Should Senator Mark Kirk Step Down? Joe Walsh Wonders…

-By Warner Todd Huston


Sen. Kirk getting help from others to
walk the streets of Washington DC.

Former Congressman turned WIND radio host Joe Walsh has wondered aloud… and by aloud we mean on the radio… if Senator Mark Kirk–who suffered a serious stroke last year–should step down as U.S. Senator because of his health. Walsh is questioning whether or not Kirk can handle the mental effort of being a U.S. Senator and presents a few video clips that tends to show Kirk at his worst.

On November 5, Walsh posted a pair of another piece on the next day reiterating that call.

“Over the last year, since Sen. Mark Kirk returned to Washington after suffering a stroke in January 2012, I’ve been genuinely concerned about his physical and mental well-being,” Walsh wrote on November 6. “We’ve all been inspired as we’ve watched his rehabilitation. It took enormous courage for Sen. Kirk to persevere as he faced the daunting challenges associated with his recovery. While Sen. Kirk and I disagree on my issues of policy and ideology, I have wished him nothing but a speedy and full recovery.”

This isn’t easy to say, and it has nothing to do with where Senator Kirk stands on the issues, but there is something obviously wrong. While much of his physical ability has returned, it does appear that Sen. Kirk is still struggling with his ability to communicate and reason, as a result of the effects of his stroke. I simply do not think he can do his job right now.

Also on November 6, Walsh started his radio program noting that Kirk’s staffers have initiated a behind-the-scenes campaign attacking Walsh over the issue.

As Cal Skinner reports on his McHenry County Blog, Walsh is undaunted. He also brought up the issue at an appearance he made at the Huntley Tea Party on Wednesday afternoon.

While Kirk’s staffers try to illegitimately make this whole thing about Joe Walsh, the video evidence is pretty convincing. Senator Kirk seems unable to communicate and one wonders if his thought process is working right. Kirk may be perfectly well enough to lead a productive life with only moderate impairment, but we the people of Illinois should not be represented by a man that is impaired. The people deserve to be represented by a Senator wholly in control of his faculties.

There seems to be serious doubt that Kirk is that man.

This isn’t about Joe Walsh. It’s about Mark Kirk.
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“The only end of writing is to enable the reader better to enjoy life, or better to endure it.”
–Samuel Johnson

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Warner Todd Huston is a Chicago based freelance writer. He has been writing opinion editorials and social criticism since early 2001 and before that he wrote articles on U.S. history for several small American magazines. His political columns are featured on many websites such as Andrew Breitbart’s BigGovernment.com, BigHollywood.com, and BigJournalism.com, as well as RightWingNews.com, MrConservative.com, CanadaFreePress.com, StoptheACLU.com, Wizbang.com, among many, many others. Huston has also appeared on Fox News, Fox Business Network, CNN, and many local TV shows as well as numerous talk radio shows throughout the country.

For a full bio, please CLICK HERE.


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