Updated January 5, 2005 at 10:00 pm, revised at 11:55 pm
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Getting to know Congressman Dan Lipinski.
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Cong. Dan Lipinski [D-Western Springs; 3rd District]: Like father, like son? A partial social conservative, but a largely domestic, fiscal and foreign policy liberal? Getting to know Cong. Dan Lipinski- this may take a while. And, I would imagine that a few, or more, potential Democratic Primary challengers and maybe even a real Republican challenger [Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica?, appropriately enough a former Democrat] in 2006, will be watching this show with interest.
Congressman-Elect Dan Lipinski is on “Public Affairs,” in the suburbs this week [Comcast Cable, Week of Jan. 3]. The partial transcript of the show with Cong. Dan Lipinski, son of former 22 year Congressman, Bill Lipinski, is included, below, and the transcript supplements the partial transcript of the show contained in the blog entry, below, dated December 31, 2004 at 4:45 pm. See the conclusion of that blog entry for a detailed suburban airing schedule. The show also airs throughout the City of Chicago this coming Monday night [Jan. 10 at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21].
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Jeff Berkowitz: On the war, if you had been there in the fall of 2002, would you have voted to authorize the President to take military action in Iraq?
Cong. Dan Lipinski: No, I would not have.
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Berkowitz: You would not have voted for that, why?
Lipinski: I did not think that the Bush administration had made the case for the War at that time. I think we see subsequently that we weren’t ready to go ahead and do this job. Now, should Saddam Hussein have been, you know- is it a good thing that Saddam Hussein is out of power? Yes. Would I say that at no time would I have ever authorized War against Iraq? No. If I believed that the Administration [had] made a good case and-
Berkowitz: So, you didn’t think that they had made a case for weapons of mass destruction at the time in 2002?
Lipinski: I thought that the evidence was still- was still shaky.
Berkowitz: If it was stronger, stronger evidence, would you have then voted to support that—stronger evidence of weapons of mass destruction?
Lipinski: If there was stronger evidence of weapons of mass destruction and I was convinced that they had a real plan for post war Iraq- those are the two keys.
Berkowitz: And, were you convinced at the time that they didn’t have a real plan?
Lipinski: I was—
Berkowitz: In the fall of 2002, before we knew what we know now?
Lipinski: Honestly? I was hoping that they did.
Berkowitz: Okay, but you did not [think that they did]?
Lipinski: I heard very little from them about it.
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Berkowitz: You support the expansion of O’Hare [airport].
Lipinski: Yes.
Berkowitz: Do you support Peotone or not support Peotone, the [construction of an] airport on the South Suburban side [of Chicago]?
Lipinski: A third airport. It all comes down to if there is going to be a major airline, either a commercial passenger airline or a- someone who moves cargo. If they are committed to this airport, then I think we should go ahead and build that airport. But, we see with Mid-America Airport down in Southern Illinois, the problem is they took—
Berkowitz: Okay, so if you don’t see airlines coming in to do it, then you don’t support Peotone?
Lipinski: No.
Berkowitz: Okay… [Former Senator] Peter Fitzgerald said it is going to cost 15 billion dollars...to [expand] O’Hare. The airlines, United and American, I don’t think they can finance this now. How are we going to finance that if we expand O’Hare?
Lipinski: Well, I mean we are going to have to work on that. In spring, in the spring, the U. S. Department of Transportation is going to come out with their study of O’Hare Expansion and at that time, we will figure out how it is going to be done. You know, what exactly they want to do—
Berkowitz: So, right now, we don’t know how it is going to be financed.
Dan Lipinski: Right now, we don’t know.
Berkowitz: And, we don’t even know if the FAA will approve it, right?
Lipinski: No, there’s indications that they will but we are not certain about that yet.
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Berkowitz: Your father is conservative on the social issues, but not so conservative on the issues we are talking about now- domestic policy. Would you say that—do you view yourself in that mold? Are you conservative on social issues, but not so conservative on domestic policy- economic policy issues?
Lipinski: Yeah, I would put myself in that mold.
Berkowitz: So, would you be somebody who is opposed to abortion, for instance?
Lipinski: Yes.
Berkowitz: You follow your father [former 22 year Cong. Bill Lipinski] on that score?
Dan Lipinski: Yes.
Berkowitz: What about—Your father was opposed to gays in the military. Would you agree with him on that?
Lipinski: Yes, I would.
Jeff Berkowitz: Same sex marriage? Would you support same sex marriage?
Cong. Dan Lipinski: No, I don’t.
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Congressman-Elect Dan Lipinski interviewed on "Public Affairs," as it is being cablecast this week [Week of Jan. 3] in the suburbs on Comcast Cable, and as it will be cablecast throughout the City of Chicago on Monday night, Jan. 10 at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21. See conclusion of the blog entry, below, dated December 31, 2004 at 4:45 pm. for a detailed "Public Affairs," suburban airing schedule. The show was recorded on Dec. 19, 2004.
*******************************************
Congressman-Elect Dan Lipinski [D- Western Springs, 3rd Cong. Dist.] debates and discusses with Show Host and Executive Legal Recruiter Jeff Berkowitz issues related to Midway, Peotone and O'Hare airports, the Iraq War, Abortion, School Vouchers, Gun Control, the Assault Weapon Ban, Trade, Protectionism, Off-Shore Out Sourcing and Dan Lipinski’s appointment by the Committeemen in the 3rd Cong. Dist. to replace his father, former 22 year Congressman Bill Lipinski, on the ballot as the Democratic Nominee for the 3rd Cong. Dist. seat.
Jeff Berkowitz, Host and Producer of Public Affairs and an Executive Recruiter doing Legal Search, can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
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*****************************
Getting to know Congressman Dan Lipinski.
*****************************
Cong. Dan Lipinski [D-Western Springs; 3rd District]: Like father, like son? A partial social conservative, but a largely domestic, fiscal and foreign policy liberal? Getting to know Cong. Dan Lipinski- this may take a while. And, I would imagine that a few, or more, potential Democratic Primary challengers and maybe even a real Republican challenger [Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica?, appropriately enough a former Democrat] in 2006, will be watching this show with interest.
Congressman-Elect Dan Lipinski is on “Public Affairs,” in the suburbs this week [Comcast Cable, Week of Jan. 3]. The partial transcript of the show with Cong. Dan Lipinski, son of former 22 year Congressman, Bill Lipinski, is included, below, and the transcript supplements the partial transcript of the show contained in the blog entry, below, dated December 31, 2004 at 4:45 pm. See the conclusion of that blog entry for a detailed suburban airing schedule. The show also airs throughout the City of Chicago this coming Monday night [Jan. 10 at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21].
*****************************
Jeff Berkowitz: On the war, if you had been there in the fall of 2002, would you have voted to authorize the President to take military action in Iraq?
Cong. Dan Lipinski: No, I would not have.
****************************************
Berkowitz: You would not have voted for that, why?
Lipinski: I did not think that the Bush administration had made the case for the War at that time. I think we see subsequently that we weren’t ready to go ahead and do this job. Now, should Saddam Hussein have been, you know- is it a good thing that Saddam Hussein is out of power? Yes. Would I say that at no time would I have ever authorized War against Iraq? No. If I believed that the Administration [had] made a good case and-
Berkowitz: So, you didn’t think that they had made a case for weapons of mass destruction at the time in 2002?
Lipinski: I thought that the evidence was still- was still shaky.
Berkowitz: If it was stronger, stronger evidence, would you have then voted to support that—stronger evidence of weapons of mass destruction?
Lipinski: If there was stronger evidence of weapons of mass destruction and I was convinced that they had a real plan for post war Iraq- those are the two keys.
Berkowitz: And, were you convinced at the time that they didn’t have a real plan?
Lipinski: I was—
Berkowitz: In the fall of 2002, before we knew what we know now?
Lipinski: Honestly? I was hoping that they did.
Berkowitz: Okay, but you did not [think that they did]?
Lipinski: I heard very little from them about it.
***************************
Berkowitz: You support the expansion of O’Hare [airport].
Lipinski: Yes.
Berkowitz: Do you support Peotone or not support Peotone, the [construction of an] airport on the South Suburban side [of Chicago]?
Lipinski: A third airport. It all comes down to if there is going to be a major airline, either a commercial passenger airline or a- someone who moves cargo. If they are committed to this airport, then I think we should go ahead and build that airport. But, we see with Mid-America Airport down in Southern Illinois, the problem is they took—
Berkowitz: Okay, so if you don’t see airlines coming in to do it, then you don’t support Peotone?
Lipinski: No.
Berkowitz: Okay… [Former Senator] Peter Fitzgerald said it is going to cost 15 billion dollars...to [expand] O’Hare. The airlines, United and American, I don’t think they can finance this now. How are we going to finance that if we expand O’Hare?
Lipinski: Well, I mean we are going to have to work on that. In spring, in the spring, the U. S. Department of Transportation is going to come out with their study of O’Hare Expansion and at that time, we will figure out how it is going to be done. You know, what exactly they want to do—
Berkowitz: So, right now, we don’t know how it is going to be financed.
Dan Lipinski: Right now, we don’t know.
Berkowitz: And, we don’t even know if the FAA will approve it, right?
Lipinski: No, there’s indications that they will but we are not certain about that yet.
*******************************
Berkowitz: Your father is conservative on the social issues, but not so conservative on the issues we are talking about now- domestic policy. Would you say that—do you view yourself in that mold? Are you conservative on social issues, but not so conservative on domestic policy- economic policy issues?
Lipinski: Yeah, I would put myself in that mold.
Berkowitz: So, would you be somebody who is opposed to abortion, for instance?
Lipinski: Yes.
Berkowitz: You follow your father [former 22 year Cong. Bill Lipinski] on that score?
Dan Lipinski: Yes.
Berkowitz: What about—Your father was opposed to gays in the military. Would you agree with him on that?
Lipinski: Yes, I would.
Jeff Berkowitz: Same sex marriage? Would you support same sex marriage?
Cong. Dan Lipinski: No, I don’t.
*******************************
Congressman-Elect Dan Lipinski interviewed on "Public Affairs," as it is being cablecast this week [Week of Jan. 3] in the suburbs on Comcast Cable, and as it will be cablecast throughout the City of Chicago on Monday night, Jan. 10 at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21. See conclusion of the blog entry, below, dated December 31, 2004 at 4:45 pm. for a detailed "Public Affairs," suburban airing schedule. The show was recorded on Dec. 19, 2004.
*******************************************
Congressman-Elect Dan Lipinski [D- Western Springs, 3rd Cong. Dist.] debates and discusses with Show Host and Executive Legal Recruiter Jeff Berkowitz issues related to Midway, Peotone and O'Hare airports, the Iraq War, Abortion, School Vouchers, Gun Control, the Assault Weapon Ban, Trade, Protectionism, Off-Shore Out Sourcing and Dan Lipinski’s appointment by the Committeemen in the 3rd Cong. Dist. to replace his father, former 22 year Congressman Bill Lipinski, on the ballot as the Democratic Nominee for the 3rd Cong. Dist. seat.
Jeff Berkowitz, Host and Producer of Public Affairs and an Executive Recruiter doing Legal Search, can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
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