As it comes time for candidates to fish or cut bait, we're seeing two completely different approaches from candidates and potential candidates. On the one hand, Democrat and State Treasurer, Alexi Giannoulias formed his exploratory committee, sent around notice to potential supporters and potential supporters became supporters. Giannoulias made a plan, has raised almost $2 million for the race and now, he's released a list of 60 elected officials that are endorsing him. Giannoulias didn't wring his hands over who else might be running. He just set a goal, developed tasks to meet that goal and performed.
That's Alexi....
So, what have republicans been doing?
Apparently, they've been alternately hiding and bickering.
Barney Frank has it right. Mark Kirk has senate envy. After following Kirk's career for many years, I have little doubt he looks at himself in the mirror and sees a senator. The catch is that to win his IL-10 district seat every year, Kirk has had to mask himself as a "moderate". So, while he votes against all spending that might actually help a person and for all spending that blows people up in faraway lands, every now and then, he votes for a Democratic bill or plays around with the procedural votes, so he can tell one crowd he supports a measure and another crowd that he's against it. I've been watching this pattern for years, and it's all in the archives of my blog with a handy list on the right hand sidebar.
Enter, Andy McKenna, the Illinois GOP chairman. I'm not sure what McKenna sees when he looks in the mirror every morning because he's been less outspoken about it, but apparently he saw an opening when conservatives went nuts on Kirk after his vote for Cap and Trade. McKenna, although, not announcing, made some well placed comments that he wants to run.
So, what does Naval Intelligence Officer, U.S. Congressman and grown man, Mark Kirk, do in such a situation? He throws a hissy fit. Reports coming out of Illinois republican organzations describe his reaction as a "tantrum". They add that he was calling around in a huff threatening other Illinois republicans to drop out (before he even got in) should McKenna stay in the race. The threats got out and media outlets like WaPo and Politico said Kirk was out, so he backtracked and said he might be in. We'd hear over the weekend. It's Tuesday and still no word except that we might hear some time next week.
In all this, I'm thinking about who I'd rather allow the greater powers of a senator, someone who investigates, makes a decision based on the investigation and sets tasks to realize that decision and then completes the tasks, or someone who pisses and moans, hems and haws and waits until someone else tells him he's great and should be the only candidate.