GOP Rep. Mark Kirk is all in a tizzy about the newest TV ad coming from Democrat challenger Dan Seals' camp. The video features Caleb Davis -- an Iraq vet from Peoria -- making the case that the incumbent Republican sent troops to war irresponsibly and didn't care for them when they returned from battle. Watch it here:
Rather than take on the message of the ad -- which he can't be too thrilled about -- Kirk has opted to go after the messenger, highlighting a Peoria Journal Star report that Davis wore a black T-shirt proclaiming "Investigate 9/11@911truth.org" to an event at a Peoria library. For those who don't know, the "9/11 truthers" theorize that the American government was complicit in the terrorist attack. However, Davis denies any involvement in the movement. From his statement in response to the controversy, sent to us by the Seals campaign:
"I am not a member of this organization, nor have I ever been. I attended an event because I was sent by my government to fight in a war that was based on lies, including the lie that Iraq was involved in the 9/11 attacks. Let me set the record straight, I believe that America was attacked by Al Qaeda terrorists on 9/11.
Kirk first sent a letter demanding Seals take down the ad. "I am disappointed," he wrote Monday, "that you would center your campaign on a spokesman who believes the U.S. government murdered nearly 3,000 of its own citizens." And appearing today on WLS' Don Wade & Roma In The Morning, he went so far as to entertain the possibility that Seals himself holds such views. Listen here:
DON WADE: Does Dan Seals endorse that view that this was a conspiracy by the United States government to blow up the Twin Towers and --
ROMA: Murder 3,000 of its own citizens?
KIRK: We don’t know. I think all we can say is he's very tolerant of those views because he puts a 9/11 conspiracy theorist as the center of his campaign spokesman and then when we told him everything about this guy, he’s now standing behind him.
"We don't know" if Seals believes that the U.S. government is responsible for 9/11? That's ludicrous, as Kirk very well knows. It's also reminiscent of Republican Senate candidate Steve Sauerberg, who recently said that he has "no idea" if Sen. Dick Durbin is patriotic.
Comments
Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 10/15/2008 - 18:56
It seems that your argument is certainly missing the point. While this "soldier" lives in Peoria (or even reportedly elsewhere), he is certainly not anywhere near a constituent of the 10th congressional district. Did he just suddenly "appear" on the scene to speak up against Congressman Kirk? Does Davis honestly believe that a current member of the armed forces would vote against veterans? How did Davis come to know so much about the record of Congressman Kirk? The point that should be raised is why does Mr. Seals find it necessary to only degrade his opponent rather than speak of his accomplishments? Maybe, just maybe, he has nothing to talk about!
Post new comment
Progress Illinois' intention is to foster community and to maintain a comfortable and constructive blogging environment. While we encourage and appreciates different points of view, we do not consider it our duty to give a voice to anybody with an opinion.
Discussion on this site is moderated. All comments submitted will be automatically held for review by the editors before posting. Your comment will not appear on the site until it has been approved.
We will not publish comments that we consider:
Please leave a name or nickname when commenting, as it makes it easier for others to respond directly.