Schakowsky on Culture of Corruption: Cable and Podcast
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky [D-Evanston; 9th CD]: I give him [President Bush] a fair and balanced “F-.”
Jeff Berkowitz: “F?”
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky:: “F- “. I really do think that this President will go down in history as the worst President of the United States.
Berkowitz: You know, there are people who say he may be up on Mt. Rushmore. That would be kind of the extremes [From F- to Mt. Rushmore].
***************************************
Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky [D-Evanston, 9th CD], who is campaigning for the No. 4 Leadership position in the Democratic House Caucus, debates and discusses national public policy and political issues with show host and executive legal recruiter Jeff Berkowitz on This Week’s suburban edition of “Public Affairs.” [See the end of this blog post for a detailed suburban airing schedule].
The show with Cong. Schakowsky also is available on this site [See here] as a video and audio podcast, and will air this coming Monday night through-out the City of Chicago at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21[CANTV].
**********************************************
Next Week’s Suburban edition of “Public Affairs,” features Bloomington State Senator and Republican Gubernatorial Primary Candidate Bill Brady. You can also watch [and listen to] Brady on this site [See here] as a video and [audio podcast], and the Brady show will also air Monday night, Nov. 14th, through-out the City of Chicago at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21[CANTV].
***************************************************
Our show with Congresswoman Schakowsky focuses on national issues, e.g., Congresswoman Schakowsky’s assessment of the Bush presidency, including her arguments about a culture of corruption in the Republican National leadership; high gas and heating oil prices, “gouging,” expanding crude and refined energy source supplies and legislation related thereto; the War and it’s impact on empowerment, or lack thereof, for women in Iraq; the indictment of Tom Delay and Jan’s campaign to win the Vice-Chairman position of the House Democratic Caucus; the national Democrat Party’s plans to nationalize the 2006 Congressional elections. We also discuss what Republicans call the culture of corruption in Illinois’ Democratic Party.
Congressman Bob Menendez, the current Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, is expected to be appointed to replace Senator Corzine [D-NJ] if Corzine wins the New Jersey gubernatorial race next Tuesday.[But, for a more agnostic view of what Corzine might do, see here] If that happens, it is expected that the Current Vice Chairman, Cong. Jim Clyburn (D-SC) will move up to the chairman’s slot, creating the opening that Cong. Schakowsky is vying to fill. If Corzine were to lose, Clyburn is term-limited in the post after 2006, so Schakowsky’s campaign would continue, but for another year. For more on the No. 4 leadership position contest and for a mention of Cong. Schakowsky’s interest in off-year re-districting in Illinois, see here, but please note that the Hill column, referenced herein, appeared originally, I believe, on Sep. 29, 2005-- but when linked, takes on the current date.
BTW, barring some last minute disclosure, of which there is a possibility, Corzine will become the next Governor of New Jersey by an 8 to 12 point margin of victory over Doug Forrester. [See here] Senator Corzine, known in New Jersey as the “big millionaire,” dumped 6 million dollars of his money into the campaign during the last week. Corzine spent about 70 million dollars of his own money to win his Senate seat six years ago. Forrester, known as the “little millionaire,” couldn’t even half that, coming up with only 2.5 million dollars of his money to dump into his campaign during the last week [See here].
If the campaign were to be close, which is unlikely, the New Jersey Democrat Party’s “Knock and Drag,” turnout effort would likely bury Team Forrester. I am told when it comes to having a machine, the Democrat Party in New Jersey makes the Illinois Democrat Party look like pikers.
*****************************************
A partial transcript of our show with Congresswoman Schakowsky is included, below:
****************************************
Jeff Berkowitz: …We’re going to give President George W. Bush a grade, and we have somebody who’s fair and balanced, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky [D-Evanston, 9th CD], here to do it.
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: I give him [President Bush] a fair and balanced “F-.”
Jeff Berkowitz: “F?”
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky:: “F- “. I really do think that this President will go down in history as the worst President of the United States.
Berkowitz: You know, there are people who say he may be up on Mt. Rushmore. That would be kind of the extremes [From F- to Mr. Rushmore].
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: Well, that definitely would be the extremes. I think that if this administration had set out to cause chaos in the world and increase suffering around the world and among people here at home, and budget deficits and environmental degradation, and he could not have done a better job.
Berkowitz: So, that would be--that’s quite a laundry list, and, so his proponents, or his supporters, would say, backing up, he had tax cuts, which they would say stimulated the economy. Something like three million jobs in the last year. Isn’t that right?
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: Actually-
Berkowitz: So, all those people who talked about a jobless [recovery]--
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: Actually-
Berkowitz: Well, you talked about a jobless recovery when you were last here [in February, 2005]. Would you take that back now?
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: What I would say is that the income for average Americans has dropped; the disparity between average CEO salaries and the salaries of average Americans has grown: it is like 481:1. So that we’ve seen money go to the top-- and very few concrete benefits for people in the middle.
Berkowitz: So, you don’t, you know, you don’t give him [President Bush] any credit for reviving the economy, even all those jobs, you would agree, two, three million jobs in the last year, that’s a pretty strong recovery.
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: You know what, Jeffrey? I’m right in the mainstream of where Americans are at, who have declining support for this President, not just because of his foreign policy disaster of the war in Iraq, but because he’s not meeting their needs, and, evidencing a government that can’t do its basic function, like take care of people after a disaster. That it’s not only the culture of corruption and cronyism, but also incompetence.
Berkowitz: So, that’s sort of what you’re planning to do, because you’re running for Number Four in the Democratic caucus, the vice chair, what do we call that?
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: Vice chairman of the Democratic caucus.
Berkowitz: That would be the number-of course, number one would be Nancy Pelosi, [D-CA], who is the Minority Leader in the House.
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: That’s right. And, there could be five positions when Nancy Pelosi becomes the first woman to be Speaker of the House-
Berkowitz: You’re betting on that in 2006?
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: I think, I think-
Berkowitz: Would you put hard money [on that]? If I said, “Let’s put a thousand dollars on it,” you would take that bet?
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: I’ll put a thousand dollars on it-wait, you want to bet me a thousand dollars?
Berkowitz: You would take that bet?
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: Will you pay me a thousand dollars if I win?
Berkowitz: And, you’d pay me a thousand dollars if you lose?
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: Will you pay me a thousand dollars if you win; if I win?
Berkowitz: [Laughter]
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: Come on.
Berkowitz: I’m asking you.
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: Yeah. Yeah. Let’s do it.
Berkowitz: [Laughter] One on one. No odds. I think there’s a prohibition on Comcast about gambling-
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: Oh, wait, that’s right. I might be prohibited if there is. I’m not trying to back down there.
Berkowitz: But you, you are strongly, you’re saying, really, you’re going to pick up, is it 15 seats you need?
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: Which, historically is actually very low-
Berkowitz: You need fifteen seats?
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: That’s right.
Berkowitz: Historically, it’s low?
U. S. Rep Schakowsky: It’s low. In, in the midterm elections-
Berkowitz: Excuse me. How many did you pick up in ‘04? You lost seats.
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: Right. We did.
Berkowitz: How many did you pick up in 02? You lost seats.
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: We did. But-
Berkowitz: How many did you pick up in 2000? You lost seats.
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: In the middle of-
Berkowitz: That must have been like ten years in a row that you lost seats?
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: No, no. Historically, in the middle term of a President’s second term of the mid-term election, the numbers have been much higher. Now, of course, the field has been somewhat diminished because of the tactics of people like Tom DeLay-
Berkowitz: Re-districting.
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: Yeah.
Berkowitz: Or, [tactics of] Democrats. You agree Democrats and Republicans have joined together over the years-
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: Oh, come on.
Berkowitz: It’s a joint [Bi-Partison, Re-districting] Incumbency Protection Act.
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: Oh, come on.
******************************************************
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky [D-Evanston; 9th CD], recorded on October 23, 2005, and as the program will air on the suburban edition of “Public Affairs,” this week; on the City of Chicago edition of “Public Affairs,” Monday night, November 7, 2005 at 8:30 pm on CANTV, Cable Ch. 21; and is available as a video or audio podcast here.
*******************************
The suburban edition of Public Affairs regularly airs in ten North Shore suburbs three times each week: Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8:30 p.m. on Comcast Cable Channel 19 in Winnetka, Bannockburn, Deerfield, Ft. Sheridan, Glencoe, Highland Park, Highwood, Kenilworth, Lincolnshire and Riverwoods.
In twenty-four North Shore, North and Northwest suburbs, the Cong. Schakowsky show aired once this week in its regular time slot: Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. on either Comcast Cable Channel 19 or Channel 35, depending on the suburb. The show airs Tuesday nights at 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Ch. 19 in Buffalo Grove, Elk Grove Village, Hoffman Estates, Lincolnwood, Morton Grove, Niles, Northfield, Palatine, Rolling Meadows and Wilmette. Also, the show airs Tuesday nights at 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Ch. 35 in Arlington Heights, Bartlett, Glenview, Golf, Des Plaines, Hanover Park, Mt. Prospect, Northbrook, Park Ridge, Prospect Heights, Schaumburg, Skokie, Streamwood and Wheeling.
*************************************************
The "Public Affairs," program with Cong. Schakowsky also will air through-out the City of Chicago Monday night, Nov. 7 at 8:30 pm on CANTV, Cable Ch. 21.
*******************************************************
Transcript draft prepared by Amy Allen, who also does research for “Public Affairs,” and has her own political blog [See here].
******************************************
Jeff Berkowitz, Host and Producer of Public Affairs and an Executive Recruiter doing Legal Search, can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
*******************************
Jeff Berkowitz: “F?”
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky:: “F- “. I really do think that this President will go down in history as the worst President of the United States.
Berkowitz: You know, there are people who say he may be up on Mt. Rushmore. That would be kind of the extremes [From F- to Mt. Rushmore].
***************************************
Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky [D-Evanston, 9th CD], who is campaigning for the No. 4 Leadership position in the Democratic House Caucus, debates and discusses national public policy and political issues with show host and executive legal recruiter Jeff Berkowitz on This Week’s suburban edition of “Public Affairs.” [See the end of this blog post for a detailed suburban airing schedule].
The show with Cong. Schakowsky also is available on this site [See here] as a video and audio podcast, and will air this coming Monday night through-out the City of Chicago at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21[CANTV].
**********************************************
Next Week’s Suburban edition of “Public Affairs,” features Bloomington State Senator and Republican Gubernatorial Primary Candidate Bill Brady. You can also watch [and listen to] Brady on this site [See here] as a video and [audio podcast], and the Brady show will also air Monday night, Nov. 14th, through-out the City of Chicago at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21[CANTV].
***************************************************
Our show with Congresswoman Schakowsky focuses on national issues, e.g., Congresswoman Schakowsky’s assessment of the Bush presidency, including her arguments about a culture of corruption in the Republican National leadership; high gas and heating oil prices, “gouging,” expanding crude and refined energy source supplies and legislation related thereto; the War and it’s impact on empowerment, or lack thereof, for women in Iraq; the indictment of Tom Delay and Jan’s campaign to win the Vice-Chairman position of the House Democratic Caucus; the national Democrat Party’s plans to nationalize the 2006 Congressional elections. We also discuss what Republicans call the culture of corruption in Illinois’ Democratic Party.
Congressman Bob Menendez, the current Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, is expected to be appointed to replace Senator Corzine [D-NJ] if Corzine wins the New Jersey gubernatorial race next Tuesday.[But, for a more agnostic view of what Corzine might do, see here] If that happens, it is expected that the Current Vice Chairman, Cong. Jim Clyburn (D-SC) will move up to the chairman’s slot, creating the opening that Cong. Schakowsky is vying to fill. If Corzine were to lose, Clyburn is term-limited in the post after 2006, so Schakowsky’s campaign would continue, but for another year. For more on the No. 4 leadership position contest and for a mention of Cong. Schakowsky’s interest in off-year re-districting in Illinois, see here, but please note that the Hill column, referenced herein, appeared originally, I believe, on Sep. 29, 2005-- but when linked, takes on the current date.
BTW, barring some last minute disclosure, of which there is a possibility, Corzine will become the next Governor of New Jersey by an 8 to 12 point margin of victory over Doug Forrester. [See here] Senator Corzine, known in New Jersey as the “big millionaire,” dumped 6 million dollars of his money into the campaign during the last week. Corzine spent about 70 million dollars of his own money to win his Senate seat six years ago. Forrester, known as the “little millionaire,” couldn’t even half that, coming up with only 2.5 million dollars of his money to dump into his campaign during the last week [See here].
If the campaign were to be close, which is unlikely, the New Jersey Democrat Party’s “Knock and Drag,” turnout effort would likely bury Team Forrester. I am told when it comes to having a machine, the Democrat Party in New Jersey makes the Illinois Democrat Party look like pikers.
*****************************************
A partial transcript of our show with Congresswoman Schakowsky is included, below:
****************************************
Jeff Berkowitz: …We’re going to give President George W. Bush a grade, and we have somebody who’s fair and balanced, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky [D-Evanston, 9th CD], here to do it.
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: I give him [President Bush] a fair and balanced “F-.”
Jeff Berkowitz: “F?”
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky:: “F- “. I really do think that this President will go down in history as the worst President of the United States.
Berkowitz: You know, there are people who say he may be up on Mt. Rushmore. That would be kind of the extremes [From F- to Mr. Rushmore].
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: Well, that definitely would be the extremes. I think that if this administration had set out to cause chaos in the world and increase suffering around the world and among people here at home, and budget deficits and environmental degradation, and he could not have done a better job.
Berkowitz: So, that would be--that’s quite a laundry list, and, so his proponents, or his supporters, would say, backing up, he had tax cuts, which they would say stimulated the economy. Something like three million jobs in the last year. Isn’t that right?
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: Actually-
Berkowitz: So, all those people who talked about a jobless [recovery]--
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: Actually-
Berkowitz: Well, you talked about a jobless recovery when you were last here [in February, 2005]. Would you take that back now?
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: What I would say is that the income for average Americans has dropped; the disparity between average CEO salaries and the salaries of average Americans has grown: it is like 481:1. So that we’ve seen money go to the top-- and very few concrete benefits for people in the middle.
Berkowitz: So, you don’t, you know, you don’t give him [President Bush] any credit for reviving the economy, even all those jobs, you would agree, two, three million jobs in the last year, that’s a pretty strong recovery.
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: You know what, Jeffrey? I’m right in the mainstream of where Americans are at, who have declining support for this President, not just because of his foreign policy disaster of the war in Iraq, but because he’s not meeting their needs, and, evidencing a government that can’t do its basic function, like take care of people after a disaster. That it’s not only the culture of corruption and cronyism, but also incompetence.
Berkowitz: So, that’s sort of what you’re planning to do, because you’re running for Number Four in the Democratic caucus, the vice chair, what do we call that?
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: Vice chairman of the Democratic caucus.
Berkowitz: That would be the number-of course, number one would be Nancy Pelosi, [D-CA], who is the Minority Leader in the House.
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: That’s right. And, there could be five positions when Nancy Pelosi becomes the first woman to be Speaker of the House-
Berkowitz: You’re betting on that in 2006?
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: I think, I think-
Berkowitz: Would you put hard money [on that]? If I said, “Let’s put a thousand dollars on it,” you would take that bet?
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: I’ll put a thousand dollars on it-wait, you want to bet me a thousand dollars?
Berkowitz: You would take that bet?
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: Will you pay me a thousand dollars if I win?
Berkowitz: And, you’d pay me a thousand dollars if you lose?
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: Will you pay me a thousand dollars if you win; if I win?
Berkowitz: [Laughter]
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: Come on.
Berkowitz: I’m asking you.
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: Yeah. Yeah. Let’s do it.
Berkowitz: [Laughter] One on one. No odds. I think there’s a prohibition on Comcast about gambling-
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: Oh, wait, that’s right. I might be prohibited if there is. I’m not trying to back down there.
Berkowitz: But you, you are strongly, you’re saying, really, you’re going to pick up, is it 15 seats you need?
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: Which, historically is actually very low-
Berkowitz: You need fifteen seats?
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: That’s right.
Berkowitz: Historically, it’s low?
U. S. Rep Schakowsky: It’s low. In, in the midterm elections-
Berkowitz: Excuse me. How many did you pick up in ‘04? You lost seats.
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: Right. We did.
Berkowitz: How many did you pick up in 02? You lost seats.
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: We did. But-
Berkowitz: How many did you pick up in 2000? You lost seats.
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: In the middle of-
Berkowitz: That must have been like ten years in a row that you lost seats?
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: No, no. Historically, in the middle term of a President’s second term of the mid-term election, the numbers have been much higher. Now, of course, the field has been somewhat diminished because of the tactics of people like Tom DeLay-
Berkowitz: Re-districting.
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: Yeah.
Berkowitz: Or, [tactics of] Democrats. You agree Democrats and Republicans have joined together over the years-
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: Oh, come on.
Berkowitz: It’s a joint [Bi-Partison, Re-districting] Incumbency Protection Act.
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky: Oh, come on.
******************************************************
U. S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky [D-Evanston; 9th CD], recorded on October 23, 2005, and as the program will air on the suburban edition of “Public Affairs,” this week; on the City of Chicago edition of “Public Affairs,” Monday night, November 7, 2005 at 8:30 pm on CANTV, Cable Ch. 21; and is available as a video or audio podcast here.
*******************************
The suburban edition of Public Affairs regularly airs in ten North Shore suburbs three times each week: Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8:30 p.m. on Comcast Cable Channel 19 in Winnetka, Bannockburn, Deerfield, Ft. Sheridan, Glencoe, Highland Park, Highwood, Kenilworth, Lincolnshire and Riverwoods.
In twenty-four North Shore, North and Northwest suburbs, the Cong. Schakowsky show aired once this week in its regular time slot: Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. on either Comcast Cable Channel 19 or Channel 35, depending on the suburb. The show airs Tuesday nights at 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Ch. 19 in Buffalo Grove, Elk Grove Village, Hoffman Estates, Lincolnwood, Morton Grove, Niles, Northfield, Palatine, Rolling Meadows and Wilmette. Also, the show airs Tuesday nights at 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Ch. 35 in Arlington Heights, Bartlett, Glenview, Golf, Des Plaines, Hanover Park, Mt. Prospect, Northbrook, Park Ridge, Prospect Heights, Schaumburg, Skokie, Streamwood and Wheeling.
*************************************************
The "Public Affairs," program with Cong. Schakowsky also will air through-out the City of Chicago Monday night, Nov. 7 at 8:30 pm on CANTV, Cable Ch. 21.
*******************************************************
Transcript draft prepared by Amy Allen, who also does research for “Public Affairs,” and has her own political blog [See here].
******************************************
Jeff Berkowitz, Host and Producer of Public Affairs and an Executive Recruiter doing Legal Search, can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
*******************************
<< Home