Giannoulius' Dilemma: How To Approach Kirk?

Mark Kirk official entered the 2010 Senate race today, and prospective Democratic opponent Alexi Giannoulias wasted no time in painting Kirk as a George Bush Republican:"If Mark Kirk and I are the respective nominees of our parties, then voters will have a clear choice: go backwards to the reckless Bush-Cheney fiscal policies Kirk supported that cost this state hundreds of thousands of jobs and created the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, or move forward to fundamentally change our economy and create the next generation of good jobs here in Illinois.

"I believe in fair trade, an honest day's pay for an honest day's work, and tax cuts for middle-class families. Mark Kirk takes the opposite view. He voted to give tax breaks to corporations that ship our jobs overseas, but against cracking down on China's unfair trade practices. He voted for a massive bailout of the biggest banks in the country, but against raising the minimum wage. Mark Kirk voted against middle-class tax cuts by opposing President Obama's economic recovery plan, but supported George W. Bush's tax cuts for the wealthiest. It's a simple choice between the failed past or a promising future - a clear choice between the right course and the wrong one."

Giannoulias is actually in a tough position here. Kirk hasn't exactly endeared himself to Illinois' Republican power brokers with his wishy-washy entry into the race and recent vote on cap and trade, not to mention his moderate stands on guns and abortion. Painting Kirk as a hard-right Republican might actually help him to consolidate party support.

Giannoulis is forced to choose between killing his likely challenger in his crib or letting him self-destruct. The bland, unmemorable statement above may be the happy medium.