Nation & World News
Sen. Mark Kirk questions opponent’s American heritage during Illinois debate
By Bob D'Angelo
Oct 28, 2016Sen. Mark Kirk’s one-line comeback about his opponent’s mixed-race heritage was met by an awkward silence during Thursday night’s debate in Springfield, Illinois.
Kirk, the incumbent U.S. Senator from Illinois, was engaged in the second of three debates with Rep. Tammy Duckworth, a U.S. Army veteran who lost both of her legs in the Iraqi war, the Chicago Tribune reported. Duckworth, who was born in Thailand, is the daughter of a United States marine and a Thai-Chinese mother.
During the debate, the discussion turned to the military and Duckworth, a Democrat who is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, discussed her family’s record of military service.
“My family has served this nation in uniform going back to the Revolution,” Duckworth said. “I’m a daughter of the American Revolution. I’ve bled for this nation.”
When it was his turn to respond in a 30-second rebuttal, Kirk said that he “had forgotten that your parents came all the way from Thailand to serve George Washington.”
Duckworth took a drink of water. An awkward silence followed before the moderator announced they were moving on to the next question. The Washington Post reported that a panelist gave Duckworth time to respond by detailing her family history — including the fact that the Daughters of the American Revolution erected a statue of her in Mount Vernon, Ill.
Duckworth responded that “There's been members of my family serving on my father's side since the American Revolution,” the Tribune reported. She said she was “proud of both my father's side and my mother's side as an immigrant.”
Kirk's comment drew quick national attention. The left-wing publication Mother Jones called it a
“bizarre and offensive quip.”
“bizarre and offensive quip.”
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee quickly condemned the comment as racist. "Senator Mark Kirk’s attack on Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth’s family tonight was offensive, wrong, and racist,” spokeswoman Lara Sisselman said in a statement.
During the first joint appearance on Oct. 3 before the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board, Kirk gave short answers and did not engage with his opponent, the newspaper reported. On Thursday night, the Republican went after Duckworth on a variety of issues ranging from homeland security, military policy and college affordability.
A statement issued by Kirk campaign spokeswoman Eleni Demertzis did not include an apology from the senator or any claim that Duckworth has misrepresented her family heritage.
“Sen. Kirk has consistently called Rep. Duckworth a war hero and honors her family’s service to this country,” Demertzis said. “But that’s not what this debate was about. Rep. Duckworth lied about her legal troubles, was unable to defend her failures at the VA and then falsely attacked Sen. Kirk over his record on supporting gay rights.”
