Mark Kirk, endangered Republican, wants to keep his job and would meet with Obama SCOTUS pick

Illinois Republican Sen. Mark Kirk is not going put himself in the shoes of a Kelly Ayotte or Ron Johnson. No, he can read the writing on the wall for the general election, and he's happy to meet with a nominee for the Supreme Court from President Obama. You know, the guy from his home state of Illinois.

"I would welcome the chance to discuss my philosophy, what would be my state's philosophy on the Supreme Court, to be an advocate for expanding personal freedom," he told The Hill.

He wrote in a Chicago Sun-Times op-ed this week that it is "my duty as a senator to either vote in support or opposition to that nominee following a fair and thorough hearing along with a complete and transparent release of all requested information."

Not that it makes a damned bit of difference. He's not on the Judiciary Committee, or in any position to affect this issue at all. He also has a comfortable lead in his primary race, with the election just three weeks away. So he doesn't have to worry about a huge, damaging hit coming at him from the right.

This leaves just Kirk and Maine Sen. Susan Collins, whose official Republican role seems to be as the voice of reason on issues in which she has no influence anyway, disagreeing with Mitch McConnell's strategy. Don't take that as a sign of courage or independence on their part, though. McConnell was surely happy to allow them to stray. This time.