Mayor Rita Mullins "outgrows," Republican Party

Sparks are starting to fly in the 27th State Senate District, with long time, moderate Republican Palatine Mayor Rita Mullins bolting from her party, at least with respect to her endorsement of the Democrat, Peter Gutzmer [Hoffman Estates], in that race, over the Republican nominee, Matt Murphy [Palatine].

Standing by a parking meter, when I caught a glimpse of Rita.

No meter maid is this Rita, who has been Mayor of Palatine for the same time Mayor Daley has ruled over Chicago. “Most of my life I have been a party person,” said Mayor Mullins, “But I think I’ve grown to the position that my party has moved away from me.” [See today's Daley Herald]. Well, there has been movement in the distance between Rita and the Republican Party, but as to which is doing the moving, and as to which is in the mainstream of the Party, knowledgeable observers differ.

The Murphy forces say Rita’s endorsement of Gutzmer is sour grapes, with Murphy having spanked Mullins 60% to 40% in the March Primary for the state senate party nomination, in what people thought was going to be a close race. That made Mullins a “three time loser,” in her effort to be elected to a “larger,” public office.

And, there are long standing divisions among Palatine Republican Party activists between the [relatively] young Turks [led by Cook County GOP Chairman and Palatine Township Republican Committeeman Gary Skoien] and the old Guard including State Rep. Suzie Bassi [R-Palatine] and Mayor Mullins.

Although some say this fight is just more of the old moderate-conservative ideological division within the Republican Party, that can’t be the whole story, as Skoien, a Thompson-Edgar trained Republican with existing, good ties to both former Governors, can hardly be labeled as a down the line conservative Republican. On the other hand, conservative Pat Sutarik, supported by Skoien, came within 400 votes of knocking off moderate Bassi two years ago in the Republican Primary.

In any case, Team Gutzmer claims some other Republican pols in the district will follow Rita over to Pete Gutzmer, both formally and informally.

We had Matt Murphy on “Public Affairs,”this Spring[See here and links cited therein] and we are trying to put Murphy and Gutzmer together for a casual discussion of the issues on our TV show. Stay Tuned.
*******************************************************
Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
******************

Better than Law & Order: State Rep. Lang on Cable and Streaming

State Rep. Lou Lang [D-Skokie]: ... I have also told him [Gov. Blagojevich] that he has done great damage to himself in certain communities in this state...
***************************************
State Rep. Lou Lang [D-Skokie]: When did you become so liberal, Jeff?

Jeff Berkowitz: I’m interested in assisting low-income people.

Rep. Lou Lang: As I am.

Jeff Berkowitz: And I don’t think that’s something that’s the exclusive prerogative of liberals, or conservatives. Right?

Rep. Lou Lang: That’s true.
******************************************
"Public Affairs," is featuring State Rep. Lou Lang [D-Skokie] tonight in twenty-five Chicago Metro suburbs [See, below, end of this post, for a detailed suburban airing schedule] on Comcast Cable; this coming Monday night [Sep. 4] through-out the City of Chicago on CANTV, Cable Ch. 21 at 8:30 pm; And, All of the Time [24/7] on the "Public Affairs," podcast page on your computer [Watch Lang, Blagojevich, Topinka, Obama, McCain, Bean, McSweeney, Scheurer and many, many others here].
****************************************************************
The "Public Affairs," podcast page gives you a choice of more than twenty-five episodes of “Public Affairs," including this week's show with State Rep. Lou Lang; Claypool, McCain, Blagojevich, Obama, Topinka, 8th CD Democratic incumbent Congresswoman Melissa Bean, 8th CD Republican Nominee David McSweeney; 8th CD Third Party Candidate Bill Scheurer; Tony Peraica, Cook County Commissioner and Republican Nominee for County Board President; Ald. Todd Stroger, Democratic Nominee for Cook County Board President and many, many more on our video and audio podcast page[Watch here].
***************************************************
This week’s suburban edition of Public Affairs features State Rep. Lou Lang [D-Skokie] debating and discussing with show host and legal recruiter Jeff Berkowitz Pay to Play and the Gubernatorial Candidates, Education Funding, Tax Swaps, Governor Blagojevich's proposed sale of the lottery, school vouchers-school choice; Gov. Blagojevich, Sister Muhammad, the Governor's Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes, anti-Semitism, Louis Farrakhan and much, much more. This Public Affairs program will also air through-out the City of Chicago this coming Monday night, Sep. 4 at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 [CANTV] and can be viewed anytime on your computer. [Watch here].
********************************************
A partial transcript of the show with State Rep. Lou Lang [D-Skokie] is included below and an additional partial transcript of the interview with State Rep. Lang will be posted on this blog later this week.
******************************************************
Obscene level of school expenditures: Time for the affluent suburbs to belly up to the bar. Alternatively, time to support school vouchers-school choice.
************************************************
Jeff Berkowitz: The problem is—if you look north of here [Comcast Skokie Studio], you look to the North Shore —K-8 in the Winnetka Public Schools must be spending twenty thousand dollars per year, per kid. [liberals] talk about obscene profits for oil companies—it’s almost obscene what they are spending there per-kid in those schools, relative to what we spend elsewhere. Don’t you think you could sell it that your district, Winnetka, Glencoe and Naperville and so forth ought to give up a little of their funding to help in some of the low-income areas? Because if we wait until the day that you can sell it to taxpayers that we’re going to have a major boost in spending, in taxes, it’s not going to happen. So why not be tough and say to folks in Skokie, Glencoe and Naperville and relatively affluent areas, “It’s time for you to step up.” Belly up to the bar, as somebody once said. Give up some of your tax money. Give it to these low-income areas—it’s not even equality. You would still have kids in low income areas who are not quite getting the education [they should], but it wouldn’t be quite as bad.

State Rep. Lou Lang [D-Skokie]: Out of the many issues that come to my head as you ask the question, let me just discuss two. First, I think my constituents understand that we have to educate every child in the state of Illinois. But they certainly don’t want to diminish the quality of their local schools to accomplish that. We have a good level and a not-so-good level and we cannot reduce the good level to help the others. We have to bring the level of the schools that are not so good up. That’s first. The second is that schools in our area, whether it be Glencoe, Skokie, Wilmette, Winnetka or wherever, are schools that have built-in costs. They have built-in contracts with their teachers. They have built in fixed overhead costs. They cannot just be told one day, “Hey, you’re getting less.” They can’t run their schools. Even though you might argue and others might argue they’re spending too much, the fact is they’re spending it.

Jeff Berkowitz: We could phase them out. We could say “you will get less,” in two years. There are lots of ways to do this.

Rep. Lou Lang: When did you become so liberal, Jeff?

Jeff Berkowitz: I’m interested in assisting low-income people.

Rep. Lou Lang: As I am.

Jeff Berkowitz: And I don’t think that’s something that’s the exclusive prerogative of liberals, or conservatives. Right?

Rep. Lou Lang: That’s true.

Jeff Berkowitz: I know people in both areas who generally want to—of both pedigrees [that is] who want to help low-income people. And my point is, if you really want to do it—I don’t think that is [exclusively] a liberal thing… but … people who are conservative may suggest a school choice system. Because if you can’t sell this, Lou, if you can’t do what I suggested, either you can’t raise taxes overall substantially, or you can’t redistribute, [then] keep everything the same, but give people some choice. Give the people in the City of Chicago Public Schools [a generally] inner city area, where we spend now in excess of eleven thousand dollars per kid, per year—give them the choice and see if they can use that money [to improve their outcomes]. It’s not New Trier [High School, in Winnetka] level, but see if they can use that money to go to a school of their choice, and because they can do that, it will stimulate competition, innovation and so forth. You know the arguments.

Rep. Lou Lang: Right.

Jeff Berkowitz: School vouchers, school choice. You know there are a lot of people in your district who probably exercise that [choice] and have sufficient money to go to a private [non-sectarian] school [or] to go to a parochial school, to go to an Asian school, to go to a Jewish school. There are people who do that. What I’m suggesting is—sometimes they get a better education, sometimes not, but parents make that choice. Let’s expand that [choice]. Let’s try to give everybody—maybe start at least in the City of Chicago and then expand it statewide, so that people who—we can’t help [under the current system], for some reason, politically [can be given choice]. You, I and others can't give them the choices that we’d like to. Let’s do something that doesn’t take any redistribution of income, any redistribution of power. School vouchers, school choice. You want to sign up to that?

Rep. Lou Lang: No. Actually, I’m unalterably opposed to that. And the reason is because it doesn’t provide a better distribution. It doesn’t improve schools. It may improve one child’s opportunity. But when you provide that, and you provide choice—first of all, I think it’s a violation of our Constitution.

Jeff Berkowitz: The state constitution.

Rep. Lou Lang: The Constitution requires that we fund public schools first.

Jeff Berkowitz: There are people who would debate that.

Rep. Lou Lang: I understand. But, my view is that it requires that we fund public schools. Now, it seems to me, that’s my first responsibility. Secondly, you would say, let’s let the kids who want to go to public school choose the public school they want to go to. And, that’s all well and good, until what happens is everybody gets in their vehicles or their buses and they all go to a handful of schools, which takes all the best and the brightest out of those other schools and that makes them worse.

Jeff Berkowitz: Okay, we don’t have time to—we’ve got to get to another topic.

Rep. Lou Lang: Sure.

Jeff Berkowitz: I just want to say that we’ll come back to this another time.

Rep. Lou Lang: We can.

Jeff Berkowitz: I would say everybody can leave [any school], whoever wants to leave can leave. And, so, I don’t see how they’re worse off. If they want to stay, they can. If everybody wants to go to a private school, there will be a supply of private schools. But we don’t have time for that whole conversation. We are going to continue to speak as the credits roll, but I very much want to thank our guest, State Representative Lou Lang. Thank you so much for coming.

Rep. Lou Lang: A great pleasure.

Jeff Berkowitz: I hope you’ll come back soon, so we can complete-

Rep. Lou Lang: Any time.

Governor Blagojevich, Sister Muhammad and anti-Semitism
*********************************************
Jeff Berkowitz: This discussion and some of the other topics we didn’t have time for. One I do want to get to is the issue of leadership of Governor Blagojevich on race. You know that came up. It was a big deal, with Sister Muhammad, from—she was on a commission dealing with race and discrimination-

Rep. Lou Lang: Hate crimes.

Jeff Berkowitz: Hate crimes. And yet she was Minister of Protocol in Louis Farrakhan’s organization.

Rep. Lou Lang: Correct.

Jeff Berkowitz: He’s noted, as you know, for being an anti-Semite. The Jews on that Commission resigned. You took [an appointment to that Commission] and you went on for twenty four hours and then you got off. Explain that.

Rep. Lou Lang: We don’t have time for all the machinations.

Jeff Berkowitz: Give me the short answer.

Rep. Lou Lang: The short answer is that for a short time I was convinced, for a brief period of time, that I could do some great things and accomplish some great things. I was not told that some of the other Jewish members of the Commission had resigned. When I found that out, when I found out that there was no capability of this Commission to do its work—I resigned.

Jeff Berkowitz: Should the Governor step up and dismiss Sister Muhammad? There’s no place for somebody who’s Minister of Protocol [for Louis Farrakhan] to be on that commission, is that right?

Rep. Lou Lang: Well, two days before I accepted appointment to the Commission, I had a press conference where I said exactly that. She should not be on the Commission. There’s no room for a person that-

Jeff Berkowitz: You stick by it?

Rep. Lou Lang: I Absolutely stick by it.

Jeff Berkowitz: Have you been telling the Governor that?

State Rep. Lou Lang: I have told him more than once and I have also told him that he has done great damage to himself in certain communities in this state-- the way he handled this situation. He has got time and the ability to fix it, but he hasn’t yet.
*****************************************************
From this week’s suburban edition of Public Affairs with State Rep. Lou Lang. The program, recorded on August 20, 2006, will also air though-out the City of Chicago this coming Monday night, Sep. 4 at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 [CANTV] and can be viewed anytime on your computer [Watch Now].
*****************************
Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
******************
In twenty-five North Shore, North and Northwest suburbs, the show airs tonight in the regular weekly Public Affairs slot, 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Ch. 19 or 35, as indicated, below.

In ten North Shore suburbs, the show is also airing in its regular airing slot at 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Ch. 19 this week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, as indicated, below.
******************************************************
The episode of Public Affairs, featuring State Rep. Lou Lang, 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 Wednesday night 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.
****************************************************
Transcript draft prepared by Amy Allen, who also does research for “Public Affairs,” and has her own political blog [See here].
***************************************************
Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
******************

Comm. Quigley: Skating on Thin Ice?

Cook County Commissioner Mike Quigley [D-Chicago] enters the world of taint and it looks like some of it could rub off on the ice-hockey playing, lakefront Liberal. It wouldn't be the first time for that type of thing to happen.
**********************************
Carol Marin: Just to be clear here in the partisan lines, you as a Democrat and a Commissioner have said you will support Ald. Todd Stroger [D-8th Ward] over Commissioner Peraica [R-Riverside].

Comm. Mike Quigley: I haven’t endorsed anyone in this race. In fact, the alderman and I are talking tomorrow about the future of Cook County and where we need to go. I was probably the President’s strongest critic over the last
7 ½ - 8 years, but I do think John Stroger was a real advocate for Cook County and has a real legacy. Unfortunately, it is dramatically tainted by everything we read today.
*****************************************************
Carol Marin: There are reports that Mr. Nichols [John Stroger’s patronage boss] asked County employees to change the test scores, to re-arrange who was qualified versus who wasn’t qualified and put unqualified people on the job. Mr. Nichols, as I understand it, is still associated with your campaign. Is that the case and is there a problem with this?

Ald. Todd Stroger: He is a volunteer on the campaign…

Carol Marin: Did you ask him? Did you ask Mr. Nichols, Mr. Gerald Nichols, who makes $114,000 a year. Did you ask him since these reports came out whether or not its true that he was insisting that test scores be changed for unqualified people [to] be hired?

Ald. Todd Stroger: No, I haven’t asked him that, at all.
******************************************
WTTW’s Chicago Tonight, August 28, 2006; Cook County Commissioner Mike Quigley appearing tonight on a panel with Ald. Todd Stroger, Democratic Nominee for Cook County Board President and Tony Peraica, Cook County Commissioner and Republican Nominee for Cook County Board President. The show repeats again tonight at midnight, 1:30 am and 4:30 am on Ch. 11 in the Chicago Metro area.
*****************************************

Better than Monday night Football: Claypool on TV and streaming

Jeff Berkowitz: Unequivocally. No endorsement for Todd Stroger, Democrat and you’ll say a lot of nice things about Tony Peraica [Republican], as you just said here?

Forrest Claypool: I am not saying nice things about anybody. I am speaking the reality of our experience at the County Board. The facts are the facts…
**************************************************
Jeff Berkowitz: …You’ve said… John Stroger affirmatively capped abortions at the Stroger Hospital. You said that, right?
********************************************************************
"Public Affairs," is featuring Cook County Commissioner Forrest Claypool [D-Chicago] tonight, August 28, through-out the City of Chicago on CANTV, Cable Ch. 21 at 8:30 pm; And, All of the Time [24/7] on the "Public Affairs," podcast page on your computer [Watch Claypool [Two shows with Forrest: August 20, 2006 and Sep. 11, 2005], Obama, McCain and many, many others here].
****************************************************************
The "Public Affairs," podcast page gives you a choice of more than twenty-five episodes of “Public Affairs," including tonight's show in the City of Chicago with County Commissioner Forrest Claypool and this week's show in the suburbs with State Rep. Lou Lang [D-Skokie]; McCain, Blagojevich, Obama; Tony Peraica, Cook County Commissioner and Republican Nominee for County Board President; Ald. Todd Stroger, Democratic Nominee for Cook County Board President and many, many more on our video and audio podcast page[Watch here].
***************************************************
This week’s suburban edition of Public Affairs features State Rep. Lou Lang [D-Skokie] debating and discussing with show host and legal recruiter Jeff Berkowitz Pay for Play and the Gubernatorial candidates; Education funding, Tax Swaps, whether it is time for the affluent neighborhoods to "belly up to the bar," and school vouchers; whether Berkowitz is a liberal; Sister Muhammad, the Governor, anti-Semitism and much, much more. This Public Affairs program with State Rep. Lang will also air through-out the City of Chicago next Monday night, September 4 at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 [CANTV] and can be viewed anytime on your computer. [Watch here].
********************************************
A partial transcript of the show with Commissioner Forrest Claypool is included below and see here for another partial transcript of the show and more about the show's topics.
******************************************************
Forrest Claypool: Well, he [Tony Peraica] supported welcoming the Gay Games to Chicago and then rescinded his endorsement under pressure from a right-wing group, which I think was unfortunate because I know Tony to be a courageous individual under normal circumstances.

Jeff Berkowitz: All the Republicans [on the County Board did that].

Forrest Claypool: Yes, I didn’t think it was very courageous on any of their parts to kind of bow to that kind of—

Jeff Berkowitz: So, that’s a concern to you [about Tony Peraica]. Anything else?

Forrest Claypool: I mean those are just a couple of examples of the types of differences I think that we have [Claypool discusses earlier in the program his concerns about Peraica’s abortion views].

Jeff Berkowitz: But, when you weigh those two things and you weigh all of the other Cook County Board issues—

Forrest Claypool: I have said that Tony Peraica has done a stellar job in the four years he has been on the Board of fighting for taxpayers and fighting for the health of the juveniles at the Juvenile Center and fighting for the health care needs of those children.

Jeff Berkowitz: So you won’t endorse him [Peraica], but you won’t endorse Todd Stroger, either?

Forrest Claypool: That’s right.

Jeff Berkowitz: Unequivocally. No endorsement for Todd Stroger, Democrat and you’ll say a lot of nice things about Tony Peraica [Republican], as you just said here?

Forrest Claypool: I am not saying nice things about anybody. I am speaking the reality of our experience at the County Board. The facts are the facts…
**************************************************
Jeff Berkowitz: …You’ve said… John Stroger affirmatively capped abortions at the Stroger Hospital. You said that, right?

Forrest Claypool: Yes, he did. He did. And, that’s why it is an important issue. Because, the reality [is that] there has not been abortion access at Cook County Hospital. There has not been the ability of poor women to exercise their constitutional right in any fundamental or real way.

Jeff Berkowitz: And, it has been in a kind of capricious way. As you said, basically they took the phone off the hook, so if a woman wanted to call and have an abortion after the Hospital had arranged for one or two that day, no more, something like that.

Forrest Claypool: That’s right. It was essentially a quota system.

Jeff Berkowitz: A quota system. Whether it was one or two, we don’t know. But, that’s how they did it. They didn’t announce the policy. They didn’t push it through the Cook County Board…This was [then] Cook County Board President John Stroger exercising his discretion.

Forrest Claypool: That’s correct.

Jeff Berkowitz: Now, Todd Stroger is John Stroger’s son. When I asked Todd about this, he said that he never heard anything about this. He said Forrest Claypool says a lot of things, implying that what you are saying isn’t true.

Forrest Claypool: It is well known. Everyone knows it. Planned Parenthood will tell you that. Any organization that’s been involved in the process will tell you that. It’s been talked about and discussed openly.

Jeff Berkowitz: Does that give you pause since this [the abortion issue] was one of the issues that gave you concerns about Peraica? Does Todd Stroger sound any better to you [on abortion]?

Forrest Claypool: I think that is a concern that a lot of people have- that he [Todd Stroger] is very inexperienced with very little public record and obviously when he makes statements like that or that the health care system can’t be changed. Those are fundamental statements of concern.
**********************************************
From this week’s City of Chicago edition of Public Affairs with Cook County Commissioner Forrest Claypool. The program will air though-out the City of Chicago tonight, August 28 at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 [CANTV] and can be viewed anytime on your computer [Watch Now].
*****************************
Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
******************

Claypool on Peraica, Strogers & Reform: Cable and Streaming

Jeff Berkowitz: She [Laura Washington] has told me, “I don’t think that Forrest Claypool is a true reformer.” She said you are very close to Mayor Daley and many Daleyites like David Axelrod [Media guru for Daley, Obama, Claypool, Eliot Spitzer ]
*********************************************************
Jeff Berkowitz: So, is it a no brainer when I turn and say, are you endorsing Tony Peraica for President of the Cook County Board?
**************************************************************
"Public Affairs," is featuring Cook County Commissioner Forrest Claypool [D-Chicago] tonight in twenty-five Chicago Metro suburbs [See, below, end of this post, for a detailed suburban airing schedule] on Comcast Cable; this coming Monday night [August 28] through-out the City of Chicago on CANTV, Cable Ch. 21 at 8:30 pm; And, All of the Time [24/7] on the "Public Affairs," podcast page on your computer [Watch Claypool [Two shows: August 20, 2006 and Sep. 11, 2005], Obama, McCain and many, many others here].
****************************************************************
The "Public Affairs," podcast page gives you a choice of more than twenty-five episodes of “Public Affairs," including this week's show with Forrest Claypool; McCain, Blagojevich, Obama, Topinka, 8th CD Democratic incumbent Congresswoman Melissa Bean, 8th CD Republican Nominee David McSweeney; 8th CD Third Party Candidate Bill Scheurer; Tony Peraica, Cook County Commissioner and Republican Nominee for County Board President; Ald. Todd Stroger, Democratic Nominee for Cook County Board President and many, many more on our video and audio podcast page[Watch here].
***************************************************
This week’s suburban edition of Public Affairs features the Cook County Commissioner and former Dem. Primary candidate for Cook County Board President Forrest Claypool, debating and discussing with show host and legal recruiter Jeff Berkowitz the Peraica-Stroger County Board Presidential contest, reform and reformers, and the Cong. Jackson-Senator Obama non-endorsement thing; Claypool's endorsment decision re Peraica and Stroger; Laura Washington's take on reform and reformers; Ald. Ricardo Munoz on reformers; the problems with the County Health Bureau and Temporary Juvenile Detention Center, Taxes and much, much more. This Public Affairs program will also air through-out the City of Chicago this coming Monday night, August 28 at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 [CANTV] and can be viewed anytime on your computer. [Watch here].
********************************************
A partial transcript of the show with Commissioner Forrest Claypool is included below and an additional partial transcript of the interview with Comm. Claypool will be posted on this blog later this week.
******************************************************
Jeff Berkowitz: She [Chicago Sun-Times columnist Laura Washington] has told me, “I don’t think that Forrest Claypool is a true reformer.” She said you are very close to Mayor Daley and many Daleyites like David Axelrod [Media guru for Daley, Obama, Claypool, Eliot Spitzer (NY Governor to be) and oh so many others of note]… and she said Claypool brings the right message, but you are the wrong messenger. What do you say to Laura Washington? [Can Laura see the Forrest for the trees? Go here]
***************************************
Cook County Commissioner Forrest Claypool [D-Chicago]: In the absence of any specifics, how can I even respond to that-other than the fact that I worked for Mayor Daley-

Jeff Berkowitz: Two [partial] terms, Chief of Staff.

Commissioner Forrest Claypool: And proudly so. I don’t know what she would be referring to. I mean obviously I was the Mayor’s second Chief of Staff in the late 90s and we did a lot of good things there and the Mayor has been a good mayor. That doesn’t apologize for the problems that have occurred [or come to light] lately and the things that will ultimately tarnish his legacy but I think there was a lot of forward movement in this City under his Administration and I was proud to be part of that in the early years and in the Administration.

Jeff Berkowitz: You would support him almost surely if he decides to run for re-election in ’07?

Commissioner Forrest Claypool: I didn’t say that. I didn’t say that at all.

Jeff Berkowitz: I know. That was a question. Would you support him [Mayor Daley] almost surely?

Commissioner Forrest Claypool: When the candidates for Mayor- [when] we know who they are, I’ll take a look and see.

Jeff Berkowitz: Is it possible, if it were Cong. Jesse Jackson, you might lean toward Cong. Jesse Jackson over Mayor Daley?

Commissioner Forrest Claypool: You know, I have great deal of regard for Cong. Jesse Jackson as well. I think he is a talented elected official… he is an independent voice, he has a lot of guts to stand up to the establishment, to the ward bosses and power brokers. I think that is healthy in a democracy to have people like Cong. Jackson out there…

Jeff Berkowitz: Did he stand up for Forrest Claypool when you were running for President of the Cook County Board [the Democratic nomination, that is]?

Commissioner Forrest Claypool: He [Jackson] did not endorse me, if that’s what you are asking.

Jeff Berkowitz: He did not endorse John Stroger, either?

Commissioner Forrest Claypool: No.

Jeff Berkowitz: …[S]ame thing with Barack Obama, right? [That is, he also made no endorsement for Cook County Board President].

Commissioner Forrest Claypool: That’s correct.

Jeff Berkowitz: A hesitancy in the Black Community among popular, reform, Black politicians like [Senator] Barack Obama, like [Cong]. Jesse Jackson, Jr.? [They] did not want to be viewed as turning on a portion of their base, the African American Community [by supporting a white over a black]. Is that why, you think, neither Obama nor Cong. Jackson supported you?

Commissioner Forrest Claypool: I wouldn’t want to speculate. You’d have to ask them.

Jeff Berkowitz: They both said some nice things about you during the campaign, right?

Commissioner Forrest Claypool: Yes.
******************************************************
Jeff Berkowitz: [Peraica and] you are virtually the same in how you approach that, how you discuss that [the issue of fixing the temporary Juvenile Detention Center]…your concerns about patronage-

Commissioner Forrest Claypool: Yes.

Jeff Berkowitz: Your concerns about the four hundred fifty juvenile detainees and how they are mistreated

Commissioner Forrest Claypool: Yes, exactly.

Jeff Berkowitz: Now, you go over to the Hospital, Stroger Hospital, the four hospitals…the thirty [healthcare] clinics… you have both spoken about how that’s almost a third of the three billion dollar Cook County Budget. You have both spoken about the gross inefficiencies [at the hospitals] about how low income minorities…the large majority of the patients are low income minorities [who suffer from] waste, inefficiency and bloat [at the Cook County hospitals]; those folks get long lines, don’t get the right treatment, Peraica said that—

Commissioner Forrest Claypool: That was one of the main issues of my campaign, yeah.

Jeff Berkowitz: Peraica said that, Forrest Claypool said that. Again, you two guys, very close, right?

Commissioner Forrest Claypool: Yes.

Jeff Berkowitz: Good allies. Taxes [no tax increases], as we’ve said, close allies?

Commissioner Forrest Claypool: Yes.

Jeff Berkowitz: So, is it a no brainer when I turn and say, are you endorsing Tony Peraica for President of the Cook County Board?

Commissioner Forrest Claypool: No, as I’ve said before. I am a Democrat and I am going to remain a Democrat. And, Tony and I do have a divergence of opinion on a lot of important issues [Ed. Note: the only ones I could turn up during the show were abortion and gay rights—and the discussions of these two issues during the show hardly seemed to demonstrate a major substantive difference that might impact Cook County Board Policy]. They may not be the ones that have been the battleground of Cook County Government, but [they are] very important differences of opinion and I am going to remain within the Democratic Party and work within that Party. I am not going to be endorsing Todd Stroger. Had he won the Primary through the election of actual voters, as his father did, I would have, as a Democrat, stood by those results and supported the nominee of my party…But, that is not what happened. What happened was that there was a cynical manipulated process in which the public was misled about the actual [health] condition of President [John] Stroger until the deadline had passed for filing of independent and third party candidacies and then he was installed by ward bosses in, I think, a cynical maneuver that cut the public out of the process—

Jeff Berkowitz: You are sure of that?

Cook County Commissioner Forrest Claypool [D-Chicago]: To protect a lot of jobs and contracts that political insiders control now. And, that’s not a democratic process and it’s not the will of our Party. It is not representative of our [Democratic] Party.
*****************************************************
From this week’s suburban edition of Public Affairs with Cook County Commissioner Forrest Claypool. The program will also air though-out the City of Chicago this coming Monday night, August 28 at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 [CANTV] and can be viewed anytime on your computer [Watch Now].
*****************************
Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
******************
In twenty-five North Shore, North and Northwest suburbs, the show airs tonight in the regular weekly Public Affairs slot, 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Ch. 19 or 35, as indicated, below.

In ten North Shore suburbs, the show is also airing in its regular airing slot at 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Ch. 19 this week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, as indicated, below.
******************************************************
The episode of Public Affairs, featuring Forrest Claypool, Cook County Commissioner, 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 Wednesday night 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.
****************************************************
Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
******************

Better than Monday Night Football: 8th CD Scheurer on Cable & Streaming

Tonight's show with 8th CD third party candidate Bill Scheurer can be watched anytime on our podcast page: [Watch Scheurer, Obama, McCain, McSweeney, Bean and others here].
**************************************************
"Public Affairs," is featuring Bill Scheurer [Lindenhurst], Moderate Party candidate for 8th Cong. District U. S. Representative, tonight [August 21] through-out the City of Chicago on CANTV, Cable Ch. 21 at 8:30 pm; And, Anytime on the "Public Affairs," podcast page on your computer [Watch, as well, Obama, McCain and others here].
****************************************************************
The "Public Affairs," podcast page gives you a choice of more than twenty-five episodes of “Public Affairs," including tonight's show with 8th CD third party candidate Bill Scheurer; McCain, Blagojevich, Obama, Topinka, 8th CD Democratic incumbent Congresswoman Melissa Bean, 8th CD Republican Nominee David McSweeney; Ald. Todd Stroger, Democratic Nominee for Cook County Board President;Tony Peraica, Cook County Commissioner and Republican Nominee for County Board President on our video and audio podcast page[Watch here].
***************************************************
A partial transcript of the show with 8th CD third party candidate, Bill Scheurer, is included below and an additional partial transcript of the interview with Bill Scheurer and more about the show with Scheurer is here.
******************************************************
Next Week's show in the City and this week's in the suburbs features Forrest Claypool, Cook County Commissioner [D-Chicago].
*****************************************************
Jeff Berkowitz: Simply on Iraq. You say the [American] troops should be out of there as soon as possible. The last time you were on, a month ago, you said … You’d support four different plans, any Democratic plan that got the troops out of there as soon as possible.

Bill Scheurer [8th CD Independent candidate]: I didn’t say “Democratic plan,” because some of the plans are bipartisan.

Jeff Berkowitz: Not too many.

Bill Scheurer: Well, the Abercrombie-Jones one.

Jeff Berkowitz: Not too many Republicans are lining up to-

Bill Scheurer: My position in Iraq is very clear-

Jeff Berkowitz: Get the troops out.

Bill Scheurer: Well, but you say it’s to get them out right away. That is my personal belief.

Jeff Berkowitz: But you’d compromise and get them out in a year.

Bill Scheurer[8th CD Independent candidate]: I would work with every single House proposal that is on the table, whether it’s the immediate McGovern proposal, or the extended, bipartisan Abercrombie-Jones proposal and the other two candidates [Melissa Bean(D-Barrington) and David McSweeney(R-Barrington Hills)] would vote for none of those.
*********************************************
Jeff Berkowitz: CAFTA. You’re upset with Congresswoman Bean because she voted “yes” on CAFTA. People say that may even be more important to you as a motivating factor than the war in getting you intense about this race. Right or wrong?

Bill Scheurer [8th CD Moderate Party candidate]: I’m not upset with her [Bean]. I just profoundly disagree with her. Other people are upset with her. There are people that-

Jeff Berkowitz: Specific labor unions.

Bill Scheurer: It’s not just labor unions.

Jeff Berkowitz: I know, but let’s start with that. Who do you have supporting you? AFL-CIO? Are they lining up for Bill Scheurer?

Bill Scheurer: The AFL-CIO has not—we have not been a part of their endorsement process.

Jeff Berkowitz: Have they endorsed Bean?

Bill Scheurer: No, they have declined to endorse Bean.

Jeff Berkowitz: Okay. They haven’t yet endorsed you, but they declined to endorse Bean. What about the Machinists? What have they done?

Bill Scheurer: We have five major unions that have made the maximum contribution allowed.

Jeff Berkowitz: To you.

Bill Scheurer: Right. The Machinists, the Teamsters, the Steelworkers, SEIU, which are service employees, and UNITE/HERE, which is a range of people in the textile industry.

Jeff Berkowitz: In large part because they say to Cong. Bean the Central American Free Trade Agreement is not good for America. Is that right?

Bill Scheurer[8th CD Independent candidate]: CAFTA was a big thing for them, but a lot of her votes, like bankruptcy, the estate tax and so forth-- they feel were hostile to their interests. And it’s not just those unions. The point is, every union is upset with her. Every union’s membership is upset with her over CAFTA and other votes like that. And certainly, it has pumped some life into our 2006 effort that was not there in 2004.
*********************************************
From Tonight's City of Chicago edition of Public Affairs. The program will air though-out the City of Chicago tonight, August 21 at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 [CANTV] and can be viewed anytime on your computer [Watch Now].
*****************************
Transcript draft prepared by Amy Allen, who also does research for “Public Affairs,” and has her own political blog [See here].
***************************************************
Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
******************

Berkowitz joins Pankau tonight on Roeser's show

Jeff Berkowitz will join State Senator and Republican State Comptroller candidate Carol Pankau as a guest tonight [Sunday] on Tom Roeser’s Political Shoot-out, WLS 890 AM Radio, from 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm and See here for Tom’s Blog (Righteous blog chops hath Tom, says Chicago Tribune columnist and the father of Chicago blogging- Eric Zorn, and that’s the highest compliment you can get from Eric].

Upset with something Berkowitz said on his show, Public Affairs, or something he wrote on this blog?—Tom Roeser’s show on Sunday night is your chance to fire back. A free fire zone, so to speak. Also, you can help shape the show by calling in with your questions and comments—312-591-8900. Democrats, Republicans, Independents, Communists [no collect calls, please] and others are, of course, all welcome.

I don’t know the topics—they are determined by Mr. Roeser, with some incisive suggestions, no doubt, by his wife Lillian. However, an educated guess is that the questions will consist of various Statewide, including downstate, issues, possibly selected from the following questions, some of which are holdovers from last year.

Of course, you can call and ask any of the below questions or whatever you like. As with University of Chicago Ph. D. prelim questions in economics over the years, many of the questions on Political Shoot-out stay the same each week, only the answers change. And you are Free to Choose, so to speak:

• What would it take for Judy to beat Rod
·What could give Carol Pankau a chance of beating Comptroller Dan Hynes
·Is Alexi Giannoulias still hiding from the press? Will the mob questions ever go away?
·Does Republican State Senator Christine Radogno have enough money to beat Giannoulias for State Treasurer
·Is Tony Peraica favored to be the next Cook county Board President?
• Does Joe help Judy?
• Will the Governor’s All Kids health insurance legislation and pact with Rev. Meeks be crucial to his re-election? Can such programs of and agreements by the Governor overcome the corruption allegations and taints relating to the Blagojevich administration?
• Is Senator Obama a likely VP pick in 2008? A possible candidate for President?
• Could Cong. Kirk [D-Highland Park] be upset by Democrat Dan Seals [Wilmette].
• Is Cong. Bean [Democrat-Barrington Hills] vulnerable in the 8th CD?
• Is Maj. L. Tammy Duckworth even with Sen. Peter Roskam in the 6th CD ?
• Has Daley turned the corruption eruptions around?
• How soon will Bob Sirott be a weekday anchor at NBC- 5 News? How much is he earning as a Weekend Anchor and special projects guy? 500K? 300K? 200 K? Inquiring minds want to know.
--Does Rutherford really think he can beat Jesse White for Sec. of State
--Is WTTW in need of some political balance?
• And, of course, much, much more.
*****************************************
Jeff Berkowitz, Host and Producer of Public Affairs and an Executive Recruiter doing Legal Search, can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
***********************

No live cameras: McSweeney, Bean, Scheurer 8th CD NSACI forum.

Update 2: Text revised slightly and information about the forum added at 1:00 pm on Friday.
***********************************************************
Update: Links added at 12:40 pm on Thursday to video interviews with 8th CD candidates Bean, McSweeney and Scheurer as well as forum moderator Dick Kay and others.
***************************************************************
Congresswoman Melissa Bean's [D-Barrington] Campaign put out, yesterday, a notice [see here] of the Congresswoman’s willingness to do three forums with her Republican opponent, David McSweeney [Barrington Hills], and her third party opponent, Bill Scheurer [M-Lindenhurst]. Bean calls them debates, but at least one event [sponsored by NSACI- Northwest Suburban Alliance for Commerce and Industry] next Thursday morning and most likely all three events will have rules that more closely resemble forums than robust debates. Further, broadcast and cablecast coverage has been constrained, at the request of the Bean campaign.

In the NSACI event, a candidate will be given two minutes to answer a question, and one of the two other candidates, on a rotating basis, will be given a minute to respond to the question and/or reply or comment on the first candidate’s answer. However, the candidates will not be given an opportunity to ask questions of the other candidates, as would be allowed in a debate, with robust give and take.
[To watch interviews of 8th CD Candidates Scheurer, McSweeney and Bean, as well as Obama, McCain and others, go here].

Dick Kay,who retired from NBC-5 News on June 1, after more than three decades as that Chicago station’s political editor,
[To watch Dick Kay interviewed, go here], will moderate the forum. This event will be run quite differently from the debate Kay hosted at the end of May as a special one hour edition of his NBC CityDesk program with Democratic Governor Blagojevich and his Republican challenger, Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka. At that event, there were no ground rules: Kay came up with most of the questions, but the candidates could ask each other questions and the program [which was essentially ive to tape] was broadcast through-out the state of Illinois, with a podcast also available from NBC’s web site.

In the NSACI 8th CD forum, Kay will compile and ask about 75% of the questions, based on questions submitted at the breakfast prior to the forum by the 200 member, by invitation only, audience and only about 25% of the questions will come from Dick Kay’s own thoughts. Each of NSACI's 21 board members will be able to invite 5 attendees , and each of the three campaigns will be able to invite 10 attendees, with any campaign staff who attend included within that 10 attendee limitation.

Bob Rylko, NSACI President, who was involved, along with his Board, in setting up the forum, started the discussions, including the debate rules, with the Bean campaign first, because Melissa Bean is the incumbent, he said.

The Bean Campaign, according to Rylko, was the first one to ask him if NSACI’s intention was to have live coverage of their event. Rylko responded to the Bean campaign that it depended on the media reaction that NSACI got to their event, and he in turn asked why they brought it up. The Bean campaign responded that their preference would be for “no live TV [coverage of the NSACI event].” Rylko replied, “all right, it is no big deal to me.” Rylko said yesterday that, “at the time, given what our objective was, i.e., to get the [debate] hosting opportunity, it didn’t bother me, it wasn’t a big deal to me. I figured they [the Bean campaign] must have had a reason.”
Apparently so.

NSACI President Rylko indicated that broadcast and cablecast cameras will be allowed, however, to tape the event, but not “intact.” Rylko indicated that TV cameras can tape the entire event, but not air it in its entirety. However, they could, for example, edit the hour forum into a half hour show. [Subsequent to my initial write-up of this post, I learned that this "rule," has been modified or clarified, and that media will be permitted to air the forum in its entirety, or edited portions, as they choose.] However, non-media attendees will not be permitted to record, by audio or video, any portion of the forum.

Apparently, the Bean Campaign is television shy, as they have also turned down, among other debate offers, a broadcast debate offer from ABC-7 News, a cablecast debate sponsored by “Public Affairs,” and a cablecast debate offer from CLTV.

This is a somewhat different Melissa Bean than the candidate who emphasized, in the 2004 campaign, the importance of televised debates with the then incumbent Cong. Crane to inform the electorate of the candidates’ positions and how they engaged each other and the issues.

The other two forums accepted by Bean are scheduled for August 28 and September 5, and the date for a WBBM-AM Radio AT ISSUE joint appearance for the three candidates has apparently not been set yet.

Republican Challenger David McSweeney [Barrington Hills], who, for months, has been calling for 24 debates, one in each township in the 8th CD, is not backing off and says he still wants to have 24 debates among all three candidates and wonders why Bean is unwilling to schedule anything for the last two months of the campaign. Moderate Party candidate Bill Scheurer [Lindenhurst] has voiced similar concerns.

David McSweeney said it is clear that “the entire Bean strategy is going to be to run negative ads, hide behind government paid spokespersons and try to avoid a discussion of the issues. So, I look forward to these forums and we’ll be able to point out the hypocrisy of Melissa Bean and her multiple positions on all the issues and we very much look forward to having this as an initial discussion, but we need to have more and we need to have a continued dialogue. And, when are we going to have interchange… [where] the candidates can engage back and forth and ask questions about the various answers [from the other candidates]. I think that is the best format. But, I am very much looking forward to these forums. They are not debates, unfortunately. They are forums.”

The Bean Campaign was unavailable for comment.
*******************************************************
The 8th Cong. Dist. has about 35% of its voters in Northwest Cook County, about 50% of its voters in West Lake County and 15% of its voters in McHenry County.

The District is thought to be the most Republican in the State, or so says Speaker J. Dennis Hastert. President Bush won it 56% to 44% in 2004. The Repubican nature of the 8th CD is one of the three most important factors in the 2006 race.

Another one of the most important factors in the 8th CD race is that Cong. Bean beat 35 year incumbent Phil Crane in 2004, 52% to 48%, or by about 9000 votes. Cong. Bean has worked the District hard as an incumbent and has on many key votes voted with the Republican House majority, i.e., voted her District. McSweeney argues, however, that on many such bills, Cong. Bean voted to "kill the bill," before she turned around and voted for it, claiming that is similar to John Kerry's famous, "I voted for the War before I voted against it."

Another of the three most important factors is the presence of third party candidate Bill Scheurer on the ballot. Scheurer, due in large part to Bean's vote for CAFTA, has attracted substantial union support from the Machinists, the Steelworkers, Unite, SEIU and the Teamsters. The unions were a strong part of Bean's base in 2004. And, Scheurer is the anti-war candidate in the race, representing as DNC Chairman Howard Dean once said, "The Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party." Will Scheurer become a major player in the race? Or, could he be the spoiler, picking up, say, the 7400 votes he got in the 2004 Democratic Primary against Bean, or the the 13,000 votes from those who signed the nominating petitions he filed at the end of June. If so, that would be 3 to 5% of the vote, which could, itself, tip the election to McSweeney.

Oh yes, and then there are the debates, or should I say forums, which could also have an impact--if the candidates can engage each other and if they are seen or heard.

All in all, one thing is for sure. Nobody wins this race by more than four points. You can take that to the Bank and collect interest.
****************************************************
Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
******************

8th CD Scheurer on TV & Streaming: Hezbollah, Israel & much more

Update: This week's show with Bill Scheurer can now be watched anytime on our podcast page: [Watch Scheurer, Obama, McCain, McSweeney, Bean and others here].
**********************************
Jeff Berkowitz: But if Israel drops pamphlets telling people, “We’re going to do this. We’re going to bomb here. Please go. We don’t want to kill civilians.” Would you say that’s the same kind of intentional killing of civilians that Hezbollah engages in?

Bill Scheurer [8th CD Independent candidate]: Well-

Jeff Berkowitz: Because they don’t have to warn those folks. If they really wanted to kill them, they wouldn’t warn them, would they?

Bill Scheurer: The disparity between the military capabilities backed by the United States, of Israel and Hezbollah, is immense. So I don’t think it’s a fair comparison as to what Israel would do were those conditions reversed. When you look at what they do when they have such massive military superiority--just count the dead on both sides. Count the military dead and count the civilian dead and you will see...
**************************************************
"Public Affairs," is featuring Bill Scheurer, Moderate Party candidate for 8th Cong. Dist. Representative, tonight in 25 Chicago Metro suburbs [See, below, end of this post, for a detailed suburban airing schedule] on Comcast Cable; this coming Monday night [August 21] through-out the City of Chicago on CANTV, Cable Ch. 21 at 8:30 pm; And, RIGHT NOW on the "Public Affairs," podcast page on your computer [Watch Obama, McCain and others here].
****************************************************************
The "Public Affairs," podcast page gives you a choice of more than twenty-five episodes of “Public Affairs," including this week's show with 8th CD third party candidate Bill Scheurer; McCain, Blagojevich, Obama, Topinka, 8th CD Democratic incumbent Congresswoman Melissa Bean, 8th CD Republican Nominee David McSweeney; Tony Peraica, Cook County Commissioner and Republican Nominee for County Board President on our video and audio podcast page[Watch here].
***************************************************
This week’s suburban edition of Public Affairs features the 8th CD third party Candidate, Bill Scheurer, debating and discussing with show host and legal recruiter Jeff Berkowitz the Hezbollah-Israel conflict, the War in Iraq and weak horses and strong horses; CAFTA, unions and Cong. Bean; Debates and Cong. Bean; Taxes, Immigration and the Troops; Gays, Guns, abortion and much, much more. This Public Affairs program will also air through-out the City of Chicago this coming Monday night, August 21 at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 [CANTV] and can be viewed RIGHT NOW on your computer. [Watch here].
********************************************
A partial transcript of the show with 8th CD third party candidate, Bill Scheurer, is included below and an additional partial transcript of the interview with Bill Scheurer will be posted on this blog later this week.
******************************************************
Jeff Berkowitz: … Last time on the show, you said you were reluctant to call… Hezbollah a terrorist organization because you defined terrorist in terms of somebody who, to use your words, “intentionally kills civilians for political purposes.” Is that it?

Bill Scheurer [8th CD Independent candidate]: Intentionally targets civilian personnel and or infrastructure for political purposes.

Jeff Berkowitz: Does Hezbollah do that?

Bill Scheurer [8th CD Independent candidate]: Oh, sure. Hezbollah does that.

Jeff Berkowitz: They target—they try to kill civilians?

Bill Scheurer [8th CD Independent candidate]: Sometimes.

Jeff Berkowitz: Intentionally.

Bill Scheurer [8th CD Independent candidate]: Well-

Jeff Berkowitz: Intentionally.

Bill Scheurer [8th CD Independent candidate]: Well, yes, I mean I have no personal knowledge--

Jeff Berkowitz: When you shoot rockets into Israel and you know they’re erratic, and you don’t have much control [of their direction], you’re not shooting at their military. Your shooting at—and hoping that they [the rockets] kill—Israelis [civilians].

Bill Scheurer [8th CD Independent candidate]: When I was on last time, I agreed with you that both sides of the conflict have intentionally killed civilians. [Ed. note: there was no agreement from Berkowitz on that].

Jeff Berkowitz: You think Israel goes out and says, “I want to kill civilians in Lebanon today.” That’s their goal? I mean, does Israel do that? Is that what you’re saying?

Bill Scheurer [8th CD Independent candidate]: Well, they go out and take actions which have killed civilians on a magnitude of 10 to 1. [Ed. Note, that is the ratio put out by Hezbollah; Israel puts out numbers that include a larger number of Hezbollah fighters killed and a lower ratio of civilians to Hezbollah fighters killed. Perhaps we will obtain numbers in the future that clarify which estimates are more accurate].

Jeff Berkowitz: But that’s the difference, because they [the Israelis] would say Hezbollah hides behind—puts their rocket launchers where they know there are civilians—they say Hezbollah wants those civilians killed, because that will rally animosity against Israel. But what do you expect Israel to do if there are rockets coming at them in Israel and the launchers have been placed behind civilians, around civilians by Hezbollah? Do you expect them to let the launchers keep going?

Bill Scheurer [8th CD Independent candidate]: Israel is not conducting this war because of rocket firings. There have been rocket firings going on for two years.

Jeff Berkowitz: They’re not?

Bill Scheurer [8th CD Independent candidate]: They’re not conducting this war because of rocket firings.

Jeff Berkowitz: Maybe they just decided enough was enough. Do you think, possibly? I mean, how long should they go? Have the rocket firings been getting worse?

Bill Scheurer [8th CD Independent candidate]: No.

Jeff Berkowitz: I think so.

Bill Scheurer [8th CD Independent candidate]: No. The origins of this war are quite different. But, I’m reluctant to spend too much time on that, because if you recall the clearest thing that I said in our last taping was that I do not believe it’s in America’s best interest, certainly not in our national security interest, to have such an imbalanced involvement with the state of Israel.

Jeff Berkowitz: I know that is your point, but it is interesting to know whether you think Israel, in a sense, and Hezbollah are somehow equal in their targeting, intentionally, of civilians- trying to kill them. You say Israel-

Bill Scheurer [8th CD Independent candidate]: Israel knowingly conducts actions that they know will kill more civilians than Hezbollah.

Jeff Berkowitz: But do they drop--

Bill Scheurer [8th CD Independent candidate]: Let me finish-- and they knowingly devastate civilian infrastructure. As did the U.S., by the way, in our “shock and awe” campaign against Iraq. They knowingly and intentionally devastate civilian infrastructure, which is equally destructive to human life. And the destruction of civilian infrastructure has been massive both in Iraq and in Lebanon.

Jeff Berkowitz: But if Israel drops pamphlets telling people, “We’re going to do this. We’re going to bomb here. Please go. We don’t want to kill civilians.” Would you say that’s the same kind of intentional killing of civilians that Hezbollah engages in?

Bill Scheurer [8th CD Independent candidate]: Well-

Jeff Berkowitz: Because they don’t have to warn those folks. If they really wanted to kill them, they wouldn’t warn them, would they?

Bill Scheurer [8th CD Independent candidate]: The disparity between the military capabilities backed by the United States, of Israel and Hezbollah, is immense. So I don’t think it’s a fair comparison as to what Israel would do were those conditions reversed. When you look at what they do when they have such massive military superiority--just count the dead on both sides. Count the military dead and count the civilian dead and you will see that most of the Israeli deaths have been military, and ninety percent—huge, horrendous numbers of the deaths in Lebanon have been civilians. So when you compare that with the kind of armaments, smart bombs and guidance systems and everything else that Israel purportedly has, from the United States, I mean--

Jeff Berkowitz: If you have guerillas hiding behind civilians, not acting as an army--

Bill Scheurer [8th CD Independent candidate]: Well, what do you expect them to do? March out on the plains of battle? That was the same thing they said about American revolutionary forces. They said, well, they don’t come out on the field of battle and line up in a straight line. They stand behind trees and shoot and things like that. I mean, where are they [Hezbollah] supposed to put these rockets?

Jeff Berkowitz: Why should they have rockets going into Israel? Why should Hezbollah be in Lebanon?

Bill Scheurer [8th CD Independent candidate]: Why should Israel have bombs going into Lebanon?

Jeff Berkowitz: But they didn’t. You think before—if rockets weren’t coming in to Israel, do you think Israel would be flying over [and] dropping bombs in Lebanon? Is that your perception?

Bill Scheurer [8th CD Independent candidate]: The skirmishes that have been going on on that border have been going on for several years. There have been prisoner exchanges for several years. The precipitating events of this last escalation of violence had to do with Israeli missiles hitting a family on the beach in the Gaza strip. And then there were cross-border, let’s say border incursions which have gone on over years.

Jeff Berkowitz: But, you are going back to the precipitating events, you have to admit that rockets coming into Israel at some point will draw some response. And, I said to you--

Bill Scheurer: They’re not responding to those rockets.

Jeff Berkowitz: You’re talking about precipitating events. But are you saying that, for some reason, Hezbollah should be allowed to send rockets into Israel? Because Israel, as far as I know, wasn’t bombing Lebanon in the last few years, at all. In fact, the concern Hezbollah raised was that Israel had occupied Lebanon. Israel got out of Lebanon and the rockets continued. Why would they continue if the concern of Hezbollah was the occupation of Lebanon, because they’re out?

Bill Scheurer: I think it’d probably be best for us to move along. But, let me at least give you my concluding comment. Because, again, I think it distorts the significance and importance of this issue. But, the Israeli military presence on the Gaza Strip and in Lebanon has never ceased. The incursions have never ceased. There are nine thousand people in Israeli prisons, many of them women and children. The pictures that were given from either side, when violence escalates, to try and justify and sell the violence—if that causes us to choose to take sides, we’re walking down the wrong road.

Jeff Berkowitz: Okay, we’ve got to go on. Simply, on Iraq, you say the troops should be out of there as soon as possible…
*****************************************************
From this week’s suburban edition of Public Affairs. The program will also air though-out the City of Chicago this coming Monday night, August 21 at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 [CANTV] and can be viewed anytime on your computer [Watch Now].
*****************************
Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
******************
In twenty-five North Shore, North and Northwest suburbs, the show airs tonight in the regular weekly Public Affairs slot, 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Ch. 19 or 35, as indicated, below.

In ten North Shore suburbs, the show is also airing in its regular airing slot at 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Ch. 19 this week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, as indicated, below.
******************************************************
The episode of Public Affairs, featuring Bill Scheurer, 8th CD Moderate Party Nominee, 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 Wednesday night 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.
****************************************************
Transcript draft prepared by Amy Allen, who also does research for “Public Affairs,” and has her own political blog [See here].
***************************************************
Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
******************

Todd Stroger on TV: Abortion, Taxes & Cook County

Ald. Todd Stroger: Well, I’m not looking for a tax increase.

Jeff Berkowitz: If you had to do it. You said you might, and if you had to, where would you look?
***************************************************************
Jeff Berkowitz: Do you think abortion will be an issue when you’re running, in the next ninety days or so, against Tony Peraica for President of the Cook County Board?

Ald. Todd Stroger: I think it’ll be a very small issue.
****************************************************************
"Public Affairs," is featuring Chicago Ald. Todd Stroger, Democratic Nominee for Cook County Board President, tonight ; through-out the City of Chicago on CANTV, Cable Ch. 21 at 8:30 pm; And, anytime on the "Public Affairs," podcast page on your computer [Go here to Watch Stroger, Obama, McCain, Schakowsky, Giuliani, Peraica, Claypool, Radogno and 16 additional shows ].
****************************************************************
Yet another partial transcript of tonight's show with Ald. Stroger is included below and for additional partial transcripts of the interview with Ald. Stroger and additional information about the show, Go here and here.
******************************************************
Jeff Berkowitz: Now, the budget won’t be resolved before the election in November, right? It’s unlikely to be resolved. They don’t have to. They usually resolve it in January.

Ald. Todd Stroger: Right. They don’t have to.
*****************************************
Jeff Berkowitz: … if that happens, if it’s not resolved—let’s assume you got elected in November, on November 7th—what’s your guess? Would you have to raise taxes to resolve the budget deficit this year, and what kinds of tax increases would you look to?

Ald. Todd Stroger: You know, I couldn’t say that we would raise taxes—actually, I wouldn’t say that. Our first thought would be to eliminate positions through attrition and then consolidation and after that-

Jeff Berkowitz: But if you had to raise taxes, would it be a property tax increase? Would it be a sales tax increase? A lease tax? All of those things, and others, have been raised in the last few years. What kind of tax increase would you--

Ald. Todd Stroger: Well, actually, there hasn’t been a property tax increase in seven years, but-

Jeff Berkowitz: What about the [Cook County] Forest Preserve District? Those property taxes have gone up?

Ald. Todd Stroger: Well, the Forest Preserve District has. But, if you’ve seen the Forest Preserve District—it’s in a-- it’s infrastructure is to a point where it needs some work.

Jeff Berkowitz: What kind of tax would you look to? Where would you look for a revenue source? What kind of tax increase?

Ald. Todd Stroger: Well, I’m not looking for a tax increase.

Jeff Berkowitz: If you had to do it. You said you might, and if you had to, where would you look?

Ald. Todd Stroger: Well, if that road comes, then we’ll get on it. But my thought is that is not what we’re looking for. The commissioners seem to think that they have some great ideas on how to make sure that the government can run with the revenues that we have, so I’d look to the members first, and if that doesn’t work, then we’d have to raise taxes, but it would be through the commissioners, also. There’s no way that taxes can be raised by the President. It has to be the Board.

Jeff Berkowitz: Let me ask you about some social issues. People may think it odd, because, although it comes up, social issues—abortion, guns, gays, God, and so forth, whatever Howard Dean said—those issues come up obviously in Congress. They come up in the State Legislatures. They may even come up somewhat on the City Council, but less so. People are raising that as a potential issue-- Abortion. For Cook County Board President. One, what’s your view? Pro-life, Pro-choice?

Ald. Todd Stroger: I’m pro-choice.

Jeff Berkowitz: You’re pro-choice. A thousand percent pro-choice?

Ald. Todd Stroger: A thousand percent.

Jeff Berkowitz: So, you basically—Roe v. Wade, you think that’s a good decision, and you think that a woman should have a right to choose, with completely no restraints by the government, as to when and how she has an abortion? Would that be fair?

Ald. Todd Stroger: I would say that a woman has a right to choose, but I think what gets lost in debate—is that to make anything a good choice, you have to be educated. And, I think that’s what’s missing. People fight over if there should be choice or not, but they don’t talk about all the things that could fall in place for a person to make a good choice, and know that there’s other ways to do this than to have an abortion.

Jeff Berkowitz: Do you think abortion will be an issue when you’re running, in the next ninety days or so, against Tony Peraica for President of the Cook County Board?

Ald. Todd Stroger: I think it’ll be a very small issue.
*********************************
From Tonight's City of Chicago edition of Public Affairs. The program, taped on July 30, 2006, airs though-out the City of Chicago tonight, August 14 at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 [CANTV] and can be viewed anytime on your computer [Watch Now].
*****************************
Transcript draft prepared by Amy Allen, who also does research for “Public Affairs,” and has her own political blog [See here].
***************************************************
Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
******************

Better than Monday night football: Ald. Stroger on Cable & Streaming

Jeff Berkowitz: ...He [Commissioner Claypool] said that was supposed to be consolidated. That would have saved a lot of money. He said John Stroger as President didn’t do it, even though he should have done it because it was required by what the County Board said [or passed]. Claypool said John Stroger cut patient care services instead of getting that kind of savings. What do you say to Forrest Claypool?

Ald. Todd Stroger: Well, first, I know John Stroger. He’s not going to cut patient services. So I’m sure he’s incorrect with that...
***********************************************
Ald. Todd Stroger: Well, he’s right. They came in complaining before they even knew what was going on in the system. So they were looking from the outside and throwing stones before they actually had any data. To me that sounds like somebody who was running for County Board President as soon as they got there.

Jeff Berkowitz: And you’re talking about Forrest Claypool? You’re talking about Tony Peraica?
**************************************************
"Public Affairs," is featuring Chicago Ald. Todd Stroger, Democratic Nominee for Cook County Board President, tonight ; Monday night [August 14] through-out the City of Chicago on CANTV, Cable Ch. 21 at 8:30 pm; And, anytime on the "Public Affairs," podcast page on your computer [Watch Now].
****************************************************************
The "Public Affairs," podcast page gives you a choice of more than twenty-five episodes of “Public Affairs," including shows with Ald. Todd Stroger; McCain, Obama and McSweeney; 8th CD candidates McSweeney [R]and Scheurer[I], Tony Peraica, Cook County Commissioner and Republican Nominee for County Board President , Deputy Governor Bradley Tusk on our video and audio podcast page[Watch here]. The podcast page also includes a one on one interview with 8th Cong. Dist. Republican Nominee David McSweeney [Barrington Hills], press conferences held with Governor Rod Blagojevich and his Republican Challenger, State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka, a press conference with U.S. Senator Barack Obama and Cong. Bean and much, much more. [Watch here].
*******************************************************
Coming attractions on Public Affairs in the suburbs:

This Week: Bill Scheurer [M-Lindenhurst], Moderate Party candidate for 8th Congressional District, is interviewed by Jeff Berkowitz, show host/producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search.
***************************************************
A partial transcript of the show with Ald. Stroger is included below and an additional partial transcript of the interview with Ald. Stroger and additional information about the show is here.
******************************************************
Jeff Berkowitz: Let's go to some issues. The health bureau. That's about one third of the budget, a 3.1 billion dollar budget for Cook County. The Health Bureau runs about 900 million dollars, more than nine hundred million dollars, right?

Ald. Todd Stroger: Yes.

Jeff Berkowitz: And that includes three hospitals, Stroger Hospital [named a few years ago after John Stroger], Provident, Oak Forest Hospital, and thirty clinics. There’s a gap now. People are saying this current annual budget is in deficit. And Peraica says one of the reasons is because they are not billing. That is, Cook County, for those hospital and health services—some people get them free, but some people are expected to pay because they have sufficient income to pay something. Bills aren’t going out. He [Peraica] claims we’re losing—we, Cook County—is losing several hundred million dollars as a result of that. Do you agree with your opponent [for County Board President] Tony Peraica on that and what would you do differently to make sure that doesn’t continue?

Ald. Todd Stroger: Well, there’s one more hospital, Cermak.

Jeff Berkowitz: Which is part of the jail. Some people say three. Some people say four, but I understand it is a hospital.

Ald. Todd Stroger: We pay for those services. So it’s four.

Jeff Berkowitz: Okay. That’s Cermak.

Ald. Todd Stroger: He is absolutely correct. We are not getting the dollars we need out of the hospitals, and it is because we are not asking people who can pay to pay. And that is something we’ll have to change at the hospital. I think it runs through the staff. They have got the feeling that it’s all free, but to keep those resources-

Jeff Berkowitz: So you agree with Peraica. It has to be changed. If you change that-- get several hundred million dollars more--That takes care of the deficit. Is that right?

Ald. Todd Stroger: I don’t know if that’ll take care of the deficit, but that will be one of the things that will help.

Jeff Berkowitz: Dan Winship has been there for two or three years as head of the Health Bureau, right?

Ald. Todd Stroger: Yes.

Jeff Berkowitz: Does he get the blame for this? Should heads roll? Should he go? Would you give the axe to Dan Winship?

Ald. Todd Stroger: You know, I’d have to look at it a little more closely. I can’t say that he is the direct problem. Of course, since he is the head, you would say that-

Jeff Berkowitz: The buck stops there. Just like if you were President and things weren’t going right, the buck would stop there. Right? You have to take the responsibility.

Ald. Todd Stroger: Well, he’s got to take some of the blame, for sure.

Jeff Berkowitz: Okay. On the Health Bureau, you know Forrest Claypool tells me—and I think I saw this—but he tells me he passed legislation, if you call it that or an ordinance—not an ordinance, I guess that’s the city--however you folks regulate what you do, but he said it passed the board. There was supposed to be consolidation of bookkeeping, accounting, finance, PR, things that are in the three separate hospitals—I know it’s different for Cermak, so we’ll leave them out for the moment. He said that was supposed to be consolidated. That would have saved a lot of money. He said John Stroger as President didn’t do it, even though he should have done it because it was required by what the County Board said [or passed]. Claypool said John Stroger cut patient care services instead of getting that kind of savings. What do you say to Forrest Claypool?

Ald. Todd Stroger: Well, first, I know John Stroger. He’s not going to cut patient services. So I’m sure he’s incorrect with that. Concerning consolidation, a study was asked to be done by the Bureau of Administration. They have done that study. They sent the industrial engineers out. They were bringing—they are bringing a report back, which I believe the Commissioners will get after their break, because they don’t meet this month. And that’s exactly what it talks about, consolidating positions.

Jeff Berkowitz: So you’re going to decide whether you support it based on that analysis? Or do you support it today?

Ald. Todd Stroger: Well, I believe if the Bureau of Administration did it, then they probably did a very thorough job, so I would support that.

Jeff Berkowitz: But why didn’t it happen before? Is Claypool right? Was it supposed to happen? Was your father, as President, opposing it?

Ald. Todd Stroger: Well, what Mr. Claypool doesn’t understand, in the healthcare field—because he doesn’t really have a background, I guess—is that you can’t just jump up and say, “I want to do this!” A lot of things have to go through the state. The state has to say, “Okay, this makes sense. We’ll let you do this.” So we can’t really make rules that happen in an instant. They have the last say.

Jeff Berkowitz: You don’t differentiate yourself from your father in that aspect at all? You think he did the right thing? Claypool’s wrong on this? Am I getting that right?

Ald. Todd Stroger: Yes. I’ll tell you one thing about John Stroger. He knew healthcare. He’d go to every healthcare seminar. He wanted to make sure the system was the best it could be.

Jeff Berkowitz: Okay. Now, your opponent, [County Commissioner] Tony Peraica and [County Commissioner] Forrest Claypool have been saying for a long time that there’s patronage, there’s bloat in the Health Bureau. They don’t want to hurt people who are needy, who can’t pay for services. They want them to get those services. Their point is they [the needy] are hurt by people who aren’t qualified to be working in the Health Bureau, who are patronage workers. [Peraica and Claypool] claim they are from the 8th ward, where your dad’s still the committeeman. Your dad’s still a power in the 8th ward. So they say, there is all that patronage, bloat and waste. [If you] get rid of that, you could save money for the taxpayers and improve services, health services, for the folks that you, I’m sure, care about, Claypool cares about, Peraica cares about and your father cared about. The [Cook County] constituents who need help. You disagree? Do you think there’s bloat, waste and inefficiency in the Health Bureau?

Ald. Todd Stroger: I think part of running a government is to make sure that there is no waste. And that’s an ongoing thing. So, you always want to check to make sure that people--

Jeff Berkowitz: But what’s your view, though? They’ve been saying it for four years. You know, Claypool’s been there for four years. Peraica. They came in—the Four Horsemen, as they say [Cook County Commissioners Claypool, Peraica, Quigley and Suffredin; all were elected in 2002, except for Quigley, who was elected in 1998].

Ald. Todd Stroger: Well, let’s be honest. They came in complaining!

Jeff Berkowitz: That’s what your father said, and you are agreeing with him. I heard your father say that.

Ald. Todd Stroger: Well, he’s right. They came in complaining before they even knew what was going on in the system. So they were looking from the outside and throwing stones before they actually had any data. To me that sounds like somebody who was running for County Board President as soon as they got there.

Jeff Berkowitz: And you’re talking about Forrest Claypool? You’re talking about Tony Peraica?

Ald. Todd Stroger: Well, yes, I am. But, the truth is, if you want to know about the system, you have to actually learn it first.

Jeff Berkowitz: They also said recently—Claypool said this, Mike Quigley said this, Peraica said this—The staff have been lying to the County Board. They’ve been doing it for a while. That’s why the County Board was surprised to learn of this deficit, because just a few months ago, staff at the County Board had been telling the Board members, “Everything’s fine.” Do you agree with that allegation, that staff had been lying to the County Board?

Ald. Todd Stroger: Well, it’s hard for me to talk about that since I’m not a County Board member. I haven’t had any-

Jeff Berkowitz: So you don’t have access to the same information. That’s what you’re saying?

Ald. Todd Stroger: Exactly.

Jeff Berkowitz: So you don’t know. They may have been lying. They may have not.

Ald. Todd Stroger: Yeah. I could not speak of that and have any knowledge.
*********************************
From Tonight's City of Chicago edition of Public Affairs. The program, taped on July 30, 2006, airs though-out the City of Chicago tonight, August 14 at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 [CANTV] and can be viewed anytime on your computer [Watch Now].
*****************************
Transcript draft prepared by Amy Allen, who also does research for “Public Affairs,” and has her own political blog [See here].
***************************************************
Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
******************