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Breaking: GOPer Retracts Bogus China-Cuba Oil Claim
Well, what do you know: We finally found a Republican who's willing to acknowledge that the myth that China is drilling for oil off American shores is, well, a myth.
We previously noted that Rep. Mark Kirk, an Illinois Republican facing a tight re-election battle this year, made the false claim in June. His offices didn't return our calls.
But the Chicago Tribune asked Kirk's office for clarification, and has now gotten a retraction. "While the Cubans may have issued offshore drilling rights, Congressman Kirk has publicly agreed that the Chinese are not currently drilling for oil near Florida," Kirk's chief of staff told the paper. Score one for reality.
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Great, Eric. Perhaps TPMEC staying on this topic helped bring about some honesty.
July 8, 2008 4:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
ROFLMAO! (I am, too.)
July 8, 2008 5:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey give the Progress Illinois bloggers a little credit. They're the ones who called out Kirk and gave Eric Zorn at the Trib the idea to get an answer. The guy who runs PI Josh Kalven, worked at Media Matters for years.
July 8, 2008 5:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, props to the Progress Illinois bloggers!
Thanks, too.
:)
July 8, 2008 5:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Breaking: Republican tells the truth. But does he have pets?
July 8, 2008 5:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Rim-shot!
July 8, 2008 5:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
well, technically, we only know that he agrees with the truth
nobody has ever actually seen him and the truth together
and just on a hunch, I called Reality's agent, and he denied that mark kirk and reality would be appearing together in public any time soon either
July 9, 2008 3:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
imagine the effect of a free independent press (instead of the current toadies) would have on all aspects of our life
July 8, 2008 5:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
A Modest Proposal:
Why not grant McCain the same Fantasy Off Shore Drilling Rights that the Republicans bestowed
to China. Nothing is more environmentally safe than imaginary oil drilling.
July 8, 2008 5:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
Here's a better idea. Let's send McCain to Florida, dress him up in a flightsuit and let him get in the cockpit of a Skyhawk again. With his flying skills we can pretty much count on him to drill himself into the Gulf 40 miles off Key West.
July 8, 2008 5:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
good follow up on this story--to all who contributed.
Push hard on issues like this locally--in clear view of each congressperson's constituency.
July 8, 2008 5:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Check this out. On Hardball right now they just ran a commercial by T. Boone Pickens saying he has a plan for weaning us of all fossil fuels he'll be presenting in a few weeks. So this is what Pickens has decided to do with his money instead of swiftboat Obama this year.
July 8, 2008 5:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, Pickens said a while back he was going to focus on energy issues instead of getting involved in the Presidential campaign this year.
July 8, 2008 6:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
These republakens....there, there all over the map with their thinkin these daze. Maybe they've forgottun just who is the decider and should call the shots on these matters!
July 8, 2008 5:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey - I know at least one Republican who backed off this claim before Kirk.
Try Dick Cheney. :-)
July 8, 2008 6:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well yeah but nobody believes anything Cheney says anymore.
July 8, 2008 10:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
ouch
now THAT'S funny
take notes people ...
July 9, 2008 3:10 AM | Reply | Permalink
Kirk is all over the map on energy and the environment. He voted against ending the offshore drilling moratorium in 2006 and now appears to be for it. He voted to kill the 2007 energy bill that increased CAFE standards three times, but voted for passage. Watching his voting record is like watching a tennis match. My neck hurts.
July 8, 2008 11:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Kirk is running scared. Show his opponent, Dan Seals, a little love - give him a donation - big or small - via Act Blue! Please! Seriously, Kirk knows he is in trouble. He has pretended to be a moderate but his voting record doesn't show it. Dan is putting up a strong fight and, if we all do our parts, will win in November. Kirk knows his constituents are bright and he can't pull the wool over their eyes forever. We need to keep calling him out on all the lies he has told. He talks a good game but walks Bush's walk.
July 9, 2008 12:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
In the collar counties of Chicago we've got an excellent chance of taking at least 4 Republican seats to go along with Bill Foster's win in IL-14 in March. Seals in IL-10, Debbie Halverson in IL-11, Scott Harper in IL-13 and Jill Morganthaler in IL-06 all have good to excellent chances of winning with Obama's coattails.
July 9, 2008 11:50 AM | Reply | Permalink