# Mark Kirk Vs. Tammy Duckworth **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 28, 2016, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-kirk-vs-tammy-duckworth/769939 "2016-10-28T15:24:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-kirk-vs-tammy-duckworth/769939/1 "2016-10-28T15:24:46Z")
Wow. > **[Senator Mark Kirk Mocks Tammy Duckworth's Mixed-Race Background During Debate](https://deadspin.com/senator-mark-kirk-mocks-tammy-duckworths-mixed-race-bac-1788310472)** > > Rep. Tammy Duckworth is challenging Sen. Mark Kirk for his U.S. Senate seat in Illinois, and the incumbent unleashed an incredible comment about her mixed-race heritage during tonight’s debate in Springfield. Tammy Duckworth is challenging Sen. Mark Kirk for his spot here in Illinois. Duckworth is of mixed ancestry (her mother is Thai, her father traces lineage back to the Revolutionary War), she joined ROTC while in graduate school, became a Blackhawk pilot and was shot down in Iraq and lost both legs and broke her arm. She has since worked tirelessly in Illinois in support of veterans. > **[Tammy Duckworth | Government service](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tammy_Duckworth#Government_service)** > > On November 21, 2006, several weeks after losing her first congressional campaign, Duckworth was appointed director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs by Governor Rod Blagojevich. She served in that position until February 8, 2009. While director, she was credited with starting a program to help veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and veterans with brain injuries. > On September 17, 2008, Duckworth attended a campaign event for Dan Seals, the Democratic candidate for Il... Mark Kirk is the incumbent and has gotten in trouble more than once for misrepresenting his military service: > **[Mark Kirk Admits To ANOTHER False Military Record Claim](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mark-kirk-admits-to-anoth_n_598095)** > > Mark Kirk Admits To ANOTHER False Military Record Claim In the debate last night Kirk took a shot at Duckworth’s military service when he said "I’d forgotten that your parents came all the way from Thailand to serve George Washington.” ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-kirk-vs-tammy-duckworth/769939/2 "2016-10-28T15:27:34Z")
He’s had a stroke, and has been saying all kinds of dumb shit for a while now. Don’t know if that’s the reason why, though. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-kirk-vs-tammy-duckworth/769939/3 "2016-10-28T15:29:41Z")
Clever strategy. Unendorse Trump then go full Trump in your own campaign. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-kirk-vs-tammy-duckworth/769939/4 "2016-10-28T15:33:22Z")
> [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](#): > > Wow. I saw the clip on CNN, and this was my exact reaction. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-kirk-vs-tammy-duckworth/769939/5 "2016-10-28T15:43:06Z")
Here’s what Kellyanne Conway tweeted about it: The same Mark Kirk that unendorsed his party’s presidential nominee and called him out in paid ads? Gotcha. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-kirk-vs-tammy-duckworth/769939/6 "2016-10-28T15:53:41Z")
I saw the clip. Yes, wow! A stroke? Well that would provide some kind of explanation I guess. It’s only by a really slim margin but I think he managed to out-Trump Trump there. Give Trump time though… ---
**Author:** ![Chisquirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Chisquirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chisquirrel)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-kirk-vs-tammy-duckworth/769939/7 "2016-10-28T15:59:42Z")
Even better when she responded with “Pretty much, they did” ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-kirk-vs-tammy-duckworth/769939/8 "2016-10-28T16:34:30Z")
Her mother is of Chinese ancestry, if that matters. One would think he would do some basic research on his opponent in a Senate campaign. If she plays her cards right she might be POTUS one day. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-kirk-vs-tammy-duckworth/769939/9 "2016-10-28T16:54:17Z")
> [@marshmallow](#): > > One would think he would do some basic research on his opponent in a Senate campaign. You really don’t even need to do research to figure that someone with the last name “Duckworth” probably has some non-East Asian ancestry on her fathers side. Bizarre. It’s pretty hard to think of any single sentence Kirk could’ve said that would’ve been worse for his campaign. It simultaneously: 1. ties him to the same “kids of immigrants can’t be real Americans” Trump stuff that Kirk has been working so hard to distance himself. 2. Questions a double-amputees feel good story about her families military history without any good reason 3. Recalls Kirk’s own exaggeration of his military service. 4. Is racist. Even coming from Trump this would seem pretty bad. 5. Doesn’t really lend itself to a generous reading. Sometimes you can debate that someone who said something terrible just mis-spoke. But its pretty hard to come up with an innocent reading here. Pretty impressive for one sentence. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-kirk-vs-tammy-duckworth/769939/10 "2016-10-28T17:42:43Z")
Dibs on calling it Kirk’s “Macaca” moment. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-kirk-vs-tammy-duckworth/769939/11 "2016-10-28T17:45:52Z")
> [@marshmallow](#): > > Her mother is of Chinese ancestry, if that matters. _ **SNIP** _ Thai not Chinese. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-kirk-vs-tammy-duckworth/769939/12 "2016-10-28T18:00:48Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > Thai not Chinese. The two are not necessarily mutually exclusive - there’s a significant Chinese community in Thailand… My wife’s auntie is one of them… ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-kirk-vs-tammy-duckworth/769939/13 "2016-10-28T18:21:51Z")
> [@bengangmo](#): > > The two are not necessarily mutually exclusive - > there’s a significant Chinese community in Thailand… > My wife’s auntie is one of them… As is Duckworth’s mother, which I assume is what **Marshmellow** was refering to. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-kirk-vs-tammy-duckworth/769939/14 "2016-10-28T18:26:40Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > Thai not Chinese. [“Duckworth was born in Thailand to a Thai mother of Chinese heritage…”](http://www.npr.org/2016/10/28/499739422/gop-sen-kirk-incorrectly-hits-opponent-duckworth-over-heritage-military-service) [“The two-term Democratic lawmaker was born in Bangkok. Her mother is an immigrant of Chinese descent…”](http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2016/10/28/mark-kirk-under-fire-comments-tammy-duckworths-thai-heritage/92879442/) And, from the OP’s own link: “…a Thai-Chinese mother…” ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-kirk-vs-tammy-duckworth/769939/15 "2016-10-28T19:26:56Z")
Trump: “If I were president at the time, Tammy Duckworth would still have legs. Great legs! I would be all over her like an expensive suit.” ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-kirk-vs-tammy-duckworth/769939/16 "2016-10-28T19:32:08Z")
Well, she’s running for office, and Thai goes to the runner. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-kirk-vs-tammy-duckworth/769939/17 "2016-10-28T20:15:13Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Well, she’s running for office, and Thai goes to the runner. Booo! ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-kirk-vs-tammy-duckworth/769939/18 "2016-10-28T20:25:07Z")
And Happy Halloween to you as well! ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-kirk-vs-tammy-duckworth/769939/19 "2016-10-28T23:17:49Z")
I have already cast my ballot for her. I wish I could do it again. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-kirk-vs-tammy-duckworth/769939/20 "2016-10-28T23:57:00Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > I have already cast my ballot for her. I wish I could do it again. Voting for her twice just confirms Trump’s claim the election is rigged due to voter fraud. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-kirk-vs-tammy-duckworth/769939.md?page=2)