Mark Kirk

Could Michelle Obama Be The Next Hillary Clinton? Illinois Poll Supports Her For Senate Seat Of Mark Kirk In 2016

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First Lady Michelle Obama is rumored to be a possible candidate for the US Senate seat of Mark Kirk in 2016, when the man who took over President Obama’s Senate seat by election in 2010 comes up for reelection.

Michelle Obama has evidenced absolutely no interest, but who can say for sure, considering that her daughters will be four years older, and more on their own, as compared to now, and with her mother and the President able to assist, if need be.

It must be pointed out that Mark Kirk has, sadly, been recovering this past year, his second year in the Senate, from a massive paralytic stroke, and this could affect public opinion ratings for or against him, depending on what happens in the future. And it could make him decide to retire at the end of his term in 2016.

But Illinois voters right now vastly favor Michelle Obama over Kirk, for whatever it is worth.

Certainly, Michelle Obama has demonstrated that she is very smart, articulate, and a great contributor to the position of First Lady, much like Hillary Clinton before her, who ran for the Senate in the last year of President Bill Clinton’s second term.

So who can say for sure what the future might bring?

Who Is “Moderate” In Republican Party In US Senate After Defeat Of Richard Lugar?

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It has been said for a number of years now that “moderates” are an “endangered species” in the Republican Party in the US Senate.

Without knowing what new members will join the US Senate in the upcoming elections of 2012, of those now in the Senate, who could be considered “moderate” in any sense?

Senator Susan Collins of Maine
Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts
Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska
Senator Mark Kirk of Illinois
Senator Rob Portman of Ohio
Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee
Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina
Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee

What is this list based upon?

Voting records of these US Senators
Comments and Statements made on issues
Talk by these Senators about Bi-partisanship.

It should be made clear that this is based on the author’s own judgment, and is in a ranked order, from MOST moderate and cooperative and bi-partisan to LEAST moderate.

Overall, the concept of “moderate” Republicans is dying more every day, and particularly now with the voluntary retirement of Olympia Snowe of Maine and the forced retirement of Richard Lugar of Indiana!

Mitt Romney’s Running Mate: Who Could End Up As Vice President Next Year?

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It may seem premature to ponder who could be Mitt Romney’s running mate for Vice President, after only two contests, the Iowa Caucuses and the New Hampshire Primary, but speculation is already beginning.

It is not an unimportant issue, as one must remember that a Vice President is one heartbeat away from the Presidency, and we have had nine Vice Presidents succeed to the office of President, mostly recently Gerald Ford, after Richard Nixon’s resignation in 1974.

We have now had a longer period of no Vice Presidential succession than ever since the first time the Vice President (John Tyler) replaced a President who had died after one month in office in 1841 (William Henry Harrison).

We have had Vice Presidential choices that have been nightmares, such as Sarah Palin in 2008, Dan Quayle in 1988 and Spiro Agnew in 1968, with the latter two making even opponents of George H. W. Bush and Richard Nixon wish for their continued good health!

Many individuals are being speculated about who would not be good choices in one way or another.

Among these are:

Florida Senator Marco Rubio
South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley
Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie

All of the above are highly controversial in different ways, and would not draw moderates or independents, crucial in an election more than a nomination battle. And all, except Santorum, have been in high office too briefly, so the lack of experience would be harmful, as each has only finished one year in his or her position in government on a national level, with the exception of Christie with two years in office. Santorum lost reelection by a wider margin than just about any incumbent senator in history, when he lost his seat in 2006.

So, a better list would be the following, all adding to Romney, rather than subtracting:

Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty
Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell
Tennessee Senator Bob Corker
Ohio Senator Rob Portman
Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal
Missouri Senator Roy Blunt
South Dakota Senator John Thune
Illinois Senator Mark Kirk

All of these nine, four governors and five senators, have had experience and come across as less controversial, and all would be qualified to take over in an emergency, if that were to happen.

Of course, all would have to be vetted, but on first look, they all seem to be capable of serving as President if need be, and far better than Palin, Quayle or Agnew!

Moderate Centrist Republicans In Senate May Be Crucial Voting Bloc!

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It used to be that Senator John McCain of Arizona was considered a moderate, centrist Republican, but no more.

But now, there are a group of moderate, centrist Republicans who look prepared to cross party lines and sometimes back the Obama Administration, although as the year 2011 develops, we will see just how often they will be willing to do so.

With the rise of the Tea Party activists, such a decision will require courage and statesmanship, so it will be one of the most interesting political signs to watch in 2011.

Among the centrist moderates would be the following:

1. Olympia Snowe of Maine, who is likely to face a Tea Party challenger in the primary in 2012.
2. Susan Collins of Maine, who has often seemed willing to cooperate, although she tends to “drive a hard bargain” for her vote.
3. Scott Brown of Massachusetts, who despite his win with early Tea Party backing in January, now seems to be moving toward the center in liberal Massachusetts, but will almost certainly face a Tea Party challenger in the primary in 2012.
4. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who has become liberated by her independent win over Joe Miller, and voted for every part of the Obama agenda during the recent Lame Duck session of Congress, and has made clear she will defy the rightward trend in her party.
5. Richard Lugar of Indiana, the most respected Republican in the Senate, usually conservative, but still with an independent streak, who faces a likely Tea Party challenge in 2012.
6. Mark Kirk of Illinois, newly elected, but already showing signs of independence, as he was defined as a moderate Republican in his years in the House of Representatives.
7. Bob Corker of Tennessee, who has shown signs of moderation in his four years in the Senate, and may face Tea Party opposition in the primary in 2012.
8. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, who is moderate sounding sometimes, although he seems to work at having a right wing image at times, as well.

Along with Independent Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, this bloc of Senators will play a likely historic role in dealing with the many domestic crises and foreign policy controversies facing the nation over the next two years!

An Historic Day In The US Senate: Repeal Of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Finally Accomplished! :)

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A seventeen year injustice toward military personnel has finally ended today with the vote of the US Senate just completed at 330 pm this afternoon.

The adoption of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” on the subject of sexual orientation in 1993 was discriminatory from its inception, and has led to approximately 13,000 top notch, talented military personnel being dismissed.

After a long struggle initiated with the full backing of President Obama, finally the United States military meets the same standards as most European countries, Canada and Israel.

This is a major civil rights victory, and continues the difficult struggle for gay rights that has been going on for a long time.

On the vote to end the filibuster, six Republicans courageously joined 57 Democrats, so that the vote was 63-33. Those Republicans were Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Scott Brown of Massachusetts, George Voinovich of Ohio, and Mark Kirk of Illinois.

It is interesting that Voinovich, a retiring Senator, and Kirk, a newly sworn in Senator, both voted in a way not expected.

Independent Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut must be commended for leading the fight to accomplish this repeal, although he failed to budge his good friend and colleague, Senator John McCain of Arizona, who stubbornly refused to reconsider his hard line attitude on the subject, despite earlier having stated that if the military leaders and the Defense Secretary advocated lifting the ban on gays in the military, that he would go along with them. So this is not one of John McCain’s better moments in the Senate. One can compare it to his predecessor in his seat, Barry Goldwater, who stated that you don’t have to be straight to know how to shoot straight!

The final vote has just occurred and is 65-31, including some Republicans who voted “no” on ending the filibuster, but have now voted for the legislation–Richard Burr of North Carolina and  John Ensign of Nevada.  So this makes a total of eight Republicans who backed the final passage.

This is a pleasant surprise, and makes for eight Republicans joining all Democrats who voted “aye”.

Overall, this is a great day for the United States and its military! 🙂

Exaggeration And Fabrication: The Cases Of Richard Blumenthal And Mark Kirk

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What is it with politicians that they cannot run for office based on truth and honesty, on their real record of accomplishments or talents? 🙁

We have the cases of Democrat Richard Blumenthal, running for the Senate in Connecticut, and Republican Mark Kirk, running for the Senate in Illinois!

Blumenthal has been the distinguished Attorney General of Connecticut for 22 years, and is attempting to succeed Democrat Christopher Dodd in the Senate. He is heavily favored, but the NY TIMES has uncovered the fact that he has lied about military service in Vietnam in the late 1960s, when he never did such service!

Mark Kirk has been a GOP Congressman for ten years, and is considered a moderate Republican with a good chance of defeating his Democratic opponent, in a race to succeed the appointed Democrat to Barack Obama’s Senate seat, Roland Burris. But he has fabricated his teaching experience, which was very minimal to none, for no reason that makes any sense!

It seems to me that Blumenthal claiming military experience in Vietnam is much more egregious an offense than Kirk claiming teaching experience, but the question is WHY it is necessary to fabricate, exaggerate and lie about one’s background! 🙁

How could either candidate really believe that they would get away with lying over time, if not immediately caught in the story making? It boggles the mind why such behavior seems more commonly used, therefore causing further disillusionment toward politicians by the American people! 🙁