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That’s Rich’s quote regarding Kirk’s effort to get Palin’s endorsement.

 

He also has Alexi’s and Hoffman’s responses:

 

Alexi:

 

“Mark Kirk begging for Sarah Palin’s endorsement makes it clear that he’ll seek any endorsement, take up any political or policy position, and attempt any political maneuver that he thinks will get him more votes. At the very best, this is shameless political pandering. At worst, it’s further proof that Mark Kirk lacks the political courage to make the tough decisions to move this state forward.”

 

 

Hoffman:

“What does Mark Kirk really believe? Last year he correctly called the addition of Sarah Palin to the McCain ticket a mistake. This year, when faced with a conservative primary challenge he is seeking her endorsement. Kirk has again revealed his true colors: No principles, no standards, whatever it takes to win. Palin is out of touch with the values of the people of Illinois. Today, Mark Kirk reminds us all that he is too.”

 

Rich points out the message that is starting to hurt Kirk:

I think “What does Mark Kirk really believe?” is the real issue here. He’s been all over the map since he started this race, jumping from one core belief to another. The history of his position on Palin clearly demonstrates that he has had this problem for quite a while now.

 

We saw this last year in his “private” comments to Republicans when he didn’t think swing voters were listening, but those instances never gained much traction.  His larger problem is that women in the suburbs like him because he’s not polarizing, but to keep his base he has to be more polarizing.  Even before the message that he has no core beliefs has caught on in the general public, he’s slightly behind Alexi in a general election match-up.  Take away some of the suburban women he can usually count on and he’s down to typical Illinois Republican levels of support.

 

Add to that an almost certain challenge from the Constitution Party loons who are very tied into the Tea Party movement and he loses his right flank too.

Mark Kirk is finding out why there are so few Jim Thompsons left in Illinois.  The tent isn’t what it used to be.