Sense of Betrayal

Is how one former State Rep described the base’s reaction to Mark Kirk’s vote on the climate change bill:

Most of the comments and questions were respectful, but disappointment, sense of betrayal and outright anger was apparent. Though the Congressman cited his many calls to c.e.o.’s as experts, he found in Sunday’s audience a surprising number of bona fide experts among his own citizen-constituents — including two physicists who discounted human contribution to “global warming” (on the 65-degree July day!) and a local village trustee who owns a trucking firm and reminded the Congressman of the economic pressure the Cap & Trade measure would put on those in his industry and the horror with which they greeted his vote. Others had researched his voting record and refuted some of his claims pertaining to his positions on related issues. A high/low point came when a citizen rose, told him he’d always been “her man” and then informed him she would do everything she could to defeat his next candidacy.

Members of the host organization reminded Rep. Kirk he had pledged to vote against the measure — in his meeting with them just two weeks before the vote — unless he could be satisfied the bill would not put America at a competitive disadvantage to other countries. At Sunday’s meeting, he admitted the effect on jobs and trade balances could not be ascertained until a treaty is produced in a Copenhagen meeting. A retort that Americans do not want Europeans telling us how to run our economy was met with robust applause.

The upshot: Rep. Kirk said he had definitely got the message but refused to go beyond that phrase.

It’s going to be a lonnnggggggg…primary season for Kirk.