KIRK GETS THE MADDOW TREATMENT…. I’ve noted with some amazement some of the many, many things Illinois Senate candidate Mark Kirk (R) has claimed that turned out to have no foundation in reality. But to fully appreciate just how reckless Kirk has been when it comes to repeating ridiculous falsehoods, you’ll have to check out this terrific segment from “The Rachel Maddow Show.”

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As Rachel noted, “What started as a fairly minor dust-up over Congressman Kirk’s military record has blossomed into the most amazing Senate candidate story of the season…. The man has an incredible imagination. He has made up an amazing array of stuff over the course of his public career. And the more you look at his public statements, the more whoppers you find.”

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Steve Benen

Follow Steve on Twitter @stevebenen. Steve Benen is a producer at MSNBC's The Rachel Maddow Show. He was the principal contributor to the Washington Monthly's Political Animal blog from August 2008 until January 2012.