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 ]
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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].
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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]
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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.
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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
******************
*********************************************************
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
******************
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