorry, guys.

Comment by The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 9:10 pm
=Unreal.=

I don’t know, Carl. One Man’s right. That one might have real legs. It’s been around for a while (years), but I never caught the alleged connection.

Comment by The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 9:14 pm
=Oberweis wins again…more milk out my nose from laughter!=

So no milk with your tea, Gumby?

Comment by The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 9:18 pm
George, IMHO, your 4:14 is THE stretch.

Just sayin’.

Comment by The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 9:20 pm
lol…Ghost….!

Comment by The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 9:22 pm
And, Responsa, before you go “postal”. I was obviouly away, and am catching up. Happens sometimes.

Comment by The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 9:30 pm
i suppose we should apologize to the kirk supporters here. yes, we are mocking mark kirk. yes, we are doing so incessantly. no, we don’t take what he said seriously — he is, after all, a serial exaggerator (that’s the nicest version of the term). and when you hear “the rest of the story,” we just really feel sorry for those of you who take kirk seriously.

because nobody else is. electing kirk will just make illinois a laughing stock. he’s gone from a lightweight to a really sorry figure in d.c….

Comment by bored now Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 9:43 pm
OT, but I missed the QOTD today. I was going to say that at least we still have our sense of humor here on CapFax.

Beautiful close on that one, Irish. Always important to count our blessings because there truly are so many.

Comment by The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 9:51 pm
How good is David Hoffman looking right about now? (or Dan Hynes) … Kirk speaks authoritatively about foreign policy issues, he’s convincing in his delivery no matter how ridiculous the “facts” he’s presenting. He did it when he was palling around with Dan Lipinski a couple years back when they both opposed Dem proposals to set a timeline to withdraw from Iraq. I’ll have to see if I have any docs from back then …

Comment by Pioneer P. Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 10:05 pm
But to be really blunt, I can’t understand how anyone can think Alexi is the right guy for that job. I just can’t. I am not anti-democrat by any significant stretch, but I just don’t get at any level the appeal of him as an elected official.

At the end of the day Kirk has served his nation and is by all accounts a decent intelligence officer.

Much like Rod, I have to admit I just don’t get the appeal of Alexi.

I may not have voted for Obama but I got the appeal, I could see why people wanted him to be president. I can see the same thing about Jesse White, Lisa and others who are Democrats as well, I may not agree with them on everything but I can see why people would vote for them.

I can even understand why Kirk may be to ‘whatever’ for you.

But Alexi, sorry at the end of the day I just don’t get it.

Comment by OneMan Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 10:06 pm
You know what, OneMan, I was going to bite, but I know you’re a heckuvalot more perceptive than that.

Fishing? I for one absolutely refuse to enable you that way. Why don’t you tell us, OneMan.

Comment by The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous Monday, Aug 9, 10 @ 11:09 pm
probably the easiest way to get excited is to acknowledge that alexi giannoulias isn’t blagojevich, i mean, kirk. he won’t embarrass us. he won’t contribute to the laughing stock that is so many of our politicians (*wave* rickey hendon).

there’s no question that alexi is young, but that also means that he’s open to new ideas, eager to help *real* people (kirk’s only interested in helping himself), more interested in bringing change to washington than mouthing change while reaping the spoils of the beltway.

moreover, alexi giannoulias has taken a keen interest in the entire state. you won’t find him refusing to answer questions from interested voters or running away from this state’s reporters. in the end, he just won’t embarrass us. there are enough liars in politics, why elect another one?

alexi is more than adequate, he’s prepared. mark kirk would go to the senate and keep calling the nytimes and washpost, just so he can see his name in the paper. but alexi could have real impact on legislation, something that kirk hasn’t done yet — and no one credibly believes he will do in the future. Pioneer P. is right, kirk is a great presenter. but he’s a policy and intellectual lightweight that has made his career of getting into the orbit of powerful men and then re-packaging their ideas. where’s the beef? there is no there there…

Comment by bored now Tuesday, Aug 10, 10 @ 8:28 am
Saddam Hussein and the Italian Navy? Has he been doing bongs with Rand Paul?

What else have you discovered in your investigations, Commander Bond, I mean Kirk?

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Aug 10, 10 @ 8:43 am
Bored Now, you think that Alexi isn’t in this for himself? We’re seeing two different prespectives/people then. All I see is another narcissistic man trying to fool people. Also, I think Alexi has his share of lies and embellishments too. Alexi ran away from reporters in early May (I believe). He was at the Thompson Center and ran to his car because he claimed he had to leave to go downstate. I see Alexi more as a rubber stamp for Durbin. Alexi’s resume is law school, basketball, dad’s bank, and State Treasurer thanks to powerful people. I’m not ripping on him, I just think that’s a weak candidate. If given more time, he may be a great pol, but I don’t think he’s there yet.

Comment by Koko B Tuesday, Aug 10, 10 @ 8:45 am
I will tell you why I don’t get Alexi.

I have always been a bit suspicious of folks who primary work experience has been working for dad. I gave Andy McKenna a real hard time for that in the past. So that is issue one for me. I would have been more impressed if he had gone to work for someone else’s bank for a while.

His general silence during a part of the last 4 years about the states financial issues. Yes I know Danny was running for governor but for a while (over 4 years) he was predicting the budget mess we are in today. Also I don’t understand with the states current financial situation why anyone who gets within 10 feet of this states finances deserves a promotion.

The whole college savings thing. Full disclosure my kids lost money due to that. I just don’t get how they were not monitoring what was supposed to be a safe bond fund that was doing things as I understand it outside of their scope. Also why there was only a 50% recovery. I would argue it was the biggest issue he faced as treasurer and he didn’t hit it out of the park. He barely got a single.

You notice I haven’t mentioned a single loan or Iraq or anything else.

You know another term as treasurer I might feel differently about the guy.

At the end of the day, I just have not really seen why he wants to be US Senator besides it’s an upgrade.

Comment by OneMan Tuesday, Aug 10, 10 @ 9:16 am
“His general silence during a part of the last 4 years about the states financial issues. Yes I know Danny was running for governor but for a while (over 4 years) he was predicting the budget mess we are in today. Also I don’t understand with the states current financial situation why anyone who gets within 10 feet of this states finances deserves a promotion.”

Seriously, Alexi G. spent 1 1/2 to 2 years barely being a state treasurer. He’s been AWOL/MIA for half to most of his 4 year term. So, it stands to reason why so little was heard from him.

Comment by Will County Woman Tuesday, Aug 10, 10 @ 9:39 am
NBC 5 really needs a better backdrop for Chicago appearances on the NBC national networks. The Dallas bureau looks Buckingham Palace compared to Chicago’s.

I wonder if Auchi paid more Federal taxes last year than Giannoulias.

It’s too bad Joe Scarborough didn’t have the facts that Mike Madigan was the person in “the Illinois Democratic Party” warning people about Alexi in the ‘06 Treasurer’s race. Giannoulias does deflect that criticism better today though. Bonus: no brow sweat waterfalls.

Comment by Brennan Tuesday, Aug 10, 10 @ 9:49 am