Rod is Up for Judy. Is Topinka Up for Blagojevich?

Usually when a pol is behind her opponent in a poll, the pol who is trailing can’t wait to debate the leader. The leader in the poll, on the other hand, can’t be found when the debate discussion heats up. In an unusual role reversal, discussed here, the incumbent Democratic Governor, Rod Blagojevich, who was leading by seven points in the most recent one on one match up poll with his challenger, moderate Republican Judy Baar Topinka, seems to be chomping at the bit to debate Judy, and Judy can’t be found.

First, Blago challenged Topinka to ten debates. Team Blagojevich said today in a press release, “The Topinka campaign so far has rejected that offer.”

Second, Team Blagojevich announced today that it has:

Accepted an invitation to appear on WMAQ-TV’s City Desk on April 28 and urged Topinka to join Blagojevich there for a face to face exchange on the issues.

“The issues facing the people of Illinois are too important to wait to discuss,” said Blagojevich lead campaign spokesman Doug Scofield. “I hope Judy Baar Topinka will accept Dick Kay’s invitation to appear on City Desk alongside Gov. Blagojevich. The ball is in her court. All it takes is for her to tell Dick Kay – yes.” [Ed. Note: Scofield did not discuss why the Governor, who was too busy governing to debate his primary opponent, now has time on his hands. But, maybe Judy will want to ask that during the debate.]

So far, Team Topinka has been unavailable to Public Affairs for comment on this issue and as of COB, today, Team Topinka had not agreed to play ball with Team Blagojevich on the NBC-5 News City Desk set.

Kay’s discussions with candidates in this kind of a debate format are usually informal and informative. The voters are anxious to see a clash of ideas, programs and solutions, as debated and discussed by Blagojevich and Topinka, with Kay serving as the honest broker.

Dick Kay is retiring June 1, 2007. I am sure Dick is anxious to be in the thick of things just one more time before he rides off into the sunset.

This situation reminds me of when Pittsburgh Steeler QB Terry Bradshaw was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Bradshaw said he yearned to place his hands under his center’s butt just one more time, and take that snap.

Kay, I am sure, wants to kick off a Gubernatorial election season with a debate on City Desk, just one more time.

What will Team Topinka do? Make Dick Kay’s Day?
This is one time in which the voters will say it is OK for Judy to play ball with another pol.

What will Topinka do? Play Ball? Opening Day is just around the corner.

Rod is Up for Judy. Is Topinka Up for Blagojevich?

Inquiring minds want to know.
Stay tuned.

Won’t be easy for Ross. Rep. Coulson is definitely the chalk in 17th.

Continuing to air this week in the suburbs is the “Public Affairs,” show with State Rep. Candidate Judith-Rae Ross [D-Skokie, 17th Dist.]. [See here] for details of the suburban and City airing schedule. You can also watch a video podcast or listen to a podcast of the Ross show, as well as eighteen other shows, on your computer, [See here]. The 17th District includes portions of Skokie, Glenview, Morton Grove, Evanston, Wilmette, Winnetka and Glencoe.

Speaker Mike Madigan has been trying to unseat moderate Republican Beth Coulson from the 17th District with real intensity since re-districting the 17th in 2001-02 to make it much more “Democrat friendly.” The 17th has a significant Jewish population and Speaker Mike therefore preferred a Jewish candidate, Michael Bender, in the 2002 Democratic Primary. Bender lost a close race [which he took to court, Gore v. Bush, redux] to Pat Hughes, a Catholic male. Hughes, in turn, lost a close race [674 votes] to incumbent Coulson.

Next time [2004], Speaker Mike decided a Jewish female would be the ticket, and he went with Michele Bromberg, who turned out to be very much the wrong candidate for that district. Bromberg, even with-- then U. S. Senate Candidate-- Barack Obama aided mailers, lost by over 4000 votes. I should note that, to many, Bromberg’s attempts to tie moderate Republican Coulson to conservative Republican Senate Candidate Alan Keyes were clumsy, insulting and counter-productive.

In the 17th, the Speaker Mike – Beth Coulson feud is beginning to resemble the old Elmer Fudd- Bugs Bunny cartoon, with Speaker Mike playing the predictably losing Elmer Fudd.

This time, Judith-Rae Ross, yet another Jewish female, is taking on Beth Coulson. It is not clear if Elmer Fudd, I mean Speaker Mike, is up yet again to see if the third term is the charm. Judith-Rae Ross has more political experience, more finesse and a better ability to discuss ideas than did candidate Bromberg. And, a Jewish female is a better demographic for the District than was Catholic male Pat Hughes [Who I should note is plenty talented, smart and personable].

Ross is working hard, having entered the race and started walking precincts almost a year ago. She liked tax swaps then and still does, but her views have been modified a bit, see here for her views in May, 2005 and see partial transcript of this week's show, below, for Ross' current views. Ross is smart, savvy, able to discuss ideas and likeable, all important traits for winning in the 17th.

State Rep. Beth Coulson also works very hard, both in the legislature and by walking her precincts and meeting and working with and for her constituents. Beth is a ten year moderate, Republican incumbent, who has drawn fire from outside the District [For example, Family-Pac’s Paul Caprio] for both her moderate views on abortion and her general reluctance to make endorsements of other candidates, including of some prominent Republicans. However, that moderation and independence seems to work well in her district, and she draws strong support from Republicans, Independents and Democrats, many of whom have a strong attachment to her.

All in all, if the Republicans have a tough year nationally—and if that disaffection can be transferred to the 17th, if Ross can sell her tax swap and similar ideas to the 17th District Dems and Independents, if Speaker Mike will still get in the game and if Ross catches a wave [as we used to say on the West Coast], Elmer Fudd might get his bunny. But, note, what do I have there? Five ifs? Won’t be easy for Ross. Coulson is definitely the chalk on this one.
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Jeff Berkowitz: Would you say you are a social moderate…pro-choice on abortion?

Judith-Rae Ross: Oh, of course.

Jeff Berkowitz: Pro gun control, pro gay rights, all of those things, probably describe Beth Coulson, right? She’s a moderate Republican. In that sense, you would say you’re a moderate Democrat?

Judith-Rae Ross: In that sense, I am. Where I differ-

Jeff Berkowitz: That stuff is all off the table, that’s not going to be an issue, right?

Judith-Rae Ross: That’s off the table, we’re not going to have an issue there. But, where we do have an issue is a difference on small business development. Differences on education. I would look at, very seriously, changing the taxing structure, because our schools are in trouble. Face it Jeff, you want a democracy? You really want a democracy?

Jeff Berkowitz: I thought we have a democracy.

Judith-Rae Ross: No, No, you want a democracy to continue? You want a democracy to continue, you have got to teach the kiddies how to think. And, they won’t learn how to think if they don’t have decent schooling. And, our schools are in trouble. Even in the 17th [House district].

Jeff Berkowitz: How much do we spend across the State of Illinois [on elementary and secondary education] 22 billion dollars? That’s from the Feds, that’s from the local property taxes, that’s from the State—altogether 22 billion dollars. About 2.2 million kids, that’s about $10,000 per kid per year.

Judith-Rae Ross: No, it’s under that.

Jeff Berkowitz: It can’t be. I just did the numbers.

Judith-Rae Ross: Because it’s the property tax.

Jeff Berkowitz: But, you add it all up, it’s 22 billion dollars. Do you dispute the 22 billion dollars.

Judith-Rae Ross: It’s under that.

Jeff Berkowitz: It can’t be. I just did the numbers.

Judith-Rae Ross: When you did the numbers--because it’s the property tax-

Jeff Berkowitz: But, if you add it all up, it’s twenty two billion dollars.

Judith-Rae Ross: No. No. No.

Jeff Berkowitz: Do you dispute the twenty two billion dollars?

Judith-Rae Ross: I don’t dispute the twenty two billion dollars. But, I do dispute the fact that it’s divided evenly, which it’s not. It’s divided according to property tax.

Jeff Berkowitz: Okay, so you mean it’s inequitable. On average, it’s ten thousand dollars, [per kid, per year across the state of Illinois]but some [districts] are much more and some much less.

Judith-Rae Ross: Some are much more, and some are much less.

Jeff Berkowitz: New Trier [High School] might be at $18,000 per kid per year and some other high schools quite a bit less. You want to average it out, you want to equalize.

Judith-Rae Ross: I want to—no. I don’t want to take money away from some of the schools that already have it, but we have to look at a way either of equalizing the sales tax and the like, say, that we have in Skokie.

Jeff Berkowitz: Not the sales tax, that doesn’t account for much.

Judith-Rae Ross: No, no, but the Old Orchard [Mall] forgives all in District 68. There is some that go back. But, we have to look at a way of consolidating some of the districts, that’s one. Two, look at a way that we have a tax swap, where we take a little more on the income taxes and—Senate Bill, I think it was 755.

Jeff Berkowitz: … Yes, Senate Bill 755, House Bill 750. The tax swap.

Judith-Rae Ross: Yes, Senate Bill 755. We have to take a good, hard look at that.

Jeff Berkowitz: Tax Swap.

Judith-Rae Ross: Yes.

Jeff Berkowitz: Which some would characterize-- When we spoke last time [you were on the show], I think you agreed, as a humongous tax increase?

Judith-Rae Ross: I’m not sure it’s that humongous a tax increase.

Jeff Berkowitz: Would you say it is a net increase of at least four billion dollars?

Judith-Rae Ross: I’m not sure.

Jeff Berkowitz: Yes or no?

Judith-Rae Ross: I’m not going to say “yes” or “no” on that.

Jeff Berkowitz: How much do you support, in terms of a tax increase, circle a number? Two billion? Three billion? Four billion? Net tax increase? How much more do you want from the Illinois taxpayers? Pick one. Two, Three or Four billion dollars.

Judith-Rae Ross: I’d say I’d want between 1.5 [from the Illinois] and 2.0 [billion dollars], and I’ll tell you why.

Jeff Berkowitz: Two [billion dollars] more? Two [billion dollars] more. And it all goes to education?

Judith-Rae Ross: It goes to several things in education. One. I’d like to see global languages [taught] at the grade school level. We are in a global economy. It’s about time some of us learned how to speak Chinese. No, Let me finish. Two. The gambling hole. The hole in the lottery: where money from the lottery goes into education and an equal number comes out. I would stop up that hole in the gambling bucket, or the lottery bucket. It’s about time. That would do something. I’d earmark part of that for pensions for teachers, to restructure. Why would you-

Jeff Berkowitz: You want more to come from Lotto to go to the pensions, Tax money that goes into the general revenue funds.

Judith-Rae Ross: To the pensions.

Jeff Berkowitz: Currently, it goes into the general revenue fund.

Judith-Rae Ross: It goes into the general revenue fund, yeah.

Jeff Berkowitz: So how much more for education? Two billion dollars, roughly?

Judith-Rae Ross: Roughly. And, I think it’s a good investment, frankly.

Jeff Berkowitz: And, a net increase of taxes of how much? Two billion? So, basically, all to Education?

Judith-Rae Ross: All to education.

Jeff Berkowitz: Two billion dollars?

Judith-Rae Ross: Yeah.

Jeff Berkowitz: Raise the income tax to five percent?

Judith-Rae Ross: No, I wouldn’t do it that way.

Jeff Berkowitz: How much are you going to raise it?

Judith-Rae Ross: Four percent. Four percent.

Jeff Berkowitz: Do you think that gets you two billion dollars?

Judith-Rae Ross: It might not, it might not-- but at least it’s a start. Now, before you have me as a tax increasing--

Jeff Berkowitz: So, all these voters that you’re looking at now, you’re saying you’re raising their income tax from three percent to four percent, right?

Judith-Rae Ross: I think we have to look at it. I think we have to look at.

Jeff Berkowitz: Well, wait, look at or do it?

Judith-Rae Ross: Do it. And, then get property tax-- I said, do it.

Jeff Berkowitz: Do it. Do it.

Judith-Rae Ross: And, I said get property tax—

Jeff Berkowitz: You differ [with Beth Coulson]? [State Rep.] Beth Coulson won’t do that. Is that what you are saying?

Judith Rae-Ross: That's right. I do differ [from Coulson] on that.

Jeff Berkowitz: She won’t do it. That’s what you are saying?

Judith-Rae Ross: She won’t do it. I don’t think she will.

Jeff Berkowitz: And, we should say, we’d like to have Beth Coulson, here, on the show. We hope she’ll come on individually, as well as jointly, and discuss these ideas. You’d like to debate Beth?

Judith-Rae Ross: I will be perfectly happy to debate Beth.

Jeff Berkowitz: …We hope [Beth] will …come back [on the show] because democracy is all about discussing ideas, right?

Judith-Rae Ross: …”I disagree,” is the basis of democracy.
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Public Affairs, with Judith-Rae Ross, 17th Dist. Democratic State Rep. candidate, was recorded on March 19, 2006 and is airing on the Suburban edition of Public Affairs this week [week of March 27] and on the City of Chicago edition of Public Affairs on Monday night, April 3 at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21. See here, for a detailed, regular suburban airing schedule for Public Affairs . The show with candidate Ross is also available as a video podcast currently at the Public Affairs Cinema Complex, along with eighteen other shows, which are also airing there. [See here].
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State Rep. Candidate Judith-Rae Ross[D-Skokie]debates and discusses with Show Host and Executive Legal Recruiter Jeff Berkowitz more than a dozen state legislative and public policy issues.
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Transcript draft prepared by Amy Allen, who also does research for “Public Affairs,” and has her own political blog [See here].
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Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
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Better than the Final Four: Judith-Rae Ross on TV and Streaming

Jeff Berkowitz: Did Gov. Rod Blagojevich throw the Jews under the bus in the way he has handled the Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes? Did he throw the Jews under the bus? [See here for more discussion of and a podcast about this issue by Senator Silverstein [D-Chicago].

Judith-Rae Ross: I don't know if he threw the Jews under the bus, but he certainly, I think, acted questionably. Let's put it that way.

Berkowitz: Is he [Blago] favoring his stronger base, African Americans, who count more to him than the Jewish population, who are Democratic in large part, but a much smaller portion of his base. Is that what he is doing here [with Sister Muhammad], politics?

Judith-Rae Ross: It may be politics but it is a miscalculation and I hoping that the Governor will see that.
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"Public Affairs," is featuring Judith-Rae Ross [D-Skokie], Democratic Nominee for State Rep. in the 17th District, this week in 35 Chicago Metro suburbs on Comcast Cable; this coming Monday night through-out the City of Chicago; And, on your computer, right now. [See here].

A partial transcript of the show with candidate Judith-Rae Ross will be posted on this blog shortly.
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In 25 North Shore, North and Northwest suburbs, the show is airing tonight in its regular Tuesday night time slot: 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Ch. 19 or 35, as indicated, below.

In 10 North Shore suburbs, the show airs in its regular airing slot at 8:30 pm this week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday on Comcast Cable Ch. 19, as indicated, below.

The show with State Rep. candidate Ross is also available as a video podcast currently at the Public Affairs Cinema Complex, along with eighteen other shows, which are currently airing there[See here]. The show with Judith-Rae Ross will also air throughout the City of Chicago this coming Monday night, April 3 at 8:30 pm on CANTV, Cable Ch. 21.
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Judith-Rae Ross, a Democratic State Rep. candidate who is taking on moderate, North Shore Republican, ten year, incumbent State Rep. Beth Coulson [R-Glenview], debates and discusses with Show Host and Executive Legal Recruiter Jeff Berkowitz more than a dozen state fiscal, economic, educational, health care and social public policy issues.
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The episode of Public Affairs, featuring Dem. State Rep. Candidate Judith-Rae Ross [D-Skokie, 17th Dist.],airs tonight:

at 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Channel 19 in Buffalo Grove, Elk Grove Village, Hoffman Estates, parts of Inverness, Lincolnwood, Morton Grove, Niles, Northfield, Palatine, Rolling Meadows and Wilmette

And at 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Channel 35 in Arlington Heights, Bartlett, Glenview, Golf, Des Plaines, Hanover Park, Mt. Prospect, Northbrook, Park Ridge, Prospect Heights, Schaumburg, Skokie, Streamwood and Wheeling.

and this Wednesday and Friday night at 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Channel 19 in Bannockburn, Deerfield, Ft. Sheridan, Glencoe, Highland Park, Highwood, Kenilworth, Lincolnshire, Riverwoods and Winnetka.
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Public Affairs, with Judith-Rae Ross, 17th Dist. Democratic State Rep. candidate, was recorded on March 19, 2006 and is airing on the Suburban edition of Public Affairs this week [week of March 27] and on the City of Chicago edition of Public Affairs on Monday night, April 3 at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21. See, above, for a detailed, regular suburban airing schedule for Public Affairs . The show with candidate Ross is also available as a video podcast currently at the Public Affairs Cinema Complex, along with eighteen other shows, which are also airing there. [See here].
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Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
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Did Blago throw the Jews under the Bus? On TV and video-streaming

Jeff Berkowitz: And then, along pops up Sister [Claudette Marie Johnson] Muhammad.

Sen. Ira Silverstein: Correct.

Jeff Berkowitz: What’s the problem with Sister Muhammad?
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Jeff Berkowitz: What’s the hateful speech?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: The hateful speech that Reverend Farrakhan talked about [engaged in].

Jeff Berkowitz: What is it?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: That Jews were the cause of all the “filth” in Hollywood and that Satan, we caused George Bush to-

Jeff Berkowitz: “Hollywood Jews promoting lesbianism and homosexuality and other filth.” Were those the words?
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Sen. Ira Silverstein: Islam. So, my question to her was whether or not, “you would believe in those views, whether you adopt those views or you don’t," because you’re sitting on a Hate Crimes Commission, which, the intent is to get rid of hate.
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Jeff Berkowitz: She’s [Sen. Carol Ronen(D-Chicago)] somebody who you think might find this kind of language distasteful?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: I hope so. I hope so. I don’t know.

Jeff Berkowitz: Have you spoken to her?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: We have spoken on numerous occasions about this, but we--

Jeff Berkowitz: Why wasn’t she standing up with you [at the Press Conference]?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: I have no idea. I invited every member of the--
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Jeff Berkowitz: But, Representative Julie Hamos [D-Evanston] did not show up?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: No, let me. I invited every member of the Jewish caucus to be at that press conference. So--

Jeff Berkowitz: And, a lot didn’t show up.

Sen. Silverstein: A lot.

Jeff Berkowitz: These are people who are afraid of retribution from the Governor? Is that it, if they are Democrats?
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Jeff Berkowitz: But, on this, is he [Gov. Rod Blagojevich] looking at it [and saying], hey, there is an election coming up, “I may need an intense turn-out, not necessarily for the Primary, but for the General, of the African-American vote,” that is the strongest portion of his base, “I am going to give them [the African-Americans] this [Sister Muhammad] and if the Jews don’t like it, under the bus they go.”

Sen. Ira Silverstein: You’ll have to ask Governor Blagojevich, I don’t know.
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From "Public Affairs," taped Live to Tape on March 12, 2006.
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Tonight, the City of Chicago edition of "Public Affairs," features State Senator Ira Silverstein, airing at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21; through-out the City of Chicago; And, the program can be watched on your computer, any time. [See here].

For more about tonight's show's topics with Sen. Silverstein see here.

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Jeff Berkowitz: [Senator Silverstein (D-Chicago)] is in the news in part because of an issue that’s come up regarding the Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes, a commission that was set up, initially, by Governor George Ryan.

Sen. Ira Silverstein: That’s correct. After an incident in my district, we had the shooting with Benjamin Smith-

Jeff Berkowitz: Is that right? That was partly the motivation for the Commission.

Sen. Ira Silverstein: That was the motivation. Representative [Larry] McKeon [D-Chicago] asked Gov. Ryan to set up a commission

Jeff Berkowitz: Okay, and then it was a sleepy commission, not too much about the appointments, and it didn’t do a lot in the first few years, if anything, of Rod Blagojevich’s tenure. Would that be accurate?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: That’s correct. They did some work in the Ryan administration, but not much in the Blagojevich administration, until recently.

Jeff Berkowitz: And then, along pops up Sister Claudette Marie Muhammad.

Sen. Ira Silverstein: Correct.

Jeff Berkowitz: What’s the problem with Sister Muhammad?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: There’s nothing wrong with Sister Muhammad. My concern was that there was a speech that Reverend Farrakhan [of the Nation of Islam] gave a couple weeks ago, where she invited members of the Commission to come. From that speech, there were some very anti-Semitic remarks, anti-gay remarks. And, I just asked the Governor and Ms. Muhammad to renounce those remarks—or whether she-

Jeff Berkowitz: Her position would be?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: Whether she agrees, or disagrees.

Jeff Berkowitz: No, but she is the Minister of Protocol for-

Sen. Ira Silverstein: For Reverend Farrakhan.

Jeff Berkowitz: In the Nation of?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: Islam. So, my question to her was whether or not, “you would believe in those views, whether you adopt those views or you don’t," because you’re sitting on a Hate Crimes Commission, which, the intent is to get rid of hate. To promote good will. And, that is something that is going on today. You know, this is about hateful speech. It’s not about being black. It’s not about being white. It’s not any type of religion or ethnicity.

Jeff Berkowitz: What’s the hateful speech?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: The hateful speech that Reverend Farrakhan talked about.

Jeff Berkowitz: What is it?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: That Jews were the cause of all the “filth” in Hollywood and that Satan, we caused George Bush to-

Jeff Berkowitz: “Hollywood Jews promoting lesbianism and homosexuality and other filth.” Were those the words?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: Those were very powerful words.

Jeff Berkowitz: Spoken on the Savior’s Day, February 26th, 2006…

Sen. Ira Silverstein: That’s right.

Jeff Berkowitz: Minister Louis Farrakhan made those statements. Those are not unusual statements for him to make, is that right?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: No, he’s made other anti-Semitic, anti-gay comments in the past.

Jeff Berkowitz: “Zionists,” he said, “manipulated President Bush into the war, along with conservatives.” He did leave out the “international Jewish banking conspiracy.” He hasn’t gone back to that, right.

Sen. Ira Silverstein: No, I haven’t heard him say that.

Jeff Berkowitz: But, other than that, it is your typical, what would we say? garden variety anti-Semitism?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: Unfortunately, yes. And, um-

Jeff Berkowitz: I don’t mean to minimize it-

Sen. Ira Silverstein: No.

Jeff Berkowitz: But, it is just straight anti-Semitism, right?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: Yes. And, my concern was, I wanted Sister Muhammad to renounce those remarks. I don’t mind her sitting on the Commission, but, if she believes in those remarks, it’s a big issue for that Commission. And, because of that, five Commission members, Jewish members, have resigned. I believe the Commission is really in disarray. I don’t know what the outcome is going to be. I’ve been outspoken on this issue, because I’m very passionate about this. I’m trying to let people know that we shouldn’t have people on that commission if they hold those views.

Jeff Berkowitz: And, those views are not just the anti-Semitism. It’s anti-gay, right?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: Anti-gay. You want to combat hate. It’s been in the press for the past couple weeks. I don’t know what the outcome is going to be by the time we air, but it’s back in the Governor’s hands, so to speak.

Jeff Berkowitz: So, five Jewish members of the Commission resigned? Nobody else resigned?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: Correct.

Jeff Berkowitz: Sister Marie Muhammad said what, in response to your suggestion that she renounce these things?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: She’s not going to renounce those remarks-

Jeff Berkowitz: She did affirm that she respected people who followed the “true tenets” of Judaism. Was that the way she put it?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: Yes, and I think she said she prayed in a Jewish synagogue. The Governor himself has renounced any remarks that Farrakhan had said, which I appreciate. We haven’t gone to the next step. And, I don’t think he’s going to ask her to renounce those remarks. We’re-

Jeff Berkowitz: And, we should say, that’s the typical language that Louis Farrakhan uses when he says he’s not discriminating [against Jews], because he says he favors the “true tenets of Judaism,” or he finds those okay. And, what he is saying is that the kinds of things he’s complaining about-- he’s says that Jews aren’t following their “true tenets.” Am I getting that right?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: Possibly, but I don’t want to get into a religious argument. The point of the matter is, something has to be done. Having five members step down, I think that’s a big statement. And, I was waiting for the administration to show some more leadership. They may. I don’t know.

Jeff Berkowitz: Well, what about, before we get to the [Blagojevich] administration, standing up there with you when you held this press conference, were?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: We were with Senator Peter Roskam, from-

Jeff Berkowitz: A Republican from Wheaton [who is running in the 8th CD against Democrat Major Tammy Duckworth to replace Cong. Hyde [R-Addison], who is stepping down after 32 years]

Sen. Ira Silverstein: A Republican from Wheaton. Myself, Representative McKeon [D-Chicago], Representative Lang [D-Skokie], Senator Schoenberg [D-Evanston], Representative Feigenholtz [D-Chicago], Lonnie Nasatir [Regional director of ADL’s Greater Chicago/Upper Midwest Region] , Representative Sid Mathias [R-Buffalo Grove]. And, we came together on a Wednesday afternoon for what I would say was a very intense press conference, to ask the Governor to do something.

Jeff Berkowitz: To do something. But, you did not, as a group, or as individuals, even ask the Governor to remove, or ask for the resignation of Sister Muhammad, did you?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: No, I don’t think we’re at that point yet. We want to know where she stands.

Jeff Berkowitz: Well, did you say she should step down, or you should ask for a resignation if she won’t affirm those beliefs that you have in the Commission?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: That’s correct. If she won’t affirm those, then she should step down. And, we were hoping—we were told that something would be coming from the Governor’s office, so we were waiting to see what the Governor is going to do. We did our piece and after we were done, the African American members of the Senate got up after us and said their piece, and that’s where we stood.

Jeff Berkowitz: Okay. And, joining you would be Senator Carol Ronen?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: At the press conference?

Jeff Berkowitz: At the press conference.

Sen. Ira Silverstein: No, she was not there.

Jeff Berkowitz: She was not. She’s Jewish?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: Correct.

Jeff Berkowitz: She’s somebody who you think might find this kind of language distasteful?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: I hope so. I hope so. I don’t know.

Jeff Berkowitz: Have you spoken to her?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: We spoken on numerous occasions about this, but we--

Jeff Berkowitz: Why wasn’t she standing up with you?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: I have no idea. I invited every member of the--

Jeff Berkowitz: You think it’s her closeness with the Governor politically that prevented her from speaking out on this issue?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: You’d have to ask her.

Jeff Berkowitz: We have. I’ve sought [her comments]. We have not gotten any comments from her.

Sen. Ira Silverstein: I have no idea, but every member of the

Jeff Berkowitz: Representative Hamos [D-Evanston]? She would be somebody who found this language offensive?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: I don’t know, but I invited every member of the-

Jeff Berkowitz: But, Representative Hamos did not show up?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: No, let me. I invited every member of the Jewish caucus to be at that press conference. So--

Jeff Berkowitz: And, a lot didn’t show up.

Sen. Silverstein: A lot.

Jeff Berkowitz: These are people who are afraid of retribution from the Governor? Is that it, if they are Democrats?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: I have no idea. You’d have to ask them. I can’t speak for them.

Jeff Berkowitz: And, standing up right after you at a press conference were a number of members of the, would you say African-American Senate caucus, black caucus.

Sen. Ira Silverstein: Yes, Senator Meeks [D-Calumet City], Rev. Meeks. Senator Trotter [D-Chicago]. Sen. Lightford [D-Chicago]. Sen. Raoul [D-Chicago]. And, you know, it was a very intense press conference.

Jeff Berkowitz: So, a rift between the Jewish Democrats and the black Democrats.

Sen. Ira Silverstein: I wouldn’t call it a rift. Like I said, this is not about black and white. I will tell you, I get along very well with all the African American members in the Senate. After the press conference, we all sat down afterwards on the [Senate] floor and said, look they said what they said, we said what I said and that was it. There has been no discussion about this on the floor of the Senate anymore. We’ve kept it in such a professional way where I made my point, they made their point and that was it. For the last week, the press has kind of kept this going.

Jeff Berkowitz: The press? Well, it’s an issue.

Sen. Ira Silverstein: It’s an issue.

Jeff Berkowitz: Are your constituents concerned about it? You have a significant number of Jewish constituents?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: My constituents—it’s a very big issue in my district because I have a diverse district. Sixty languages are spoken in my district. But, it’s a district that not only covers Jewish constituents. I have a lot of Asian-Americans that are concerned. So, it’s something we have to grapple with once in--

Jeff Berkowitz: Is there a more general issue here? Is it the case that it’s become acceptable over time for certain blacks, well, for blacks who choose to, to make anti-Semitic statements? And, we look the other way. If somebody else were to do it, we—not we, but people in general, would take offense. Has the standard--

Sen. Ira Silverstein: I don’t think it’s acceptable-

Jeff Berkowitz: Well, you don’t, but--

Sen. Ira Silverstein: I will tell you. In all my years in the Senate, I’ve never had any anti-Semitic remarks made to me. Everyone respects me, my views and my religion--

Jeff Berkowitz: That’s in the Senate. But, isn’t the point of this Commission to try to stop the spread elsewhere [of racial, gender, sexual orientation discrimination?]. Isn’t that right?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: Correct. Correct.

Jeff Berkowitz: So, if you put someone on the Commission who’s a member of a religion-- the Nation of Islam who has as its top minister somebody who is openly anti-Semitic or espouses comments that Sister Muhammad might say were “perceived” as anti-Semitic, but [about which] you and most of your colleagues would say is blatant anti-Semitism. If you have that being spoken, espoused by a leader of a religion of someone who sits on that Commission, isn’t it sort of contradictory?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: It may be. But, I think the problem we have here is that the Governor’s staff didn’t do their homework.

Jeff Berkowitz: In appointing Sister Muhammad?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: Yes, and in seeing what she believes in and what her views are. He’s already admitted to the fact, the Governor, that he wasn’t told.

Jeff Berkowitz: Is that a more general issue, as a slight digression. What kind of a Governor do we have when he doesn’t know who is being appointed, when he signs the paper saying, “I’m appointing you.”

Sen. Ira Silverstein: Well, unless he has got poor staff.

Jeff Berkowitz: But shouldn’t he even know, even with poor staff? Isn’t the Governor supposed to say, “Tell me about this person, if I don’t know.”

Sen. Ira Silverstein: He should have known. But, I’m not going to speak for him or his staff.

Jeff Berkowitz: But, it’s not the only case. He signed a proclamation for the Coalition in honor of the remembrance of Elijah Muhammad. February 12th. That’s a day in honor of that, 2006. This is a group that apparently espouses their opposition to mixed-race marriages, blacks should not be taxed, black children should be taught by “their own,” as they say, their own teachers who are black. Basically a separatist group that would like a separate portion of the United States [for blacks]. We are going to proclaim-- the State of Illinois gives this guy this honor, Munir Muhammad, who sits on the Human Rights Commission? He’s the head of this [separatist group being honored]. [He gets] Forty thousand dollars a year [from the State of Illinois] for doing that [sitting on Human Rights Commission]. And, you’re saying Blagojevich doesn’t know about any of this?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: I have no idea. That just broke last week. I mean, you have got to realize, understand, according to a newspaper article. Governor Ryan was also issuing those same proclamations.

Jeff Berkowitz: That doesn’t make it right. Governor Ryan is on trial for RICO charges. We don’t want to hold up Gov. George Ryan as an example of virtue.

Sen. Ira Silverstein: Those are questions you’ve got to ask Governor Blagojevich. I was not party to that. When I read that in the paper this week, I had no knowledge of that—other than reading it in the paper.

Jeff Berkowitz: All right, so the short question is, has Governor Rod Blagojevich thrown the Jews under the bus?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: No. I think he’s done a lot of good for-

Jeff Berkowitz: He did that to his… Father-in-law, Ald. Mell, he threw him under the bus. Now, it’s the Jews under the bus.

Sen. Ira Silverstein: I don’t think we have been thrown under the bus. I think he has done a lot of good for the Jewish community.

Jeff Berkowitz: This isn’t good for the Jewish community, is it?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: No, but I think, over-all, he has been a good Governor for the Jewish community.

Jeff Berkowitz: But, on this, is he looking at it [and saying], hey, there is an election coming up, “I may need an intense turn-out, not necessarily for the Primary, but for the General, of the African-American vote,” that is the strongest portion of his base, “I am going to give them [the African-Americans] this and if the Jews don’t like it, under the bus they go.”

Sen. Ira Silverstein: You’ll have to ask Governor Blagojevich, I don’t know.

Jeff Berkowitz: But, in your view, you are a leader of the—

Sen. Ira Silverstein: I don’t think he has thrown us under the bus. I don’t think he has ever done that to us. I have had a good relationship with the Governor. I think on this issue, we have a different opinion. And, whether he is making a political statement…we will find that out later in the election. But, I don’t think he has done anything harmful. I don’t agree with him, that’s my main problem.
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From "Public Affairs," airing tonight through-out the City of Chicago at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21, and taped Live to Tape on March 12, 2006.
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Senator Silverstrein [D- Chicago]debates and discusses with Show Host and Executive Legal Recruiter Jeff Berkowitz more than a dozen state legislative and public policy issues.
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Transcript draft prepared by Amy Allen, who also does research for “Public Affairs,” and has her own political blog [See here].
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Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
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Sen. Silverstein: Guv election depends on the Feds

Jeff Berkowitz: So, if it is Judy Baar Topinka, you think he [Gov. Blagojevich] sails to victory in the General Election?

Sen. Ira Silverstein [D-Chicago]: I don’t think he is going to sail to victory. I think it is going to be a very tight election. It depends on what happens in the next couple of months, if the Feds do any type of investigation of his [Blagojevich's] administration.
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Jeff Berkowitz: …depends on whether there are further investigations.

Sen. Ira Silverstein: Yeah, it depends on what the Feds are going to do

Jeff Berkowitz: Basically, [the Governor’s election] is in the U. S. Attorney’s hands, almost, right?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: In one respect-- you have to see what they find.
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Jeff Berkowitz: Looking forward, what will be the big issue next year? Will it be looking at raising taxes?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: I think next year is going to be education because it will be—

Jeff Berkowitz: You think [the legislature] will finally do something in terms of a tax swap?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: We have to do something--

Jeff Berkowitz: [School] Funding will change dramatically?

Sen. Ira Silverstein: We have to do something. We have been talking about it for the last five, eight years. [Show ends].
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From "Public Affairs," airing tonight tonight through-out the City of Chicago at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21, and taped Live to Tape on March 12, 2006.
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Tonight, the City of Chicago edition of "Public Affairs," features State Senator Ira Silverstein, airing at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21; through-out the City of Chicago; And, the program can be watched on your computer, any time. [See here].

For more about tonight's show's topics with Sen. Silverstein see here.

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Senator Silverstrein [D- Chicago]debates and discusses with Show Host and Executive Legal Recruiter Jeff Berkowitz more than a dozen state legislative and public policy issues.
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Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
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Better than Larry King: Sen. Silverstein on Cable and Streamed

Tonight, the City of Chicago edition of "Public Affairs," features State Senator Ira Silverstein, airing at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21; through-out the City of Chicago; And, the program can be watched on your computer, any time. [See here].

For more about tonight's show's topics with Sen. Silverstein see here.

The show with Sen. Silverstein, Chairman of the Senate Executive Committee, handling such important matters as O'Hare expansion, is also available as a video podcast currently at the Public Affairs Cinema Complex, along with more than eighteen shows and press conferences, which are currently airing there, including recent shows with 8th CD Republican nominee David McSweeney [Barrington Hills], also airing in the suburbs next week [McSweeney is taking on first term incumbent Cong. Bean] and 17th District State Rep. Democratic nominee Judith-Rae Ross [Skokie], also airing in the suburbs this week [Ross is taking on ten year moderate North Shore Republican incumbent State Rep. Beth Coulson [Glenview][See here].
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Senator Silverstrein [D- Chicago]debates and discusses with Show Host and Executive Legal Recruiter Jeff Berkowitz more than a dozen state legislative and public policy issues.
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Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
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McSweeney and Bean: A virtual debate

Updated at 2:00 pm on Monday:

The latest addition to the Public Affairs Cinema Complex is our show, taped yesterday, with the 8th Cong. Dist. Republican Nominee, David McSweeney. McSweeney won the Republican Primary earlier this week on Tuesday, in a six candidate field with 43% of the vote, beating his closest competitor, Kathy Salvi, by ten points.

This should be an expensive race [10 million dollars total for the incumbent, Democrat Cong. Melissa Bean, and her challenger, Republican David McSweeney]. The show is sort of a virtual debate, with host and legal recruiter Jeff Berkowitz often summarizing, during the show, Cong. Bean's position on an issue, followed up by a discussion of whether McSweeney agreed or not.

David McSweeney, who knocked on about 5000 doors in the 8th CD during the Primary, has resumed walking the precincts, albeit with broader targets for the general election. The conservative Republican started running about 15 months ago, and in April of 2005 left his job as an investment banker to devote himself full time to his campaign for the 8th CD seat.

HISTORICAL UPDATE:
The 8th CD seat had been held by conservative Republican Phil Crane from 1969 [Crane was elected in a special election held to replace Don Rumsfeld, who accepted an appointment in the Nixon Administration] until Melissa Bean beat him [52%-48%] in 2004. President Bush won the District 56% to 42% in 2004 and most Republicans argue that Crane lost it more than Bean won it-- and seem confident they can take it back. Democrats, on the other hand, including DCCC Chairman Rahm Emanuel, are confident Congresswoman Bean, if she is viewed by the District as an independent who votes and represents well the interests of the District, will hold the seat-- in a way that is not dissimilar from moderate Republican Cong. Mark Kirk winning and holding the now Democratic North Shore 10th CD seat [53% to 47% for Kerry in 2004].

You can watch the show here. You can also find and watch our Show with Cong. Bean on this Podcast page, along with about 18 other shows.

UPDATE:

For those of you who prefer a TV screen to a computer screen, the "Public Affairs," episode with 8th CD Republican nominee McSweeney airs next week in the suburbs and [in two weeks], Monday night, April 10, in the City of Chicago at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21.
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Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
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Andy Shaw: Blagojevich Couldn't Get it Up

Andy Shaw quote below, Revised and Extended at 1:15 am on Saturday morning [See, below].

ABC-7 News' Andy Shaw, in his discussion tonight of Democratic Governor Rod Blagojevich, and his decision not to debate his primary challenger Edwin Eisendrath [who picked up 30% of the vote after he threw together a helter skelter campaign at the last minute], came up with a pretty good sound bite of his own:

The Governor ran the most cynical campaign I have ever seen and turned off more people than I have ever seen turned off. Here is a guy who says there is no campaign—he is too busy governing to campaign, but he is not too busy to cut fifteen commercials and spend a million and a half dollars on ads. Now, Mr. Testicular Virility could not get it up for one debate or one forum with Mr. Eisendrath—now he is challenging Judy Baar Topinka to ten debates, maybe he had his political Viagra this week.

Andy Shaw, guesting on Chicago Week in Review, March 24, 2006 [I couldn't see whether another panelist, NBC-5 News' Mary Ann Ahern, was blushing, but she doesn't blush easily]. Chicago Week in Review, which airs every Friday night, 7:00 pm to 7:30 pm on Ch. 11 in the Chicago Metro area, will be re-run at mid-night tonight and again at 1:30 am and 4:30 am on Saturday morning.
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Blago, although up, so to speak, 47% to 40% in the latest poll over his Republican challenger, State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka, has now challenged Judy to ten debates, starting next month. That is somewhat of a surprise move by a front-runner, but no more surprising than team Topinka's initial response that it preferred one or two debates, to be held in the Fall [as reported last night by Phil Ponce on Chicago Tonight].

This is kind of like the woman in second place, with 400 yards to go in a mile race, who is trailing by 5 yards-- on seeing the leader stop--respond by stopping, too, instead of trying to pass.

On catching its breath, Team Topinka has now said it will agree to a larger number of debates, but Topinka wants to make sure Rev. and State Senator James Meeks [Independent Democrat from the far South Side of Chicago] is included in the debates.

Rev. Meeks is threatening a third party run over the issue of Blago's unwillingness to raise the state income tax and sales tax by three to six billion dollars, or so, to fund elementary and secondary education, especially in low income areas, at higher levels than the state is currently doing. Rev. Meeks is an African-American leader of the Salem Baptist Church, which is also located on the South Side of Chicago and is similar in size to the United Center, home of the Chicago Bulls and also home to the Rolling Stones, when they are On Tour in Chicago.

A run by Meeks would decimate the strongest and most reliable portion of Blago's base, Cook County African-Americans, and likely return the Governorship to Republican hands, where it had been for the quarter of a Century prior to Blagojevich winning it in 2002.
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To get an idea of what these debates might look like, let's see what the Topinka and Blagojevich spokesman had to say about each other's candidate:

Calling the letter [from Blagojevich offering 10 debates] "just more political puffery," Topinka campaign spokesman Roger Germann said the treasurer plans to debate but wants to include state Sen. James Meeks, a Chicago pastor who is talking of running for governor as an independent. Germann declined to commit to a timetable or number of debates.

"We're giving serious consideration to doing one debate for every open investigation into the Blagojevich administration," Germann quipped. "The problem is there may not be enough time to do that between now and November."

Scofield [Blagojevich lead campaign spokesman and private lobbyist/consultant] shot back: "Maybe we should do one for every contribution she's [Topinka's] taken from a bank the treasurer does business with."

Excerpted from the Sun-Times News Group, 3/24/06 [See here].
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Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
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Marin’s Famous Journalist School: How to Compound your mistakes.

Tom Roeser, in his always well written blog, states:[Tom has been described by the father of Chicago Blogging, Tribune columnist Eric Zorn, as having righteous chops]:

Celebrity [Carol] Marin, incidentally, goofed up the other day by asking Republican 8th [Congressional] District nominee David McSweeney how he planned to distance himself from Vice President Cheney when Cheney raised money for McSweeney in the campaign. Oops. Cheney raised money for Peter Roskam, not McSweeney-and in the 6th [Cong.] District not the 8th. But spending all that time in the TV makeup room does interfere with getting the numbers straight, doesn’t it?

I don’t know if make-up is such a bad idea, I could use some myself. And, Marin does look great when she is on the WTTW set, which appears to be every Monday and Wednesday evening on Chicago Tonight. And, obviously, Marin has a lot of media talent and experience that should be respected and admired.

However, as Tom suggests, elsewhere in the referenced blog post, Marin may be miscast as the Chicago Sun-Times “celebrity political columnist” and WTTW’s political journalist. After all, shouldn’t a public TV station, like WTTW, have as its premier political correspondent someone who at least reads the newspapers and routine press releases for campaigns so she would know that Cheney raised money for Roskam in the 6th CD, not McSweeney in the 8th CD.

As I have noted before, Carol Marin’s strength is the “court scene,” and the public corruption scene, not the “politics and public policy,” scene. The topics overlap, but they certainly are not congruent.

Anybody covering politics, but not the courts, knows that neither the Bush Administration nor the NRCC intervened on any candidate’s behalf in the six candidate 8th CD Republican Primary, adopting a more traditional hands-off policy for the Republican Primary. On the other hand, the DCCC, with the heavy hand of DCCC Chairman Rahm Emanuel and powerhouse Democratic Senators Durbin, Kerry and Obama intervened big time [to the tremendous displeasure of 6th CD Democratic Candidates Cegelis and Scott, and their supporters] on behalf of 6th CD Democratic Primary winning candidate Major Tammy Duckworth.

The difference in approach used by national Democratic and Republican leaders, at least with respect to the 6th and 8th Cong. Districts, is perhaps a distinction a professional political journalist should know about before she starts her interview, and not have to discover it in the bungling way Marin did.

Further, boys and girls, having made the mistake, a professional journalist should be gracious enough to say so and not compound it with a high school girlish laugh, suggesting if she wasn’t right this time, maybe she will be next time. Hell, I don’t do that--even on local access.

I mean, I thought that is why Marin was supposed to have failed on CBS-2 local news: she couldn’t or wouldn’t do the “Happy Talk.” Now, this is the tone that she brings to Public TV- sloppy, left biased journalism, with mistakes laughed about. Take a listen:
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Carol Marin: Dick Cheney keynoted a fundraiser for your race…

David McSweeney: …The Vice-President did not come in for a fundraiser for me, it was for [State Senator] Peter Roskam [who had an uncontested 6th CD Republican Primary race]

Carol Marin: But, he was there to speak well of you, as well, was he not?

David McSweeney: Not at that point. Actually, he did not get involved in my primary, at all.

Carol Marin: Well, then maybe [famous Marin laugh] we’ll see if he will this time around.

David McSweeney: He may.

Carol Marin: Domestic Spying, how about that? [Marin left leaning bias?- as far as I know, these were calls monitored or intercepted by the U. S. Government [NSA] that involved almost always, if not always, at least one party who was outside the United States and thought to be involved in terrorism—that would be Domestic Spying? or at least it would be in the world of the WTTW staffers who apparently prepare a set of questions for Marin to read, presumably with Marin's guidance to set the tone of the interview].
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WTTW’s Chicago Tonight, March 22, 2006
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Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
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Adding Jackson to the Zorn, Claypool-Stroger, Obama Mix

Eric Zorn, Chicago Tribune columnist and blogger tells his gentle readers that he also is “disillusioned by [Senator] Obama’s fence-perching [on the Stroger-Claypool race].” And, he wonders, “what the effect on the election would have been if Obama had been less reserved and calculating.” [See here]. For my initial discussion of Senator Obama's decision to straddle the Claypool-Stroger fence, See here.

Zorn, unlike me, is set up for you to comment and discuss whether Senator Obama was right or wrong to stay out of a race I think the good Senator could have helped Commissioner Claypool win.

The win would have resulted in much better services for low income individuals in Cook County, who would be predominantly minority. Yes, a certain number of Stroger patronage workers who were not performing well and who may be predominantly minority would have lost their jobs.

But who is more deserving of the government’s attention and help? The larger number of recipients of Cook County Government services, e.g., those seeking medical attention at one of the three County Hospitals and those staying in a Cook County juvenile temporary detention center, or those who are getting political payback in the form of a patronage job for supporting Stroger or one of his political allies.

You should visit Zorn’s site and answer that question[See here], as well as whether Senator Barack Obama should be criticized for sitting on the fence. Be sure to tell him Berkowitz, or Public Affairs, sent you.

Further, if you have not been visiting Eric Zorn’s blog regularly, you should start, right away. Although he does not obsess on politics and public policy quite as much as I do, he is one of the most articulate, fairest and best writers of all bloggers and columnists, especially of those whose roots are in the mainstream media.

Finally, talking about those reformers who, like Senator Obama, chose to stay out of the arena on this one, there is Senator’s Obama’s good friend and fellow traveler on the left, Cong. Jesse Jackson, Jr. [D-Chicago]. Although not possessing quite the reformer image of Senator Obama, Cong. Jackson is far from your typical Democratic Party pol.

Congressman Jackson appears to have been “neutral,” in the Stroger-Claypool race. That was my impression and that was confirmed today when I checked with Teresa Caldwell, Deputy Communications Director to Cong. Jackson in Washington, DC.

Yet, Rich Miller, in his otherwise informative hard copy edition of Capitolfax today, tells us, “even though Jackson favored Claypool, that probably won’t hurt him in a mayoral bid.” Perhaps Rich knows something Teresa and I don’t know-- about Cong. Jackson and his relationship to the Claypool campaign, that is. We look forward to hearing from Rich on that.

Rich’s thesis in his Capitolfax hard copy edition today seems to be that the Democratic machine isn’t dead, especially when it teams up with a strong black politician. Of course, because then the machine and the black pol’s voting base are both moving in the same direction. Nothing to gum up the works, then. In the 2004 U. S. Senate Democratic Primary, with the machine purportedly going one way for Comptroller Dan Hynes, and the black voting base and good government types going the other way for then State Senator Barack Obama, the Democratic Party machine was buried.

Following up on Rich Miller’s speculation about a Cong. Jackson bid for Mayor in 2007, he would get the African American Democratic base, or at least the great majority of it. But, if he is taking on Mayor Daley, there will, of course, be many black Daley loyalists. John Stroger, for example, assuming he is healthy, would be a likely Daley supporter, as he has done so in the past [over Harold Washington], and more generally there are his ties to the Mayor's brother, John Daley, Chairman of the County Board Finance Committee.

But, if you follow the trends that Miller is talking about, the same winds of ethnic Black pride that helped even a non-reformer like Stroger win on Tuesday would be even more powerful at the back of Cong. Jackson, and presumably this time Senator Obama would not be “perched on a fence,” to borrow Zorn’s phrasing, but running with and on the side of his friend and ally, Cong. Jackson.

For the record, Teresa Caldwell told me today that Cong. Jackson has not yet decided if he is running for Mayor. But, I am looking forward to him coming back on our show to discuss that very issue. Teresa said she will get back to me on when we can schedule the Congressman for "Public Affairs."
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Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
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Topinka and Oberweis: Union or Intersection ?

Jim Oberweis, who came in second to State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka for the Republican nomination for Governor [38% to 32%] , declined to endorse Judy this morning at the GOP Unity Breakfast at the W hotel on North Lake Shore Drive. Oberweis said that a request by Topinka for Bob Kjellander to step down from his position as Illinois’ representative on the Republican National Committee would be a sufficient, but not a necessary, condition for him to endorse Topinka. Oberweis did not make clear which alternative actions or statements by Topinka might suffice for him to endorse her, other than that they would relate to his general interest in moving the Party toward “reform.” Oberweis did state that he would not support a third party candidate for Governor, if one were to step forward.

Somewhat conspicuous by his absence at the GOP Unity event was Topinka booster, mentor and popular two term former Governor, Jim Edgar. Also not present was the much discussed and much maligned Bob Kjellander. Perhaps neither wanted to overshadow Judy in her day of triumph.

Two Illinois conservatives who have been feuding since anyone can remember, Family Pac’s Paul Caprio and mega millionaire and the driving force behind the Family Taxpayers Network, Jack Roeser, were also not at the Unity Event. Roeser and his FTN were the primary contributors to Oberweis’ campaign. Caprio backed Brady, although not nearly to the same level of financial support as Roeser gave to Oberweis, who himself is worth 10 to 50 million dollars.

The other three candidates for Governor, State Senator Bill Brady, Ron Gidwitz and Andy Martin were also introduced, with Brady and Gidwitz following Oberweis in making some brief comments.

Oberweis, although not endorsing Topinka, had the best line of the morning, as he started somberly:

I am deeply disappointed, not with last night, but with this morning. This is a Unity Breakfast--- Where’s the milk, Andy?

There’s coffee. There’s orange juice. Where’s the milk? [The joke brought the house down. A little more humor like that during the campaign and Jim might have won].

Oberweis went on to say: I hope the state can withstand four years [of Governor Blagojevich]. I know the state cannot withstand eight years and we have to make sure that that does not happen. Get out there and work.

That was as close as Oberweis came to an endorsement of Topinka.

The entire Republican State-wide ticket was there and introduced at the event, by event moderator and State GOP Chairman, Andy McKenna, Jr. Topinka’s running mate, Lt. Gov. Nominee and DuPage State’s Attorney Joe Birkett (51%), spoke to the crowd and introduced two of his opponents, Bruckner (6%) and State Senator Steve Rauschenberger (30%)—who Joe was quite gracious about in his remarks. Sandy Wegman, who surprisingly polled 13 %, was somewhat conspicuous by her absence.

8th Cong. Dist. Republican Primary nominee David McSweeney spoke briefly and was gracious to Kathy Salvi , who was in the room and who had come in second to McSweeney [43% to 33%] in what had became a bitter, nasty primary in the last few weeks. State Rep. Bob Churchill, who finished third in the 8th CD with 16 % was not at the Unity event.

McSweeney will take on first term Democrat Congresswoman Melissa Bean in a district that went 56% to 44% for President Bush in 2004, but booted out 35 year 8th CD Republican incumbent Phil Crane, who many thought had stayed way too long at the Party. McSweeney ran against Crane in the ’98 Republican Primary, as did Peter Fitzgerald four years before that.

Cong. Bean seems to view herself as a moderate, independent Democrat and she is described by many as straddling issues to fit her district in a way not unlike Republican five year incumbent Cong. Mark Kirk in the North Shore’s 10th CD, a district that went for Democratic Presidential Candidate John Kerry 53-47 in 2004.

Of course, McSweeney disagrees about the Cong. Bean part, arguing she does not fit the 8th Cong. District, having voted, he said, 83% of the time with her Democrat Party, and having said the two congressmen she admires most are Democrats Rahm Emanuel and Barney Frank, who McSweeney said definitely do not represent the values of the 8th CD.

State Senator Peter Roskam, who had an uncontested Republican primary in the 6th CD, spoke briefly and mentioned he had knocked on 3700 doors in the District. Roskam faces retired Major Tammy Duckworth, who won a tough Democratic Primary [43% to 40 %] over Christine Cegelis. Cegelis had held Cong. Hyde to a twelve point margin of victory in 2002. Hyde, who had been in office for 32 years, created the open seat by announcing earlier last year that he was stepping down.

Duckworth, a double amputee Iraq War Veteran, who lives in a portion of Hoffman Estates that is slightly outside the 6th CD, was recruited by Senator Durbin and DCCC Chairman Emanuel to make the run. She received massive financial and other assistance from those two powerful national political figures, as well Senator Obama and many other national pols.

It will be interesting to see if the Democrats in the 6th CD can heal their internal wounds, with many Cegelis supporters feeling they were over-run by “outsiders.” Supporters of third place finisher, Evangelical Professor Lindy Scott [15%], share many of those feelings of resentment at Duckworth and the National Democratic Party who sponsored her efforts.

On the other hand, Duckworth is a national celebrity with tons of cash from outside the District to finance her campaign. Roskam, who himself has over a million dollars of cash in hand, probably would have preferred Cegelis as an opponent, but Peter is no slouch when it comes to campaigning and he will not want for national support, with Republican Party Chairman Ken Mehlman stopping by Addison and Bolingbrook this Friday afternoon and evening to help fill the Roskam war chest [I’m guessing Kjellander will put in an appearance at those events].

Ladies and Gentleman, let the games begin. The 6th CD and 8th CD will be interesting, tough, spirited campaigns, with both getting lots of national attention. Ain’t politics fun.

The Illinois Governor’s race? We’ll see.
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Another “Just another pol” day for Senator Obama.

So, Stroger beats Claypool for the Democratic Party nomination for Cook County Board President, with Tom Hynes besting David Alexrod. Ballot theft helped along by wisdom over brains? Yes, we all wonder who had control of those ballots between the time they left the voting precinct and the time they were counted.

Basically, Claypool lost because his good friend Senator Barack Obama decided not to stick his neck out. Obama endorsed Giannoulias big time for Treasurer against the Speaker Madigan slated candidate, downstater Paul Mangieri. Obama’s endorsement carried the day for Alexi, helping him past some tough criminal associations and dumb statements to the media. Alexi’s opponent was white and Barack owed Alexi for all that money his family raised for Barack early on. So, it was no problem for Obama to take on Speaker Madigan.

Senator Obama endorsed Duckworth to help Senator Durbin and Cong. Emanuel carry the day and ultimately win the 6th CD general with Duckworth, or that is the general theory. Duckworth’s opponents are white, so no problem for Sen. Obama to endorse Duckworth.

When it came time for Obama to endorse Claypool, Obama balked. It was clear to Sen. Obama and everyone else that Claypool is the reformer. He is the guy who would improve the services provided by the County to low income people. Stroger would keep the patronage pipeline open. Someone tonight had the smart line, “Stroger is an African American who votes like an Irishman.” Stroger did not even support Harold Washington. But Senator Obama didn’t have the strength to take on his African- American base. In a sense, Barack played the race card. As the song goes, he turned his head and pretended he just didn’t see.

Finally, Obama thought he would help his friend Claypool on Monday night by telling people he “would vote for Claypool.” But, Senator Obama did not tell Blacks in his community to go out and support Claypool. Senator Obama weaseled out. It was a non-endorsement endorsement. Too little and too late. Senator Obama simply wasn’t going to take on his African-American base to help a white guy across the finish line. It was just too risky for this very cautious and successful politician.

Just another pol. Senator Barack Obama. But, most of the press will give him a pass on this. Why? They understand. They cut their own deals, they say. Why shouldn’t Barack. Seriously, they told me this. Barack is just another pol. A very bright one. A guy who likes to take public policy seriously and tries very hard to make the right public policy decision. And, a very articulate pol. But, still the media say, Sen. Obama is just another pol. What is wrong with that, they ask me?

I tell them. I wrote when Senator Obama was elected that he would be different. He would transcend politics. He would transcend race. They look at me and laugh. Come on, Jeff, they say: “He’s just another pol.”
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McSweeney wins in the 8th CD

McSweeney is the 8th CD Republican Nominee for the November general election. Kathy Salvi called Dave McSweeney to concede at 9:40 pm this evening. McSweeney will be our guest, this Sunday, on Public Affairs, his first extended interview as the Republican nominee in the 8th Cong. Dist. I spoke with McSweeney a few minutes ago, his first contact with the media after Salvi's concession. McSweeney said Kathy Salvi was gracious in defeat.

The TV networks have McSweeney beating Salvi, 38% to 32%, with 40% of the vote reporting. McSweeney will take on first term incumbent Democrat Melissa Bean in the General Election this fall.

Predictions: IL Congressional Primary Races

Predictions: March 21, 2006 Illinois Primary:
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8th Cong. Dist. Republican Primary

David McSweeney, 38 %

Kathy Salvi, 32 %

Rep. Bob Churchill, 18%

Ken Arnold, 6 %

Aaron, Lincoln, 4

Jim Mitchell, 2%
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6th Cong. Dist. Democratic Primary

Christine Cegelis, 42 %

Tammy Duckworth, 40%

Prof. Lindy Scott, 18%


3rd Cong. Dist. Democratic Primary

Cong. Dan Lipinski, 40%

John Sullivan, 32%

John Kelly, 28%
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10th Cong. Dist. Democratic Primary

Dan Seals, 60%

Zane Smith, 40%

Oberweis wins WTTW R Guv Debate

The last Republican Primary gubernatorial debate was held last Thursday night on one of Chicago’s Public TV stations, WTTW, and the one hour debate substituted for the regular programming on Chicago Tonight. The debate was jointly sponsored by the City Club of Chicago [led by the triad of WLS-AM Radio conservative media personality Tom Roeser [R], political consultant/operative Jay Doherty [D] and Roosevelt University Professor Paul Green [the White Line down the middle of the Road].

Judy Baar Topinka, according to WTTW, backed out of her commitment to do the debate, with Topinka stating earlier last week [See here] that there has been enough discussion and all her opponents want to do is bash her because she is the front-runner. Topinka’s campaign manager, Terry Barnish, argued that the Topinka campaign had never committed to do the debate. Whatever, Terry.

Businessman Jim Oberweis, Helene Curtis heir and civic leader Ron Gidwitz and State Sen. Bill Brady happily accepted the invitation. WTTW chose not to invite Andy Martin, a marginal meaningless candidate, with WTTW stating that only candidates with more than 5% in a public polling were invited [No poll puts Martin above 1%].

The debate was hosted by Phil Ponce and the format was excellent. No openings or closings. Each candidate did not get the same question. No timed answers but the host made clear he would not tolerate speeches. No official policy was articulated as to the candidates questioning each other, but Ponce wisely allowed such to occur spontaneously, along with comments.

Smart policy of WTTW to continue its long tradition of having Ponce as the single questioner. This allows for follow-ups and continuity within and across topics, making for a much improved debate, unlike the silliness that we saw in Naperville [in January, sponsored in part by CBS-2 News] and in Chicago last week, sponsored by ABC-7 and the League of Women Voters. [BTW, an obvious solution to the above would be to turn the CBS-2 and ABC-7 debates over to Mike Flannery and Andy Shaw, respectively and let them handle the debate in a way similar to Ponce. As to NBC-5, I would be happy to handle it for them when its political editor, Dick Kay, steps down in July].

Also, the improved format would give the viewers a better “look,” at the candidates, allowing for a more meaningful discussion of public policy, and it would be much more interesting and exciting for the viewers, resulting in better ratings. A win win for the station’s bottom line and for public policy. Hard to imagine why they don’t do it.

The winner of Thursday night’s debate in terms of the political blend of style and substance, that is-- in terms of winning over undecided voters who were watching on TV was Jim Oberweis. He came across as serious, thoughtful, forceful and knowledgeable about the issues that Republican primary voters care about: Trying to stop Illegal Immigration; taking the side of reform over insiders; promising innovation in education, e.g., merit pay for teachers and school choice; providing appropriate, market incentives for an efficient health care system; providing a good environment for a free market economy and jobs to flourish and pledging no tax increases and to be a budget hawk are winning positions in a Republican Primary, no matter how little attention the MSM wants to devote to such issues.

BTW, Ponce demonstrated how little he knew or cared about the key issues for Republican Primary voters when he chose to quiz the candidates about the music from Brokeback Mountain and what kind of the cars the candidates drove. Ponce then questioned further as to the buzz in “The culture,” about Brokeback Mountain. The culture? Which culture did Ponce have in mind? The lefty culture that dominates WTTW?

Ponce also questioned the candidates about whether the candidates sent their kids to public or private schools but made no connection to the school voucher/ school choice issue. Had Ponce done so, he would have demonstrated that both Gidwitz and Oberweis are intellectually consistent here, unlike most Democrats and Sen. Brady. A missed opportunity for Ponce and his viewers.

Gidwitz has told me numerous times that he sent his kids to private schools because the public schools are generally not very “strong,” in the portion of the City where he lives and he would like to give school choice-school vouchers to low income parents in the City because their public school options are also not very good. Oberweis sent his kids to both public schools and private schools and I believe that choice reflected his kids’ preferences. He very much favors giving low income parents the same school choice that he exercised, arguing that consumers would benefit from the competition and innovation that the free market would bring.

Brady, on the other hand, exercised choice to send his kids to Catholic schools, but he doesn’t want to allow low income parents to have the same choice he had. Welcome to Eddie Haskell’s world: the world of kissing up to teachers unions, and filling his campaign coffers at the expense of kids. Brave Bill Brady, supported and propped up by the likes of Caprio, Eaton and Newcom. And, then the guy runs around and misrepresents himself as favoring school choice because he favors a $500 tax credit—as if that compares to a $10,000 school voucher, which is the average cost of educating a student in the Illinois Public Schools.

In second place in the debate would be Ron Gidwitz. A straightforward guy, Ron seemed more relaxed Thursday night than he has been at other forums, and above the fray. Ron does better in a dialogue [as the WTTW debate was], whether it is one on one or in a foursome than standing up at a lectern, giving a monologue. On the other hand, Ron didn’t do or say anything, on a sustained basis, during the course of the hour to grab Republican voters. Oberweis was way ahead of him on that score. If you take the above seven, or so, issues, Ron may have scored points on only two: reform and jobs. That is not enough to break out of the back.

In third place, would be State Senator Bill Brady, who seemed to be ackward, through-out. If Brady is not trying to drain votes from Oberweis to help Judy win, he is doing an excellent job of trying to make himself look like he is doing that. Brady is Judy Baar Topinka’s Eddie Haskell: “I might disagree with some of what you say, Judy, but I will fawn all over you to show how much respect and affection I have for all things Topinka. And, of course, nothing negative from me about you, Ms. Topinka. But, when it comes to Oberweis, Brady does not hide his contempt and his obvious attempt to criticize everything about Oberweis.

Simply put, Brady has no problems with criticizing all things Oberweis, as when he asked Oberweis about his “case,” at Thursday night’s debate, referring to the phony smear that accused Oberweis’ Company of hiring illegal immigrants, when a cursory investigation by Brady of the reported facts would have revealed that it was a contractor, not Oberweis, who had this responsibility and even as to the contractor, it was a bogus charge that was never pursued.

Brady’s defense for his bizarre statements? He had none; he just flashed his goofy Eddie Haskell smile, and said, “Golly gee, Jim, I just know what I read in the newspapers.”

Then, Brady says we can fix education with three numbers: 65%, 51% and 10%. Each one of these numbers stands for an idea that is more lame than the other, and no conservative who thinks about it will find the referenced ideas to be a “cure,” for the State’s education woes, which is what Sen. Brady claims them to be.

Brady says 65% means that 65% of the state’s expenditures should “go into the classroom.” But, this is more an accounting or definitional gimmick than a reform. For example, assume we are at 60%, not 65% now, and that is because the school has “reading specialists,” who work with young kids who have trouble reading, but those reading specialists work outside the classroom. What if we raised the 60% to 65% by tossing the reading specialists into the classroom. Good Idea? Improvement in the quality of Education? Only if your name is Bill Brady and a few others who don’t want to think about the issues carefully, but prefer simple gimmicks.

51% means we should spend 51% of each new dollar available for spending from “natural revenue growth,” on education. George Ryan suggested he would do this and Gov. Blagojevich argues he has done this. George Ryan and Blago are writing’s Brady’s stuff?

10% refers to Brady’s idea of a sort of tax swap. 10% of all new revenue growth for the state would be used to finance a reduction in local property taxes, with the new income tax revenue used for education. So, Brady argues essentialy for commiting at least 60% of every new dollar generated by the State’s economic growth to education. That would be Brady’s conservative solution to education? Well, what do you know, it is the same as the liberals’ solution. And, of course, this is all supported by the teachers’ unions. The Brady Bunch special.

No, hard to call Brady a winner of the WTTW debate. Especially when you remember that the target was supposed to be Republican primary voters. Not the Illinois Education Association [a teachers’ union]. Not the Chicago Teachers Union. [Another potential Ally of Brady’s]

But, the thing to remember is that the WTTW debate has little impact on anything, and especially not on the Republican Primary. On a very good night, Chicago Tonight draws 50,000 viewers. Further, given the station’s and program’s sharp tilt to the left in terms of political bias, most Republicans have been driven elsewhere, so that its audience is about 80% Democratic and 20% Republican. In terms of conservatives watching Chicago Tonight with any regularity, I would say maybe ten. Conservative viewers of Chicago Tonight, that is.
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Topinka-Oberweis: A statistical tie?

Going into the election today, Team Oberweis saw Topinka ahead, but with Oberweis within the margin of error, trailing only by two points 28-26. They pegged Brady and Gidwitz as barely out of single digits, fighting to divide up an aggregate total for the two of 21 %.

That left the race to be decided by the quarter of the Republican voters who had yet to make up their minds and who Team Oberweis thought would break heavily their way, based on their grass roots GOTV [ID your voters and get out the vote] efforts and their saturation TV ads associating Judy with the George Ryan Pay to Play polka.

Although Jim has a shot, the smart money is still going with the Chalk and the Combine—The Edgar/Topinka/Kjellander/Brady organization. Two term governor Jim Edgar and RNC honcho Kjellander still have a lot of influential friends, who have a number of foot soldiers and county chairmen in their pockets.

KJ and Edgar, in very different ways, have a lot to lose if Judy can’t keep them in the game. KJ needs the connections of Judy as Governor to keep his insider money spigots open. Edgar and friends need Judy there so they can play out their second term Edgar dreams of tax swaps that never happened and Jim Edgar finally becoming the Education Governor he hoped to be, but never was. Jim looks at Topinka's election as a third Edgar term and Topinka doesn't mind that at all. Remember, Judy Baar Topinka never really wanted to be Governor. Last fall, Edgar was her first choice. Rauschenberger called her the "reluctant candidate."

KJ and his friend, Jim Edgar, are counting on the likes of Birkett and DuPage Republican Chairman Kirk Dillard to deliver a big vote total for Judy. That’s why KJ played footsie with Joe and Joe reciprocated [like Brady] with his 11th Commandment stuff about not criticizing other Republicans when conservatives begged for Joe to go after KJ. That’s why Edgar [and McKenna, apparently] recruited Birkett so hard. They need Republican vote rich DuPage to keep them in the game.

If Judy goes down for the count, Birkett can stop dreaming of sitting in the Governor’s mansion and Dillard’s deals become a whole lot less attractive. Brady gets to keep his Senate seat and be the lapdog for teachers’ unions, but downstaters outside of Bloomington will never give him another look if he loses his Edgar/Topinka/Kjellander leverage. And not many, if any, conservatives, not even Family-Pac Caprio, Illinois Review and former Illinois Leader Eaton and former United Republican Fund Chairman Newcom, will be spending much time with Brady anymore—not if his ally Topinka goes down in flames.

Bad weather in Springfield doesn’t help Judy. There is only so much snow and cold State workers and unions will put up with for Judy. The Oberweis downstate conservatives, on the other hand, don’t mind dealing with snow, when they think the culture, if not Western Civilization, is at stake.

Reports today are of a light vote in general, and not many women turned on for Judy [notwithstanding Lynn Sweet’s cheerleading for Judy]. Combine the light turn-out with Jack Roeser’s conservative, reformer base turned on for Oberweis, with a reasonably good statewide organization. That’s the Team Oberweis vision. Oberweis is definitely the underdog and up against the remnants of the Republican Establishment. But, Jim could pull it off. Maybe.

Better than Titanic: 10th CD Dem Zane Smith on Cable/Video Stream

Tonight, the City of Chicago edition of "Public Affairs," features Zane Smith, 10th CD Dem. Primary Candidate, airing at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21; through-out the City of Chicago; And, the program can be watched on your computer, any time. [See here].

For partial transcipts of and more about the show with 10th CD Democratic Primary candidate Zane Smith, see here. The show with Zane Smith is also available as a video podcast currently at the Public Affairs Cinema Complex, along with than eighteen shows and press conferences, which are currently airing there[See here].
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Zane Smith, 10th CD Dem. Primary Candidate and a resident of Winnetka in Cook County, IL debates and discusses with Show Host and Executive Legal Recruiter Jeff Berkowitz more than fifteen social, domestic and foreign public policy issues.
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Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
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