At his health care townhall in Northbrook today, GOP Rep. and U.S. Senate candidate Mark Kirk received an off-topic question regarding his support earlier this summer for the House climate bill (which would curb carbon emissions via a cap-and-trade system). In response, Kirk reiterated that he would vote to oppose the bill as a senator because, beyond the North Shore congressional district he currently represents, "we are overwhelmingly a manufacturing, agriculture and coal state." Watch it:
KIRK: Bottom line: When I worked with Midwest Generation -- by the way, just about everybody in here, you get your electrons from Midwest Generation in Waukegan -- it [cap-and-trade] costs $14 per year, per household. But when you look beyond the 10th Congressional District to the wider Illinois economy, we are overwhelmingly a manufacturing, agriculture and coal state. If I'm to be a senator, I need to be a strong advocate for all Illinois family incomes. And so I've announced, as senator, I would not support that legislation.
We've repeatedly noted why Kirk's current position contradicts his explanation back in July of his support for cap-and-trade. But beyond that, here's the question that reporters need to ask Kirk at this juncture: What other positions do you plan to abandon over the course of your U.S. Senate campaign in order to appeal to statewide Republican interests?
We'll have more health care-related coverage from Kirk's town hall tomorrow morning.
Comments
Cooperative Liberty (not verified) on Wed, 09/30/2009 - 07:58
What other positions do you plan to abandon over the course of your U.S. Senate campaign in order to appeal to statewide Republican interests?
This sounds like a better question.
What other positions do you plan to reconsider over the course of your U.S. Senate campaign i order to appeal to statewide Illinois voters?
However, I am sure that one reporter will adopt the Progress Illinois talking points. Heck, maybe it could even be PI asking the question. You do get "press" credentials for public events from SOME candidates for office despite the fact that you're sponsored by a special interest that supplies funds, people, and endorsements to candidates for political office.
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