Monday, March 21, 2005

Oberweis: It’s the Money and Name Recognition, Stupid.

Jeff Berkowitz: Does that scare you? Might he [Ron Gidwitz] be able to write a bigger check than you could write?

Jim Oberweis: I am sure he could write a bigger check than I could write. I have little doubt about that. However…
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Tonight’s City of Chicago edition of “Public Affairs,” features March, 2006 Republican Primary Candidate for Governor Jim Oberweis. The show airs throughout the City of Chicago at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 [CANTV].

A partial transcript of the show with Jim Oberweis is included, below. An additional partial transcript of the show is accessible at the “School Choice, School Vouchers: a Mantra for Jim Oberweis” icon, to the right or below this blog entry.
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Jim Oberweis (R- Sugar Grove), who came in 2nd in both the 2002 and 2004 Republican U. S. Senate Primary races, will announce his candidacy for Governor by early June. Jim debates and discusses with show host and Executive Legal Recruiter Jeff Berkowitz “pay to play,” job growth in Illinois and nationally, taxes and spending in Illinois; ethics under Governor Blagojevich; Oberweis’ net worth and self- funding of his campaign, his competitors for the Guv nomination, school choice, guns, assault weapon bans, tort and medical malpractice reform, non-economic damage caps, tax pledges, abortion, corruption, George Ryan and much, much more.
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Berkowitz: …You said … we should go back to levels of what we were spending [in state government in Illinois] eight to ten years ago.

Jim Oberweis: No, actually what I said was perhaps five years ago. Perhaps even that is not necessary. We had a five billion dollar increase in revenue from the state last year alone. If we went back to spending levels of one year ago, we would have a surplus in our budget, without the accounting gimmicks that the Governor has been throwing in there.
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Berkowitz: Have you asked [former State Senator] Pat O’Malley to support you?

Oberweis: I have talked to Pat about that. I think Pat has not yet made up his mind whether he would be interested in supporting me, or someone else or running himself.

Berkowitz: All right. But, it’s a possibility right?

Oberweis: It’s a possibility. Yes.

Berkowitz: There’s [DuPage State’s Attorney] Joe Birkett, who ran for Attorney General. He’s been making noises. You think he might be in [the race for Governor] as a conservative?

Oberweis: Joe is a great guy. I like him a lot. I think he is a great leader of our Party. But, my guess is like Steve Rauschenberger, finances are going to be a major concern, a major problem for both Joe and Steve.

Berkowitz: And not… for you, why is that?

Oberweis: Because I am willing to stand up and write a very substantial check.

Berkowitz: Of your own.

Oberweis: To get things started.

Berkowitz: Another person who probably could write a significant check is our guest of last week, Ron Gidwitz.

Oberweis: No question about it.

Berkowitz: Does that scare you? Might he be able to write a bigger check than you could write?

Oberweis: I am sure he could write a bigger check than I could write. I have little doubt about that. However, I think that the statewide recognition that I have built up over the last couple of years and the goodwill that I have built up by serving the party in the last decade will be in good stead [sic]. I am very comfortable in that regard.

Berkowitz: Now, would you call Ron Gidwitz a moderate Republican or a liberal Republican?

Oberweis: I don’t know all of his stands. I think he will have to make that clear. But, it seems to me, from what I have seen, that he and Judy [Baar Topinka] would represent the liberal wing of the Party [But, See Rich Miller's Capitolfax of today and Lynn Sweet's Chicago Sun-Times column of today, both of which exalt Topinka's poll showing her within three points of Blago. Of course, neither Miller nor Sweet mention any polling data showing Topinka winning a Republican Primary-- which could be a bit of an obstacle to a Judy Baar candidacy for Governor].

Berkowitz: …what about [Cong.] Ray LaHood [R- Peoria, 18th Dist.], where does he fit?

Oberweis: Somewhere in between. Certainly some of the things that he has done have not been what the conservatives would like to have seen. But, other things-- I mean he has taken a Right to Life stand—

Berkowitz: He was one of three congressmen back in 1994 not to support the Contract with America. Right?

Oberweis: Yes, which was very disappointing.

Berkowitz: Is that a blot on his name when he runs in the Republican Primary?

Oberweis: Uh, I believe it will be.

Berkowitz: And, what about [DuPage County Board Chairman] Bob Schillerstrom? Might he come in the race? Would he be a moderate?

Oberweis: I am fairly sure that he will not be involved in this Governor’s race from everything I have heard.
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Jim Oberweis, 2006 Republican Primary Governor Candidate to be, interviewed on "Public Affairs," as it is being cablecast throughout the City of Chicago tonight, March 21 at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 [CANTV]. This show was recorded on March 13, 2005
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The City of Chicago edition of “Public Affairs,” is cablecast throughout the City of Chicago every Monday night at 8:30 p.m. on Cable Ch. 21 [CANTV].
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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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