Does Race matter? Is the Machine Dead? Is God Dead? As goes Ohio/Michigan, so goes the Country? Can Berkowitz Stump Paul Green?
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Jeff Berkowitz: Is the Machine dead? Is that why Barack Obama won [in the Democratic Primary U. S. Senate race].
Paul Green: The machine has been dead for a very long time.
Jeff Berkowitz: Would Barack Obama have won if he had all the [same] attributes, but he had been white-- all the [same] attributes that he has, as substantial as I say they are, but he had been a white person rather than an African-American person, would he still have won?
Paul Green: I think he probably would have won; he wouldn't have won by nearly as large [a margin]; everything worked out for him including the collapse of Blair Hull. He had the best run campaign.
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Paul Green: ...I'll make a prediction on this- he who carries Ohio- Michigan will win the [Presidential] election.
Berkowitz: Yeah, but I think-
Green: Because of the job loss. Will Bush's performance and say he withstands the current flap over 9/11 and all that stuff with the Commission, will his anti-terrorism posture trump the loss of jobs?
Berkowitz: Well, maybe-- because people say a re-election is a referendum on an existing President?
Green: That's what it has to be.
Berkowitz: Might these people ask-- how will John Kerry be more likely to provide jobs for people in Ohio and Michigan than George Bush? What's the answer to that question?
Green: Well, you have to look at the whole economic agenda. You know there is so much that has gone on, and to people around George Bush's credit- he has withstood some real heavy body blows- you know Texas oil companies who are basically thugs in the street, stealing money- he withstood that--
Berkowitz: Texas oil companies who are thugs in the street?
Green: Yeah, Enron. Enron to me is the equivalent of a street gang with nice suits. I mean, what they did-- those individuals should be doing hard-- in fact they should be in the cell with Saddam Hussein, taking people who worked for their company-
Berkowitz: How is that George Bush's issue, though?
Green: Well, Texas oil company. Check his D-2s. He [President Bush] has done very well down there, raising
Berkowitz: No, but Enron was pretty nice to Democrats, as well--
Green: I know, it was the Clinton thing, of course.
Berkowitz: I am just saying, they [Enron] would give to anybody
Green: Of course, it goes back to Franklin Roosevelt. I mean, we know that. That's what you do, you could get a job at the White House-- Duck and Dodge.
Berkowitz: I mean I am just asking how is what Enron did attributable to George W. Bush?
Green: So, you have the scandals with Enron which cost people jobs and their life savings. You have the first President who has lost more jobs than he has created. Fact, remember I am the White Line down the middle of the Road. I am just saying- fact. So, you have this economic policy where people are really hurting and the question is--
Berkowitz: Well actually, there are people who dispute that- that he has lost more jobs than he has created.
Green: Those are the people who
Berkowitz: No, if you look at Bureau of Labor and Statistics Data--job growth [over the last few years] has actually occurred. [Indeed, a day after this taping, it was announced that 308,000 new jobs were created in March, 2004].
Green: Yeah, most of the people who are really thrilled with George Bush are the people who made a lot of money and had their taxes cut...
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Jeff Berkowitz: ...You have [Gov] Rod Blagojevich trying to look like a reformer; You have [AG] Lisa Madigan trying to look like a reformer. Why don't we just auction off these things [casino licenses] and get [the state] out of this business?
Paul Green: You see, I believe in free enterprise. Just like you.
Berkowitz: Okay, So auction them off.
Green: No, not auction them off.
Berkowitz: Highest bidder.
Green: We did that.
Berkowitz: And, then they reneged...
Green: I think why should businesses be protected because they want to make a profit. I think whoever has the money to build a casino should do it. I don't think we should limit it to ten [casinoes]. I think Waukegan should get a casino. I think there should be a casino in Rosemont. I think there should be a casino in the south suburbs-- near the Indiana border. And, if they go under, they go under- they lose their investment. The State has no responsibility to guarantee people success.
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Paul Green, WGN political pundit and Roosevelt University Professor, interviewed on "Public Affairs," recorded on April 1, 2004 and to be aired in the suburbs during the week of April 12 (See March 22 blog entries, below, for the suburban airing schedule for "Public Affairs,") and in the City of Chicago on Monday, April 19 at 8:30 pm on Ch. 21).
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Jeff Berkowitz: Is the Machine dead? Is that why Barack Obama won [in the Democratic Primary U. S. Senate race].
Paul Green: The machine has been dead for a very long time.
Jeff Berkowitz: Would Barack Obama have won if he had all the [same] attributes, but he had been white-- all the [same] attributes that he has, as substantial as I say they are, but he had been a white person rather than an African-American person, would he still have won?
Paul Green: I think he probably would have won; he wouldn't have won by nearly as large [a margin]; everything worked out for him including the collapse of Blair Hull. He had the best run campaign.
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Paul Green: ...I'll make a prediction on this- he who carries Ohio- Michigan will win the [Presidential] election.
Berkowitz: Yeah, but I think-
Green: Because of the job loss. Will Bush's performance and say he withstands the current flap over 9/11 and all that stuff with the Commission, will his anti-terrorism posture trump the loss of jobs?
Berkowitz: Well, maybe-- because people say a re-election is a referendum on an existing President?
Green: That's what it has to be.
Berkowitz: Might these people ask-- how will John Kerry be more likely to provide jobs for people in Ohio and Michigan than George Bush? What's the answer to that question?
Green: Well, you have to look at the whole economic agenda. You know there is so much that has gone on, and to people around George Bush's credit- he has withstood some real heavy body blows- you know Texas oil companies who are basically thugs in the street, stealing money- he withstood that--
Berkowitz: Texas oil companies who are thugs in the street?
Green: Yeah, Enron. Enron to me is the equivalent of a street gang with nice suits. I mean, what they did-- those individuals should be doing hard-- in fact they should be in the cell with Saddam Hussein, taking people who worked for their company-
Berkowitz: How is that George Bush's issue, though?
Green: Well, Texas oil company. Check his D-2s. He [President Bush] has done very well down there, raising
Berkowitz: No, but Enron was pretty nice to Democrats, as well--
Green: I know, it was the Clinton thing, of course.
Berkowitz: I am just saying, they [Enron] would give to anybody
Green: Of course, it goes back to Franklin Roosevelt. I mean, we know that. That's what you do, you could get a job at the White House-- Duck and Dodge.
Berkowitz: I mean I am just asking how is what Enron did attributable to George W. Bush?
Green: So, you have the scandals with Enron which cost people jobs and their life savings. You have the first President who has lost more jobs than he has created. Fact, remember I am the White Line down the middle of the Road. I am just saying- fact. So, you have this economic policy where people are really hurting and the question is--
Berkowitz: Well actually, there are people who dispute that- that he has lost more jobs than he has created.
Green: Those are the people who
Berkowitz: No, if you look at Bureau of Labor and Statistics Data--job growth [over the last few years] has actually occurred. [Indeed, a day after this taping, it was announced that 308,000 new jobs were created in March, 2004].
Green: Yeah, most of the people who are really thrilled with George Bush are the people who made a lot of money and had their taxes cut...
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Jeff Berkowitz: ...You have [Gov] Rod Blagojevich trying to look like a reformer; You have [AG] Lisa Madigan trying to look like a reformer. Why don't we just auction off these things [casino licenses] and get [the state] out of this business?
Paul Green: You see, I believe in free enterprise. Just like you.
Berkowitz: Okay, So auction them off.
Green: No, not auction them off.
Berkowitz: Highest bidder.
Green: We did that.
Berkowitz: And, then they reneged...
Green: I think why should businesses be protected because they want to make a profit. I think whoever has the money to build a casino should do it. I don't think we should limit it to ten [casinoes]. I think Waukegan should get a casino. I think there should be a casino in Rosemont. I think there should be a casino in the south suburbs-- near the Indiana border. And, if they go under, they go under- they lose their investment. The State has no responsibility to guarantee people success.
************************************
Paul Green, WGN political pundit and Roosevelt University Professor, interviewed on "Public Affairs," recorded on April 1, 2004 and to be aired in the suburbs during the week of April 12 (See March 22 blog entries, below, for the suburban airing schedule for "Public Affairs,") and in the City of Chicago on Monday, April 19 at 8:30 pm on Ch. 21).
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