Billy Goat Beer Summit: Mark Kirk, Alexi Giannoulias Meet For A Post-Election Beer (PHOTOS)

The race for the U.S. Senate seat formerly held by President Obama was a rough one. The negative ads seemed endless and harsh words were relentless--but it's all over now.

On Tuesday night, Republican Congressman Mark Kirk was victorious over his Democratic opponent Alexi Giannoulias. Though Giannoulias was emotional during his concession speech, he mentioned calling Kirk and wishing him the best.

During Kirk's victory speech, he also mentioned the call, saying that Giannoulias was very gracious and the two agreed to meet each other for a beer at Chicago's famous Billy Goat Tavern when the race was over.

"I got to like him personally on the campaign, even as we threw stuff at each other," Kirk told an NBC Chicago reporter Tuesday night.

On Wednesday, the two met at Chicago's iconic tavern (known for both the Chicago Cubs curse and a Saturday Night Live sketch) and attempted to put the mud slinging behind them.

"I know it sounds really cheesy, but people are getting killed out there in this recession and I just think we've got to put down partisan, silly politics and we should all work together," Giannoulias told NBC Chicago. "We should focus on helping people."

Giannoulias told the station he was a little sleep deprived and sad about the results, but turned up because the race was not about him.

"I don't want, especially the young people of Illinois, to think that everything in American politics is about yelling at each other," Kirk told the Chicago Sun-Times. "Forty-six percent of the electorate voted for Alexi and my job is to represent them too."

When asked whether the "Billy Goat Beer Summit" was going to be symbolic of future consensus on Capitol Hill, Kirk replied that he hoped so.

Check out photos of the summit here:

1 of 10

1 of 11

First Slide

Previous Slide

@

William Balfour Confessed To Killing Jennifer Hudson's Family, Suspect's Mistress Claims

Chicago NATO Journalists on Twitter You Should Follow

Chicago Area Cats & Dogs For Adoption (4/27) (PHOTOS)

gadgets/slideshows/218318/slide_218318_834734_small.jpg

Things To Do In Chicago: Shakespeare, Leather & Excessive Gore (5/25-5/28)

Erika Harold, Former Miss America, Finalist In Bid For GOP U.S. House Nomination

Rita Crundwell: Dixon, Illinois Comptroller Actually Stole $53 Million, According To Feds

comments(69)

Total comments: 69 | Post a Comment

1 of 11

Rate This Slide

Rank #2  |  Average: 4

No Pepsi. Coke. Cheezborger, Cheezborger, Cheezborger

• 
  1
• 
  2
• 
  3
• 
  4
• 
  5
• 
  6
• 
  7
• 
  8
• 
  9
• 
  10

Current Top 5 Slides

loading...

Choose your Top 5 Slides

UserName

 | Become a fan

Picked These as the Top 5 Slides in the Slideshow

loading...

Top User Slides

← Prev|Next →

 | Become a fan

Picked These as the Top 5 Slides in the Slideshow

loading...

Users who voted on this slide

← Prev|Next →

loading...

Comments

[blurredmolly]

10:17 AM on 11/06/2010

Alexi, class act.

[BushBites]

02:56 PM on 11/05/2010

Looks like Kirk's first beer.

[sloreader]

09:02 AM on 11/05/2010

What, no cheeburgers? Posers.

[nfatt1]

01:31 AM on 11/05/2010

Who's Snarky with the fake smile ? Wait , let me guess.

[zsaz1029]

03:00 PM on 11/04/2010

They actually look like they're genuinely getting along. I like it.

[kramereng]

02:33 PM on 11/04/2010

For all the people that are saying Kirk supporters are trash, pot meet kettle.

I actually commented on the fact during the election day parties that I could see different sets of personal friends of mine, on tv, at both campaign parties as they switched back in forth during broadcast. Interestingly, whoever won meant that at least one of my friends was going to Washington to work for that candidate. While I was disappointed that Alexi lost, that event spoke to me as to the civility that's there between most Americans on a day to day basis. You don't have to support your candidate's campaign vitriol or tactics to still identify with their (general) platform.

And, by the way, the family and friends that I knew at the Kirk campaign party (one of which will be in DC working his staff), is one of the kindest and humble families I know. One of them is one of my best friends. We just disagree on some politics. Welcome to adulthood.

[Hontas Farmer]

12:33 AM on 11/05/2010

Howdy Neighbor. I know what you mean about civility. However I fear that may be more of a Midwestern and Chicago thing than a national attitude. This is a strange city we live in where you may not see eachother often but live here long enough you will run into everyone. The worlds largest small town. People who aren't from here just don't look at things that way.

[BushBites]

02:59 PM on 11/05/2010

Yeah, Illinois is pretty moderate on both sides.

The extremes are elsewhere in the country.

(I would not be able to say that if Brady won, though, so it was a close shave there.)

[RickM1969]

02:03 PM on 11/04/2010

I hope Kirk sticks to his word to work with both sides. All pols must remember that a percentage of people voted the other way and they are to be represented equally.

[Monk2001]

12:14 PM on 11/04/2010

Kirk is a piece of trash. So are the selfish A$$holes who voted for him. You're all pathetic.

[2012willbebetter]

07:13 PM on 11/04/2010

sicko

[tonewheel]

11:57 AM on 11/04/2010

I now see why these articles are posted anonymously; the spelling and grammar are at a 3rd grade level.

Journalism and pride in your work are dead in this country...they are dead.

[HistoryGeek]

11:42 AM on 11/04/2010

This just shows what a tool Giannoulias is and why he lost over a hundred thousand votes to the Green Party.

[Monk2001]

12:15 PM on 11/04/2010

More shows that the green party is basically a funnel party for (R)s who can donate to it in hopes of splitting the (D) vote.

The tools are the people who voted Green and Kirk.

[Jebus Chris]

11:40 AM on 11/04/2010

Kirk probably preferred a Tsingtao Beer, but they made him drink the Miller Lite for the cameras.

[Chicagowill]

01:48 PM on 11/04/2010

Not a Goose Island? "Think global. Drink local."

[HankyJoe]

11:23 AM on 11/04/2010

off topic-the Billy Goat makes the best bacon, egg and cheese sandwhiches (toasted wheat) in the city. Don't drink their coffee though.

[Cyke101]

12:09 PM on 11/04/2010

That's not off topic, that's spot on. The real star in this article is the Billy Goat!

[Scabby]

09:06 AM on 11/04/2010

Kirk: Well Alexei, the people of Illinois have spoken, and they said just what we wanted them to say.
Giannouilias: That's true Mark. No Tea Baggers around here.
Kirk: Right, and none of those Greenies either.
Giannouilias: Yup, here's to corporate influence.
Kirk: You said it brother.
LeAlan Jones walks in: You fellas mind if I have a seat with you?
Kirk & Giannouilias: Yes, actually, we do mind.

[Aldyth]

10:25 AM on 11/04/2010

Snicker.

[AJ in ATL]

08:53 AM on 11/04/2010

It's nice to see that least some reconciliation can occur at the end of the day as way to many politicians make it personal and have nothing but down right hatrad of those whom they disagree with.

[yoozum]

08:40 AM on 11/04/2010

I wish more people did this.

[Monk2001]

12:16 PM on 11/04/2010

After what they said about each other. This is pathetic propaganda at best. I wouldn't sit down with a (R) politician. I don't want the stink of corruption to get on me.