Subject: [big campaign] Despite Kirk's Begging For An Endorsement, Sarah Palin Rejects Him
From: Adam Jentleson <[email-masked]>
To: "[email-masked]'" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:23:54 -0500
List-Id: <bigcampaign.googlegroups.com>

Despite Begging For An Endorsement, Sarah Palin Rejects GOP Senate Candidate Rep. Mark Kirk<http://thinkprogress.org/2009/11/16/kirk-palin-snub/>

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/11/16/kirk-palin-snub/

Earlier this month, the Washington Post reported<http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/eye-on-2012/il-sen-kirk-seeks-palin-endors.html> that Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL), a candidate for Senate in 2010, wrote a memo to Sarah Palin requesting that she endorse him during her visit to Chicago for the Oprah Winfrey Show. The Post noted that "Palin's endorsement [of Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman] helped force state Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava (R) from the race" in the NY-23 special election, and that Kirk's memo is "tangible evidence<http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/eye-on-2012/il-sen-kirk-seeks-palin-endors.html> of the power of Palin's endorsement in a Republican primary."

The memo is also tangible evidence of Kirk's willingness to dramatically switch positions in order to gain political power. Last year, Kirk panned Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) selection of Palin as his running mate, telling the Chicago Tribune, "I would have picked someone different<http://archives.chicagotribune.com/2008/oct/01/local/chi-10th-district-race-01oct01>." Asked about Palin's qualifications for office, Kirk said, "Quite frankly, I don't know<http://archives.chicagotribune.com/2008/oct/01/local/chi-10th-district-race-01oct01>."

However, it appears that Palin has rejected Kirk's request for an endorsement. Recently, Kirk told ThinkProgress<http://thinkprogress.org/2009/11/06/kirk-palin-beck/> that he had been expecting her endorsement once she visited Chicago:

TP: How about Sarah Palin? How close are you to getting her endorsement?

KIRK: We sent a memo detailing the race, and she'll be coming in to Chicago shortly.

Watch it:

However, Palin visited Chicago last week<http://www.kwch.com/Global/story.asp?S=11510148> to tape an interview with Winfrey and made no mention of Kirk. Indeed, the Wall Street Journal noted that Kirk was "unsuccessful<http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125798895092944509.html>" in his bid for an endorsement, despite his detailed memo.

Facing a competitive challenge from businessman Patrick Hughes in the Republican primary, Kirk is attempting to veer to the right. After voting in favor<http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2009/roll477.xml> of cap-and-trade clean energy legislation during the summer, Kirk quickly changed his mind and told tea party activists that he would vote against<http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/09/mark-kirk-i-voted-for-cap-and-trade-in-the-house-would-vote-no-in-the-senate-and-crowd-cheers.php> the same bill in the Senate. Speaking to another assembly of conservative supporters in April, Kirk suggested that peopleshould shoot<http://thinkprogress.org/2009/04/16/kirk-shoot-taxes/> Gov. Pat Quinn (D-IL) for raising taxes.

-----
Adam Jentleson
Communications Director, Progressive Media
Center for American Progress Action Fund
[email-masked]<mailto:[email-masked]>
ajentleson (AIM)
202-247-8614 (cell)

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