Gov. Bill Richardson and Senator Barack Obama, Questioned by Berkowitz, Cable and Streaming

Updated at 1:00 am on Wednesday morning: Gov. Richardson-Senator Obama show now streaming [Watch here].
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Jeff Berkowitz: A guy like you. You must be for the Bush tax cuts, right?

Gov. Bill Richardson: I would not get rid of all of them. I would get rid of the 2% [tax cuts for the top 2% income earners] but I would replace his tax cuts with tax cuts for the middle class.
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Jeff Berkowitz: ...Now I know you’ve said before, that we can’t just get out of Iraq, though you vigorously argued against getting in, but as of July 22nd, 2006, is it still the case that you think it is important that we succeed in Iraq?

Senator Barack Obama: I think that it is important for us to stabilize Iraq. I think the measure of success should be that there is not an all-out civil war. That there are not terrorist bases inside Iraq. That there has not been a melt-down of Iraq that draws its neighbors into escalating conflict. That should be our criteria. And, I think that can still be accomplished, although...
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This week’s suburban edition of Public Affairs features Governor Bill Richardson [D-NM] and Senator Barack Obama [D-IL] .The airing schedule for the suburban edition of “Public Affairs,” is included, below.
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The show with Richardson and Obama also airs through-out the City of Chicago this coming Monday night [August 6] at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 [CANTV] and on Monday, Aug. 6, 2007 at 7:30 pm on Aurora Community Television, on Comcast Cable Ch. 10 in Aurora and some surrounding areas.
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You may also watch the show with Gov. Richardson and Senator Obama, streaming on your computer at PublicAffairsTV.com. In addition to the Richardson-Obama show , newly posted shows on the podcast page include separate shows with 14 TH Cong. Dist. [seat currently held by former Speaker Hastert] Democratic Primary Candidates John Laesch and Jotham Stein. Previously posted shows feature Roberto Maldonado, a Cook County Commissioner who is also running in the 4th CD Democratic Primary in 2008; Ald. Manny Flores, who is also running in the 4th Cong. Dist. Democratic Primary; Senators Sandoval, Syverson and Lauzen, Presidential candidatesRichardson, Obama, Giuliani, McCain and Cox, and many other pols and opinion makers.
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Show host and Executive Legal Recruiter Jeff Berkowitz questions Governor Richardson for about fifteen minutes during the first part of this week’s suburban edition of Public Affairs. The interview took place after a Democratic Presidential candidate forum in Chicago on July 15, 2007. The forum was hosted by the Association for American Justice, previously known as the American Trial Lawyers Association.
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For a partial transcript of the portion of the show with Gov. Richardson, go here.
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Governor Bill Richardson’s background and experience:

Governor Richardson, whose mother was Mexican and whose father was a white banker from Boston, was born in Pasadena, California but grew up in Mexico City (an Hispanic Barack Obama?). Of the eight Democratic Presidential candidates, Richardson has perhaps the best combination of State and National experience. He became a congressman from New Mexico in the same year Bill Clinton was elected President [1992] and he pushed hard, with the President, for the passage of NAFTA. I think it would be fair to say that Richardson does not think his expectations for NAFTA materialized.

After Richardson was a congressman for two terms, President Clinton made him the U. S. Ambassador to the United Nations, where Bill Richardson served for about three years. The Hispanic Richardson added to the Diversity of Clinton’s cabinet when he was made Secretary of the Department of Energy.

Richardson's years as Governor:

Richardson returned to New Mexico to run and win his race for Governor in 2002, and was re-elected to that position in 2006. Somewhat unusual for a modern-day Democrat, Richardson became a big tax cutter as Governor, cutting the income tax in New Mexico during his first 45 days in office from 8.2% to 4.9%. Also, coming from a West state, it is perhaps not too surprising that he supports concealed carry.

Richardson has moved into the top tier in New Hampshire, passing John Edwards and moving into third place behind Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, getting ten percent in a recent poll in that state.
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Governor Richardson debates and discusses with show host and legal recruiter Jeff Berkowitz the following questions and topics on this week’s suburban edition of “Public Affairs”:

If the U. S. leaves Iraq, will it become a safe haven for Al-Qaeda, even as Afghanistan was a safe haven for Al-Qaeda? Is the U. S. employing a new strategy in Iraq, one of counter-insurgency, and did that new strategy begin in January, 2007, but only become fully staffed in June, 2007. Has there been a successful counter-insurgency in Al Anbar Province that may spread across Iraq and is General Petraeus the right person to execute that mission?

Would Gov. Richardson concede that six-nation diplomacy in North Korea has now been a success for the Bush Administration?

Is the best way to deal with immigration reform to do so in two steps: first, demonstrate the country can cut the flow of illegal immigrants across the southern border by 90%, or so, and then proceed with comprehensive immigration reform, including an earned path to citizenship for the 12 to 15 million illegal immigrants currently estimated to be in the United States. Should the U. S. construct a fence along its southern border and make use of unmanned drones as part of its effort to stem the flow of illegal immigrants across its borders?

Does Gov. Richardson favor charter schools, tax credits for parochial schools and school vouchers-school choice? Should low income parents have the same kind of school choice that Barack Obama’s mother exercised [via a scholarship ?], that Gov. Richardson’s parents exercised and that Cong. Jesse Jackson Jr.’s parents exercised?

Is Governor Richardson, himself a tax cutter in the 5th fastest growing state in the Country, in favor of the Bush tax cuts?

Should we have more aggressive interrogations of enemy combatants or fewer?

Should we have more warrantless wiretaps of foreign-domestic calls or fewer?

Is the Global War on Terrorism merely a bumper sticker, as Senator Edwards has suggested?

Should there be more pressure, or less, on the Israelis to deal with the Palestinians?

Is Richardson a free trader or a “fair trader.”

Is Gov. Richardson in this race to become VP to Hillary Clinton?

Does being Governor give Richardson an advantage in the Democratic Presidential Primary?

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Berkowitz questions Senator Obama for about seven minutes during the second half of this week’s suburban edition of Public Affairs. The interview took place after a community forum in Austin [West side of Chicago] on July 22, 2006.

It is interesting to contrast Senator Obama’s statements of about a year ago on Iraq with the statements he has been making since becoming a Presidential candidate in February, 2007. Of course, he could certainly argue that his changed position reflected, at least in part, changed circumstances—especially in terms of the increased amount of sectarian violence, to which he refers even in his 2006 interview with Berkowitz.

Obama’s Background and Experience:

Senator Barack Obama [D-IL] is fond of saying he got his name from his Kenyan father and his accent from his Kansas mother. Senator Obama was born in Hawaii, and his father left the family when he was two, to continue his studies at Harvard and then to return to Kenya. Obama met his father only once, after that, when Obama was ten, and his father died while Obama was an undergraduate student at Columbia University. Obama spent much of his boyhood growing up in Hawaii, under the strong influence of his maternal grandparents.

Obama worked in Chicago for about five years as a community organizer after he obtained his undergraduate degree from Columbia University and before he obtained a Harvard Law School Degree [where he was President of the Law Review]. After law school, Obama returned to Chicago to teach constitutional law and other courses at the University of Chicago Law School and to practice law.

After serving in the Illinois Senate for four years, Obama lost his only race to then eight year incumbent Congressman Bobby Rush [D-Chicago, 1st Dist.], when he challenged Rush in a Democratic Primary in 2000. In that race, Obama recalls that he got “spanked,” [he lost by a 2 to 1 margin] but he learned it was important, in the future, to start preparation for a run quite early and to be a strong fund-raiser.

Obama corrected his 2000 race mistakes when he ran in a tough, seven candidate, Democratic U. S. Senate Primary race in March, 2004, winning easily 53% to 24% over State Comptroller Dan Hynes, with a third strong candidate, Blair Hull, imploding over scandal revelations relating to that candidate’s prior marriage. Obama had begun that Senate Primary race almost two years earlier and raised five million dollars for the Primary.

Jack Ryan, Obama’s initial Republican opponent in the 2004 Senate general election, was thought to be a strong, largely self-financed candidate. However, Ryan’s campaign also imploded early on, with scandal revelations relating to his prior marriage.

Senator Obama seems to be either very lucky or very talented in picking opponents with significant revelations of prior marriage problems. Jack Ryan withdrew from the race and was replaced by Alan Keyes, an import from Maryland, who turned out to be perhaps one of the worst candidates to run for the U. S. Senate in Illinois’ history.

Going back to the future, Obama won his state senate seat in 1996 by knocking all of his Democratic Primary opponents off the ballot, with challenges to their nominating petitions. In his Chicago south side district, winning the Primary was equivalent to winning the general election.

Again, Senator Obama has been quite “lucky,” in facing opponents who had a great deal of trouble in getting on the ballot, staying on the ballot or in avoiding revelations of marriage scandal. Could some of that same “luck,” return in his Presidential Democratic primary contest, especially vis-à-vis Senator Clinton?
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Senator Obama debates and discusses with show host and legal recruiter Jeff Berkowitz the following questions and topics:

As of July 22, 2006, was it still the case that Senator Obama thought it was important that the U. S. succeed in Iraq? Stabilize Iraq?

In July, 2006, did Senator Obama favor an immediate cease fire in the hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel?

In July, 2006, did Senator Obama support the apparent U. S. policy of giving the Israelis a few weeks to create a buffer zone in Southern Lebanon—and let the Israelis try to identify Hezbollah in Lebanon and remove their missiles?

In July, 2006, did Senator Obama think Iran was using Syria to stir up Hezbollah as a way of trying to distract the world community and the U. S. from dealing with their issue, which was doing something about the burgeoning and likely nuclear capability of Iran. Was Iran doing this as a distraction?

For a partial transcript of the portion of the show with Obama, go here:
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In twenty-five North Shore, North and Northwest suburbs, the "Public Affairs," show airs every Tuesday night 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 Public Affairs show airs three times each week in its regular slots at 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Ch. 19, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, as indicated, below. ********************************************************
The suburban episode of Public Affairs with guests Gov. Richardson and Senator Obama airs Tonight :

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

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

and this week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday night at 8:30 pm, airing on Comcast Cable Channel 19 in Bannockburn, Deerfield, Ft. Sheridan, Glencoe, Highland Park, Highwood, Kenilworth, Lincolnshire, Riverwoods and Winnetka.
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Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com. You may watch "Public Affairs," shows with Presidential Candidates Richardson, Obama, McCain, Giuliani and Cox and many other pols at www.PublicAffairsTv.com
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Better than Monday Night Football, U. S. Senate Candidate Nalepa?-- Cable and Streaming

Jeff Berkowitz: Warrantless wiretaps involving foreign-domestic calls?

Possible Republican U. S. Senate Candidate Jim Nalepa: Anything that we can do to insure the safety of the American people must be done.
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Potential Republican U. S. Senate candidate Jim Nalepa is the featured guest on tonight’s [July 30] City of Chicago edition of "Public Affairs," airing at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 [CANTV] throughout the City of Chicago. Jim Nalepa is also featured on the Aurora edition of Public Affairs, airing at 7:30 pm in Aurora and some surrounding areas on Aurora Community Television, Comcast Cable Ch. 10. The Aurora station reaches all of Aurora, Bristol, Big Rock and parts of Oswego, Sandwich, Sugar Grove and Montgomery.
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For more about Jim Nalepa and a partial transcript of tonight's show, please go here.
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You can also soon watch this week's suburban show with Presidential candidates Richardson and Obama and watch, currently, Democratic Presidential Primary Candidates Bill Richardson interviewed recently by Jeff Berkowitz; Republican Presidential Primary Candidates McCain, Giuliani and Cox, and many more pols, opinion makers and opinion shapers, e.g., tonight's show with potential Senate candidate Nalepa, 4th CD candidate Ald. Manny Flores, 14th CD Dem. Primary candidate John Laesch and prior shows with Senator Radogno on Giannoulias, Taxes and the Springfield five ring circus, State Senate candidate Terri Ann Wintermute [R-Bolingbrook], Cook County Commissioner and 4th CD Primary candidate Roberto Maldonado [D-Chicago], State Senators Lauzen [R-Aurora] and Syverson [R-Rockford], Republican Campaign Consultants Dan Proft and Dan Curry on your computer by going to PublicAffairsTv.com
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More Aggressive interrogations of enemy combatants?

Jeff Berkowitz: On the following, just tell me whether we need more of the item, or less.

Jim Nalepa: Okay.

Jeff Berkowitz: Aggressive interrogations. Should we have more aggressive interrogations, or less?

Jim Nalepa: For enemy combatants?

Jeff Berkowitz: Enemy combatants.

Jim Nalepa: Yes, more aggressive

Warrantless wiretaps?

Jeff Berkowitz: [Should the government do] warrantless wiretaps involving foreign-domestic calls?

Jim Nalepa: Anything that we can do to insure the safety of the American people must be done.

Jeff Berkowitz: Does the Constitution require a judicial warrant, under the 4th Amendment, if we are going to wiretap somebody’s phone? Is it different because it is a foreign to domestic call?

Jim Nalepa: This is a very different war.

Jeff Berkowitz: Because we are at war?

Jim Nalepa: We are absolutely. If someone does not think we are in an ultimate fight right now, they are wrong.

Jeff Berkowitz: So, you are comfortable with those warrantless wire-taps--

Jim Nalepa: Yes.

Jeff Berkowitz: On foreign to domestic calls?

Jim Nalepa: Yes.
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Senator Durbin and Repealing the Bush Tax cuts?

Jeff Berkowitz: Bush Tax cuts--

Jim Nalepa: Excellent. They are the best thing—

Jeff Berkowitz: I think Senator Dick Durbin might like to repeal them—

Jim Nalepa: He would like to repeal them. I would like to codify them. I would like to make them permanent and not only that—

Are the Bush tax cuts for the rich?

Jeff Berkowitz: He would say that they have been tax cuts for the rich and we have all these great [social] needs that are going unmet—

Jim Nalepa: When you take a look at our economy—

Jeff Berkowitz: Am I getting it right. Have you heard the Senator say that?

Jim Nalepa: I have heard him say that but naturally that is drinking from the well of left wing liberalism that any tax cut is for the rich. When you take a look at the economic engine that has been created since those Bush tax cuts, our stock market is at all time highs; business is expanding. There are more opportunities today than there has been in a generation. Why? Because we have gotten the burden of taxation off of--- What truly creates jobs? Business creates jobs, not government.

Tax cuts, the rich and jobs.

Jeff Berkowitz: So, you don’t apologize at all if high income people have benefited disproportionately from the tax cuts?

Jim Nalepa: Absolutely not. There is no apology necessary. Because that money flows into investments. And, that investment opportunity creates those jobs at the lower levels. Entry level jobs, in particular, which can really help folks that are out there that are struggling. They need those opportunities and the only way you can do that is create those types of incentives…
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Potential Republican U. S. Senate candidate Jim Nalepa, interviewed on Public Affairs on July 15, 2007 and as is airing tonight in Chicago [8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21] and Aurora and surrounding areas [7:30 pm on ACTV, Comcast Cable Ch. 10], and as is now streaming on your computer at www.PublicAffairsTv.com
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Nalepa's background and experience:

Jim Nalepa graduated from West Point in 1978, and then served six years in the army, including combat status, and left the Army as a Captain. Nalepa came very close to winning the 3rd Cong. Dist. seat in 1994, losing to then twelve-year incumbent Democrat Cong. Bill Lipinski, 52%-48%.

Nalepa has been an executive recruiter for more than two decades. He resides in Hinsdale, with his wife and kids. Jim Nalepa is now considering a run in the Republican Primary for the right to take on two-term incumbent Democrat and the No. 2 person in the U. S. Senate, Senator Dick Durbin.

The smart money says Nalepa will announce his candidacy around Labor Day and will then proceed to win the U. S. Senate nomination in the Republican Primary. He already has the backing of State Senate Republican Leader Frank Watson and of State Senator and Chairman of the DuPage County Republican Party, Dan Cronin.

Questions and Topics covered in tonight's show with Jim Nalepa:

Potential Republican U. S. Senate Candidate Jim Nalepa debates and discusses with legal recruiter and show host Jeff Berkowitz the following questions and topics:

Has Senator Durbin ever held a non-government job? Should that be an issue in the Senate race?

Did Senator Durbin equate American troops to Nazis? If so, has he apologized sufficiently for that statement?

Does Durbin drink from the left-wing liberal Kool-aid? Does Nalepa drink from the right-wing conservative Kool-aid? Does Nalepa qualify as a Reagan conservative? If so, does the Reagan label still have appeal in Illinois? Does America want to win the war in Iraq. Can it win? Is the surge working?

Can General Petraeus and the Coalition forces win a war of counter-insurgency in Iraq? Does the U. S. now have a new strategy or simply a new tactic in Iraq? Can and should the Coalition Forces seal off the Iranian and Syrian boarders to keep Al-Qaeda out of Iraq?

How should the U. S. handle the growing Iranian nuclear capability?

Can and should the southern boarder of the U. S. be sealed? Should the U. S. build a fence across the southern boarder? Should there be an earned path to citizenship for the twelve to fifteen million illegal immigrants currently in the U. S.

Would Nalepa try to use the bully pulpit of a U. S. senate seat to encourage charter schools and fully funded school vouchers across the country?

Should the Bush tax cuts be repealed or made permanent?

Should we have more or less aggressive interrogations for enemy combatants? More or less warrantless wiretaps of phone calls between domestic and foreign individuals? More or less data mining of domestic to domestic phone calls to identify terrorist related patterns.

More or less privatization of social security?

Is Nalepa a II-A guy?

Is he Pro-Life? Is he Opposed to same sex marriage?
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Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com. You may watch "Public Affairs," shows with Presidential Candidates Obama, Richardson McCain, Giuliani and Cox and many other pols at www.PublicAffairsTv.com
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Sun-Times’ Jennifer Hunter: Doesn’t check facts and proud of it

Jacobson and Hunter don’t get it :

By now, the Jennifer Hunter approach to journalism is almost as famous, or infamous, as that of Amy Jacobson [See here]. Hunter’s deficiencies were noted and well summarized, early on, in Dan Curry’s blog and his link to others. Curry, coincidentally, is a former mainstream Democratic journalist, whose politics went from admiring the conservative Democrat JFK to admiring and working for the somewhat conservative Republican Illinois AG Jim Ryan to the consistently conservative Republican U. S. Senator Peter Fitzgerald.

The primary similarity between Jacobson and Hunter is that, even after all the notoriety, neither gets what is wrong with her journalism. Jacobson didn’t quite get what was wrong about being friends and chums with those she covered, or apparently giving information that she didn’t air [or discuss with her bosses] to the police.

Hunter doesn’t check her facts and she is proud of it. Apparently, she never heard that saying of that great Democratic Senator and adviser to President Nixon, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, “Sir, you may be entitled to your own opinions, but you are not entitled to your own facts.”

Jennifer Hunter’s crowd reaction.

When Jennifer Hunter gets crowd reaction to a speech, she never asks people to identify themselves, other than their name or where they are from. She doesn’t investigate those people, she’s never investigated those people in 32 years of journalism, she told this reporter in a phone interview last Friday.

She disputed the notion that one can easily get a list of contributions for a donor from say, www.opensecrets.org, or other web sites. Hunter said she had to pay $15 to get a list of political contributions and she did that, at some point, for attorney James Ronca, listed in the contribution lists as being from Harrisburg, Pa. But, even if one had to pay $15, isn’t the truth worth that and then some to Hunter’s husband, Publisher John Cruickshank of the Chicago Sun-Times.

As a result of that political contribution search that she did and that was thrown at her by many critics and bloggers, Hunter concluded that Ronca gave money to both Republicans and Democrats, including Republican Senator Arlen Specter. She did not dispute, in our telephone conversation of last Friday, that most of Ronca’s contributions went to Democrats [this source lists 10 of 12 contributions in last 12 years going to Democrats, including Senator Kennedy in ’95 and John Edwards and John Kerry in ‘04].

Hunter tries to defend Ronca.

Hunter argued to me and in her column that most of Ronca’s contributions to Democrats occurred after Bush was elected, so clearly "his contributions reflected his unhappiness with Bush," she said. She did not seem aware or able to deal with the fact that Ronca had contributed to Senator Kennedy and other Democrats way before the Bush election.

Hunter asked me “why would a person mis-identify himself as a Republican or Democrat.” When I tried to explain hypothetically why that might happen, she cut me off and apparently was not interested in that explanation. I was left wondering—was that a real question from Hunter? Does she really not know why a partisan might play that game?

Hunter’s assessment to this reporter of her reader response to her first column on this matter [complaints of bias and ineptness reflected in her failure to fact check] was that “Republicans are hysterical about losing the election,” and thus, “there is a tremendous over reaction to columns like hers.

Jennifer Hunter: no apologies given for failing to investigate

Hunter stated she would not apologize for anything she wrote and she would not apologize for not doing any kind of investigation of Jim Ronca before she wrote her column in which she chose to characterize Jim Ronca as a “Staunch Republican,” who became certain last Sunday, after watching five Democratic Candidates for President, that “He is not going to vote Republican in the 2008 Presidential election.” Hunter also quoted Ronca as saying, “I’m not only going to vote Democratic, I’m going to financially support the Democrats.” [See here].

Hunter tried to argue to me that her column was really about what five of the Democratic Presidential candidates said at the July 15, 2007 trial lawyers association [AAJ] meeting in Chicago. And, she argued elsewhere that she did not write the headline, “GOP lawyer sold on Dems.” True enough, but the lead to the story, which she did write, was about a “staunch Republican,” deciding that day he wouldn’t vote for a Republican for President and that he would financially support the Dems.

Hunter wrote in a follow-up column [see here] that her description of Ronca as a Republican was supported by the “fact,” that neither his wife nor his Democrat friend [both of whom were at Ronca’s side] disputed Ronca’s description of himself as a Republican.

Does Jennifer Hunter’s spouse agree with her?

That’s how you check facts at the Chicago Sun-Times? Does your spouse agree with you? I don’t mean to be mean spirited, but this is the problem with nepotism: Hunter’s ultimate boss, Publisher Cruickshank, is also her husband. Perhaps too much of Hunter’s perspective, for that reason, comes from asking that question: does my spouse [boss] agree with me?

On the other hand, reliable sources have stated that nobody can edit Hunter at the Chicago Sun-Times because she is the boss’ wife. If so, that would be sad for Hunter. Any good journalist knows that a good editor is the key to good columns. Think of how this mess of Hunter’s could have been avoided if an editor had asked how sure she was that Ronca was a staunch Republican. Did she do a computer check of his contributions? I mean, how many staunch Republicans do you know who have contributed to Democratic Senators Kennedy and Edwards and Democratic Presidential nominee John Kerry?

The final self-inflicted embarrassment on this matter to Jennifer Hunter was her column of earlier this week which she turned over to Jim Ronca for him to explain to her readers what he means by “life-long Republican.” "Life long Republican," to Ronca means never supporting people like President Bush and Karl Rove, going back to their tenure in Texas, because of their opposition to things like unlimited jury verdicts and corresponding unlimited attorneys fees for trial lawyers handling personal injury, medical malpractice and consumer complaints.

Ronca, although he lists a number of Republicans he has supported, doesn’t address in the guest column given him by Hunter the fact that his political contributions, at least during the last twelve years, have been skewed heavily toward Democrats. [See transcript of this Tuesday’s Brit Hume’s Special Report] Nor does he address how a “life-long Republican," supports, at least financially, Senators Kennedy and Edwards and Presidential candidate Kerry. Also, how does a “staunch Republican argue, as Ronca does, that [the Republican Party] “makes an effort to pressure journalists to print what they want and avoid what the Republican Party does not like. No free thinking or free press is allowed.”

In short, Ronca is first and foremost a Trial Lawyer. He may have grown up around and with Republicans, as he claims. However, what is important to him, based on what he wrote, is working with Republicans and Democrats to elect state court judges who will be “friendly,” to trial lawyers and their collective goals and working with Democrats and Republicans to get federal judges appointed to the bench who will be friendly to trial lawyers. That might mean supporting Pennsylvania Republicans like Thornburgh, Ridge and Specter and Democrats like Kennedy, Kerry and Casey. Now, that kind of a person might be a lot of things, but “Staunch Republican,” isn't one of them.

None of the above is addressed by Jennifer Hunter. Again, the saddest part of Hunter’s writing is not her bias, but like Amy Jacobson, Hunter just doesn’t get it. Maybe the Sun-Times Publisher, her husband, can explain it to her. Apparently, nobody else at the paper will. This reporter would be happy to explain it some more, but he doesn't think Hunter will be speaking to him a great deal in the future. However, since this reporter and show host is tough, but fair, Hunter has a standing invitation to come on “Public Affairs,” and argue the issue. If the show was good enough for Democrat Presidential Candidate Bill Richardson, it should be good enough for Jennifer Hunter.
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Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com. You may watch "Public Affairs," shows with Presidential Candidates Richardson, Obama, McCain, Giuliani and Cox and many other pols at www.PublicAffairsTv.com
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Jim Nalepa, R Senate Candidate? On Cable and Streaming.

Updated on Wednesday at 1:30 am: You can now watch the show with Jim Nalepa on your computer by going to www.PublicAffairsTV.com
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Jim Nalepa: ... Senator Durbin equated our troops to Nazis, to the Khmer Rouge and ...

Jeff Berkowitz: Is that fair? Did he really equate them to Nazis?
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This week’s suburban edition of Public Affairs features Jim Nalepa, Potential Republican U. S. Senate Candidate .The airing schedule for the suburban edition of “Public Affairs,” is included, below.
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The show with Jim Nalepa also airs through-out the City of Chicago this coming Monday night [July 30] at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 [CANTV] and on Monday, July 30, 2007 at 7:30 pm on Aurora Community Television, on Comcast Cable Ch. 10 in Aurora and some surrounding areas.
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You may also watch the show with Jim Nalepa on your computer at PublicAffairsTV.com. In addition to the Nalepa show and 4th CD Candidate and Ald. Manny Flores, both of which shows are now posted, recent shows also currently posted on our video podcast site include a show with Frank Avila, Jr., containing predictions and assessments of the 4th CD race, Roberto Maldonado, a Cook County Commissioner who is also running in the 4th CD Democratic Primary in 2008, State Reps. Julie Hamos, Paul Froehlich and John Fritchey, Senators Sandoval, Syverson and Lauzen, Presidential candidatesRichardson, Obama, Giuliani, McCain and Cox, and many other pols and opinion makers.
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Jim Nalepa, a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, served in the Army for six years, including combat status--leaving the Army as a Captain. He has been an executive recruiter for more than two decades.

Nalepa almost upset then twelve year 3rd CD Democratic Congressman Bill Lipinski in 1994. Nalepa, who lives in Hinsdale with his wife and kids, is taking an intense look at running in the Republican primary for the right to take on two term Democratic Senator Dick Durbin in 2008. The smart money says Nalepa will announce around Labor Day that he is a candidate for the U. S. Senate.
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Nalepa debates and disusses a variety of domestic policy, foreign policy and cultural issues with show host and executive legal recruiter Jeff Berkowitz.
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A partial transcript of tonight's show is included, below:

Did Senator Durbin equate, in 2005, U. S. troops to Nazis?

Jim Nalepa [Potential Republican U. S. Senate Candidate]: …They remember very, very well what [Senator] Durbin said about our men and women in uniform in relation to the Abu Ghraib incident and Gitmo.

Jeff Berkowitz: What was it, do you remember it well, too?

Jim Nalepa: I sure do. Senator Durbin equated our troops to Nazis, to the Khmer Rouge and quite frankly—

Jeff Berkowitz: Is that fair? Did he really equate them to Nazis?

Jim Nalepa: Yes, he did. And, it is not fair, at all. You know, every once in a while you are going to have some bad apples out there. But, to go after American troops who are doing their duty and equate them to Nazis and Khmer Rouge, I don’t care what happened. That is very, very unfair. It is characterizing them the wrong way and—

Jeff Berkowitz: Was he talking about the people who were being interrogated at Gitmo? Detainees.

Jim Nalepa: Detainees at Gitmo and in Abu Ghraib and quite frankly, I had worse things done to me in the 82nd Airborne Division than had occurred in Abu Ghraib.

Jeff Berkowitz: Some of those things you would agree, No. 1, weren’t necessarily done by soldiers. They may have been private contractors.

Jim Nalepa: Absolutely.

Jeff Berkowitz: So, Senator Durbin might say that in his defense. Second, he might say he was talking about practices that were not helpful to the image of—

Jim Nalepa: Mr. Berkowitz, at any time our men and women in uniform are fighting overseas, are fighting for our freedom and putting their lives on the line, it is the duty of an elected official, especially a high ranking United States Senator to do nothing, or say anything, that could be misconstrued, worldwide, against our troops, and that’s what Senator Durbin did. And, Senator Durbin in his lukewarm, at best, apology, still has not come clean and truly apologized to those who wear our uniform and defend us and defend our freedom overseas on a daily basis.

Jeff Berkowitz: So, if you decide to run in the Republican Primary for the U. S. Senate seat, this will be an issue—

Jim Nalepa: Absolutely.

Jeff Berkowitz: It will be one of the many issues you would be raising.

Jim Nalepa: Yes, it will.
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Senator Durbin on the Public Payroll?

Jim Nalepa: And, I think that is a very interesting contrast. Dick Durbin has been on the public payroll and has drank the far left liberal Kool-aid in Washington for his entire life. He’s never had a real job. I’ve been on the front lines of freedom, I’ve worn our country’s uniform, and then I went in the private sector, just like the average everyday voter…
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Republican Leaders asking Nalepa to run for U. S. Senate?

Jim Nalepa: …I’ve received calls from numerous high ranking Republicans around the state.

Jeff Berkowitz: Any you can mention?

Jim Nalepa: Absolutely, Frank Watson called me the day before the 4th of July and said, Jim, I’d really like to see you in the race.

Jeff Berkowitz: He’s the Republican leader in the State Senate?

Jim Nalepa: He’s the Republican leader downstate—

Jeff Berkowitz: From Greenville

Jim Nalepa: Absolutely…Danny Cronin, who is a State Senator who just took over as DuPage County Republican Chairman has called me and said, “Jim, I need you in this race, is there anything I can do for you.”
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Senator Durbin [D-IL] drinking from Left-Wing, Liberal Kool-aid?

Jeff Berkowitz: …So, you characterized Senator Durbin as drinking from that…left-wing, liberal Kool-aid.

Jim Nalepa: The left-wing liberal Kool-aid and quite frankly--

Nalepa drinking from Right-Wing Conservative Kool-aid?

Jeff Berkowitz: Well, do you drink from the right-wing conservative Kool-aid?

Jim Nalepa: Well, I don’t necessarily drink from the Kool-aid because those groups have no hold over me. I am who I am—

Jeff Berkowitz: But, if you characterize Dick Durbin as a left-wing liberal, would you characterize Jim Nalepa as a right-wing conservative?

Nalepa a Reagan Conservative?

Jim Nalepa: I would consider myself a Reagan Conservative.

Jeff Berkowitz: A Reagan conservative?

Jim Nalepa: Absolutely. And, as we know, Ronald Reagan did very, very well with the voters, not only of Illinois, but the voters of this country.

Jeff Berkowitz: And, with the Democrats.

Jim Nalepa: Yes, he did.

Nalepa’s 1994 run for Congress against Cong. Bill Lipinski

Jeff Berkowitz: In the 3rd Cong. Dist., in which there were many Democrats, as you found out, who apparently chose to vote for you as a Republican [in 1994, Nalepa lost a close race, 52% to 48%, to then twelve year Democrat 3rd Cong. Dist. incumbent, Bill Lipinski, in a heavily Democratic, albeit culturally conservative, district]

Jim Nalepa: And quite frankly, I think there are a lot of conservative Democrats, especially in the City of Chicago and in Cook County who are looking for relief. They have no ties to the left wing liberalism that Dick Durbin has tied himself to.

Jeff Berkowitz: Well, let’s get into the issues.

Jim Nalepa: Sure.

Jeff Berkowitz: The War in Iraq. It appears to be highly….
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Jim Nalepa, potential Republican candidate for the U. S. Senate, as he is airing this week on Public Affairs in 35 Chicago Metro suburbs. [See below for the suburban airing schedule] and as will be airing on Monday, July 30, 2007, 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21, CANTV on the City of Chicago edition of Public Affairs and on Monday, July 30, 2007 at 7:30 pm on Aurora Community Television, on Comcast Cable Ch. 10 in Aurora and some surrounding areas. The show was recorded on July 15, 2007.[You may also go here to watch Jim Nalepa on PublicAffairsTV.com].
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In twenty-five North Shore, North and Northwest suburbs, the "Public Affairs," show airs every Tuesday night 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 Public Affairs show airs three times each week in its regular slots at 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Ch. 19, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, as indicated, below. ********************************************************
The suburban episode of Public Affairs with guest Jim Nalepa airs Tonight :

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

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

and this week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday night at 8:30 pm, airing on Comcast Cable Channel 19 in Bannockburn, Deerfield, Ft. Sheridan, Glencoe, Highland Park, Highwood, Kenilworth, Lincolnshire, Riverwoods and Winnetka.
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Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com. You may watch "Public Affairs," shows with Presidential Candidates Richardson, Obama, McCain, Giuliani and Cox and many other pols at www.PublicAffairsTv.com
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Watch 4th CD candidate and Ald. Flores on Cable and now Streaming.

Updated on Wednesday at 1:50 am: 4th CD candidate and Ald. Manny Flores can now be watched on your computer at www.publicAffairsTV.com
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4th CD Democratic Primary Candidate and Chicago Ald. Manny Flores is the featured guest on tonight’s [July 23] City of Chicago edition of "Public Affairs," airing at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 [CANTV] throughout the City of Chicago. Ald. Flores is also featured on the Aurora edition of Public Affairs, airing at 7:30 pm in Aurora and some surrounding areas on Aurora Community Television, Comcast Cable Ch. 10. The Aurora station reaches all of Aurora, Bristol, Big Rock and parts of Oswego, Sandwich, Sugar Grove and Montgomery.
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For more about Ald. Manny Flores, the 4th Cong. Dist. race, the topics discussed in tonight's show and a partial transcript of the show, please go here.
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You can also watch Democratic Presidential Primary Candidates Bill Richardson and Barack Obama Republican Presidential Primary Candidates McCain, Giuliani and Cox, and many more pols, opinion makers and opinion shapers, e.g., tonight's show with 4th Cong. Dist. Democratic Primary candidate and Chicago Ald. Manny Flores and this week's suburban edition of Public Affairs with possible Republican U. S. Senate Candidate Jim Nalepa and prior shows with Senator Martin Sandoval [D-Chicago], MarySue Barrett, President of the Metropolitan Planning Council, Cook County Commissioner Roberto Maldonado [D-Chicago], State Senators Lauzen [R-Aurora] and Syverson [R-Rockford], Republican Campaign Consultants Dan Proft and Dan Curry on your computer by going to PublicAffairsTv.com
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Getting 100% of the kids in 4th CD to read at Grade Level?

Jeff Berkowitz: If it turns out that charter schools do well, voucher schools do well, all the kids leave the public schools and take their public money and go to private schools and they do well, do we really care if the kids are getting educated well in private or charter schools-- the meaning public/private almost has no meaning then. Would you be a happy camper if you came into congress, set an example of school vouchers and charter schools, and at the end of four years, 100% of the kids in your District were reading at grade level, would you really care that they all left to go to private schools?

Ald. Manny Flores and 4th CD Democrat Candidate: The number one priority is the children. Anyone who says otherwise I believe is not serving the best interests of our community.

School Vouchers popular in Hispanic Community:

Jeff Berkowitz: And...polls show that school vouchers are very popular in the Hispanic community. You know that, right?

Ald. Manny Flores: But, that's not the issue. The issue is--

How to make sure the education program is working.

Jeff Berkowitz: Getting elected is important.

Ald. Manny Flores: It is, but the issue again is, to be very clear with the voters and the viewers here, we are funding public dducation...if we are funding it, we have a responsibility to make sure that that program is working as it ought to be working.

Jeff Berkowitz: And, the way we make sure is we provide competition: charter schools, voucher schools-

Making sure educational alternatives are good options

Ald. Manny Flores: And I would submit to you that one of the things we need to do is provide for better technology, provide for better school supplies, provide for better capital improvement, making sure that the quality of teacher is high... and that will improve the quality of education...if we are funding public education and we have this educational alternative as an option that we make sure...that it be a good option...

Jeff Berkowitz: If people want to go there, that's the best test. You have waiting lists of kids who want to get into charter schools.

Local Schools.

Ald. Manny Flores: ...There are a lot of parents in our community who say "I want to send my child to a local school..."

Jeff Berkowitz: A local school can be a voucher school, a charter school, it doesn't have to be a so-called traditional public school...
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4th Cong. Dist. candidate and Chicago Alderman Manny Flores, interviewed on Public Affairs on July 8, 2007 and as is airing tonight in Chicago [8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21] and Aurora and surrounding areas [7:30 pm on ACTV, Comcast Cable Ch. 10], and as is now streaming on your computer at www.PublicAffairsTv.com
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Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com. You may watch "Public Affairs," shows with Presidential Candidates Obama, McCain, Giuliani and Cox and many other pols at www.PublicAffairsTv.com
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Presidential Candidate Bill Richardson: A Democrat tax cutter, Streaming video

The “Public Affairs,” fifteen minute interview with Presidential candidate and Governor Bill Richardson [D-NM] can now be watched here, along with shows with other Presidential candidates: including Senators Barack Obama [D-IL] and John McCain [R-AZ], and Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Topics covered include the War, North Korea, Taxes, Charter Schools, School Vouchers, warrantless wire-taps, data mining of domestic phone calls, free trade, what it takes to win the Presidency, immigration, concealed carry and much, much more. For more about Governor Richardson and another partial transcript of the interview, go here.

An additional partial transcript of the interview is included, below.
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Cutting Taxes in New Mexico:

Jeff Berkowitz: You want to see lower taxes.

Gov. and Presidential Candidate Bill Richardson [D-NH]: Yeah.

Jeff Berkowitz: You came into New Mexico [as Governor] and

Gov. Bill Richardson: I cut taxes—

Jeff Berkowitz: You cut [income] taxes from 8.2 % to 4.9%. Right?

Gov. Bill Richardson: Yes and Capital Gains [tax cuts] and I cut taxes for businesses—

The Bush Tax Cuts:

Jeff Berkowitz: A guy like you. You must be for the Bush tax cuts, right?

Gov. Bill Richardson: I would not get rid of all of them. I would get rid of the 2% [tax cuts for the top 2% income earners] but I would replace his tax cuts with tax cuts for the middle class.

What's middle class?

Jeff Berkowitz: So, give me an income level. Would you raise taxes for families with incomes over $150,000?

Gov. Bill Richardson: That’s in some cases middle class.

Jeff Berkowitz: So, you wouldn’t raise it for over $150,000?

Gov. Bill Richardson: Well, I’d have to--

Jeff Berkowitz: Would you raise it for [families with incomes] over $200,000? What’s the number?

Gov. Bill Richardson: Well, we’d—I’ve got to get my plans out.

Jeff Berkowitz: You don’t know?

New Mexico, the 5th Fastest Growing State

Gov. Bill Richardson: But, I am not a tax raiser. I believe in making this economy stronger—the way I did in New Mexico. We’re the fifth fastest growing state in the country. We attracted renewable energy companies, movies.

Jeff Berkowitz: So, you’re a tax cutter.

Gov. Bill Richardson: I am a tax cutter and I am a Democrat and you can be both. But, I paid for that—

John Fitzgerald Kennedy- the tax cutter

Jeff Berkowitz: John Fitzgerald Kennedy cut taxes in the 60s.

Gov. Bill Richardson: That’s right and he’s my hero. But, I paid for those tax cuts. The Bush tax cuts are not paid for and we have this huge deficit [Ed. Note: But, see here and here for discussion of the shrinking federal deficit]
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Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com. You may watch "Public Affairs," shows with Presidential Candidates Obama, McCain, Giuliani and Cox and many other pols at www.PublicAffairsTv.com
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Presidential Candidate Bill Richardson on the War; soon Cable and Streaming

Update: the full fifteen minute interview with Presidential Candidate Bill Richardson can now be watched here.
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Jeff Berkowitz:... Would you say there has been a success in Al Anbar Province, which may spread across the country. Would you concede that there has been a new strategy in terms of counterinsurgency? ...

Governor Bill Richardson: ...One, the transition for the Iraqis to take over the security is not happening and secondly, the ability of the Iraqi government to simply have reconciliation among all the groups—it is not happening...
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Governor Bill Richardson is in his 5th year as the Democratic Governor of New Mexico, having been re-elected to a second term last year. He was previously a Congressman from New Mexico, and an Ambassador to the UN and Secretary of the Department of Labor in the Clinton Administration.

Richardson, one of eight candidates for President of the United States in the Democratic Primary, is now running third in a poll in New Hampshire, edging John Edwards out of the top tier in that state.

Some may refer to Richardson as the Hispanic Barack Obama, as he was born in Pasadena, California but grew up in Mexico City with a Mexican mother and a white banker father from Boston, Massachusetts.

Governor Richardson generously agreed to a fifteen minute sit-down interview with Public Affairs after he attended the Association for American Justice [aka Trial Lawyers] Democratic Presidential candidate forum this past Sunday at the Hyatt Regency in the Chicago Loop, along with Clinton, Obama, Edwards and Biden. A partial transcript of the interview is included, below, and the full interview will be cablecast later this month and it now can be watched here.
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Jeff Berkowitz: Let’s go right to the War. You say you want all the troops out. No residual force. You know there are some people who think—you would agree—there are Al Qaeda in Iraq now; if we leave, will Iraq become a safe haven for [Al Qaeda] —even as Afghanistan was a safe haven for Al Qaeda.

Governor Bill Richardson [D-NM]: Well, the problem now, Jeff, is that our troops have become targets. And, not until all our troops leave, including residual forces, and I would do this over a six-month period. Let the military determine that. But, I would have a diplomatic plan, at the same time using the leverage of a withdrawal to set up a diplomatic structure. One, a reconciliation among the three groups in Iraq where they divide oil revenue, divide territory, a coalition government- what this government should be doing it isn’t doing. Secondly, an all-Muslim peace keeping force and I would have Iran and Syria participate, not as a peace-keeping force but I believe they have a special interest in doing this. They don’t want refugees and chaos. And, lastly a donor conference where other countries take over the reconstruction of Iraq. That is a plan that I believe gives Iraq a chance. Is it perfect? No. But, our policy now is a disaster. It’s a civil war now. It’s a sectarian conflict, now. We need to disengage.

Jeff Berkowitz: …although some say—certainly all the Democrats who are running for President have criticized the President and said the surge is not a strategy; it’s a tactic—no new strategy [they assert]. But, those who defend the President argue it is a counterinsurgency strategy, which is something new in the last year. The troops have only been in place about a month, although the surge started four or five months ago. Al Anbar Province, which was given up as lost, now seems to have changed. It is now in the American column. Or, the Iraq column. Would you say there has been a success in Al Anbar Province, which may spread across the country. Would you concede that there has been a new strategy in terms of counterinsurgency? Would you concede that General David Petraeus is the right person for that position?

Governor Bill Richardson: Well, I believe General Petraeus is a very distinguished military leader, but the President himself has declared that the benchmarks by the Iraqi government and the progress are not being met. Some were, but the two principal ones are not. One, the transition for the Iraqis to take over the security is not happening and secondly, the ability of the Iraqi government to simply have reconciliation among all the groups—it is not happening. And then you have the Prime Minister Maliki saying he doesn’t need American troops anymore. 62%, Jeff, of the Iraqi people are saying it is okay to shoot an American soldier. 70% of the Iraqis, Sunni and the Shia, want us out. This is not working. The best thing to do is to protect our interest. And, by the way, Al Qaeda is getting stronger. That intelligence report, since 9/11, they have a beachhead in Iraq. The best thing to do is find ways to protect our interest, but start disengaging because our troops have become targets and 3600 have perished and what is this going to be? Another five-six months? Men and women are dying. And, the policy is not working. So, you shift. And, this President doesn’t see this at all and the American people do.
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Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com. You may watch "Public Affairs," shows with Presidential Candidates Obama, McCain, Giuliani and Cox and many other pols at www.PublicAffairsTv.com
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Pearson gets half of it right; Senator Lauzen and Rep. Chapa LaVia Streaming

Revised and links added at 12:55 pm on Thursday
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Rick Pearson reports tonight at the Chicago Tribune newsblog:

Conservative Carpentersville businessman Jack Roeser is siding with state Rep. Chris Lauzen of Aurora over the man he backed last year for governor--if former House Speaker Dennis Hastert opts not to seek re-election to Congress.[See here].

Of course, it is State Senator, not State Rep., Chris Lauzen. Indeed, Pearson discusses, in another portion of the article, that Lauzen was one of the Fab 5 State Senate Republican candidates who ran and won in 1992. Maybe the Tribune should start editing its newsblog—a lot of bloggers actually edit their copy before posting their items. You would think the MSM could do the same.

Senator Lauzen has been in the State Senate for fifteen years. He lost when he ran for State Comptroller in 1998 against the office’s current office holder, Dan Hynes, but he kept his State Senate seat. He remembered, “Don’t ever give up your base. Senator Lauzen is a consistent economic and cultural conservative. Those are his principles. He believes in them and is much admired by the Republican Party conservative base for doing so.

You can watch Senator Lauzen [R-Aurora] give some of his views on the 14th Cong. Dist. race and issues, as well as on state legislative issues, by going here.

Because Public Affairs is fair and balanced, you may also watch State Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia [D-Aurora] give some of her views on the 14th Cong. Dist. race and issues, as well as on state legislative issues, by going here. However, the odds of Rep. Chapa LaVia jumping into the 14th CD race, even if Cong. Hastert jumps out, seem to be falling rapidly.

Roeser wants Oberweis, who Jack Roeser has supported in the past, to sit this one out so that the conservatives don’t split their vote and end up nominating a moderate again, as they did in 2006 when Senator Bill Brady drained sufficient votes from conservative Oberweis to hand the Republican Party gubernatorial nomination to "moderate," Topinka, who went on to lose by ten points to incumbent Democrat Rod Blagojevich.

Oberweis came in second to State Rep. Jim Durkin in the 2002 Republican Senate Primary; came in second to Jack Ryan in the 2004 Republican Senate Primary and came in second to Judy Baar Topinka in the 2006 Republican Gubernatorial Primary.

Jim Oberweis, the Sugar Grove dairyman [Oberweis ice cream, milk, etc.] and money manager entreprenuer [Oberweis Securities, Oberweis Asset Management and Oberweis Funds] had the support of then Speaker Denny Hastert [R-Plano] in his first primary run for the Senate in 2002.

Hastert, however, became disenchanted with Oberweis' strong anti-illegal immigration position which conflicted with the gentler and kinder comprehensive immigration reform efforts of President Bush and the Republican establishment, an individual and group who were near and dear to the accidental, but longest lasting, Republican Speaker. Oberweis lost the Speaker's support in 2004 and it is doubtful he could get it back.

On the other hand, Senator Lauzen, with his unflagging opposition to pork and strong support for reform and efficiency in government is not someone the former Speaker can tolerate either. Former Speaker Hastert is more of a go along, get along kind of politician. While espousing conservative economic principles, Hastert believes those in government need at least some "grease," to make the system work. Senator Lauzen, on the other hand, is not a "grease," kind of pol. And, Lauzen's questioning of the desirability of the Speaker's beloved Prairie Parkway project is perhaps the final blow against Lauzen winning support from the Speaker. Thus, it would appear that the Speaker is still in the hunt for a candidate he would like to succeed him.
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Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com. You may watch "Public Affairs," shows with Presidential Candidates Obama, McCain, Giuliani and Cox and many other pols at www.PublicAffairsTv.com
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Chicago Ald. and 4th CD candidate Manny Flores [D], cable and soon streaming

Links added on Wednesday at 12:05 am
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Jeff Berkowitz: Best technology. The best innovation in drugs. The best innovation in healthcare services [is in the U.S.]. It’s expensive for those things, but you are saying you don’t want to lose that superior rating.

Ald. Manny Flores: That’s correct. But, we want to make the superior rating available and accessible to Americans, people who live here; people who are paying taxes, people who are hardworking citizens, not just simply for the rich—
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This week’s suburban edition of Public Affairs features Manny Flores, Chicago Ald. and 4th Cong. Dist. Democratic Primary Candidate .The airing schedule for the suburban edition of “Public Affairs,” is included, below.
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The show with Ald. Flores also airs through-out the City of Chicago this coming Monday night [July 23] at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 [CANTV] and on Monday, July 23, 2007 at 7:30 pm on Aurora Community Television, on Comcast Cable Ch. 10 in Aurora and some surrounding areas.
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You may also soon watch the show with Ald. Flores on your computer at PublicAffairsTV.com. In addition to the Flores show soon to be posted, recent shows currently posted on our video podcast site include a show with Frank Avila, Jr., containing predictions and assessments of the 4th CD race, shows featuring Republican Campaign Consultants and media personalities Dan Proft and Dan Curry, Roberto Maldonado, a Cook County Commissioner who is also running in the 4th CD Democratic Primary in 2008, State Reps. Julie Hamos, Paul Froehlich and John Fritchey, Senators Sandoval, Syverson and Lauzen, Presidential candidates Obama, Giuliani, McCain and Cox, and many other pols and opinion makers.
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Ald. Flores- Background info

Chicago 5th Year Ald. Manny Flores, who was born in El Paso, Texas, arrived at the age of eleven in North Lake, Illinois- unincorporated Melrose Park. He was first elected to the City Council [1st Ward] in 2003 [beating Daley-HDO backed, 10 year incumbent Jesse Granato] and then re-elected earlier this year. He graduated from Rosary Collage (now Dominican University) majoring in Political Science and got his law degree from George Washington University, after interning for Cong. Gutierrez. Ald. Flores lives in Wicker Park with his wife and young son.

Ald. Flores, as does any pol, has his critics and his supporters. [See here for an overview]. However, currently, the latter seem much more numerous than the former.

The 4th CD likely players:

Rounding out the circle, Cong. Gutierrez has said he would not seek re-election in 2008 and Ald. Flores now seeks to take his place. Cook County Commissioner Roberto Maldonado [D-Chicago] and fourteen year Ald. Ricardo Munoz [22nd Ward] have also joined the 4th CD race, and it is expected that Ald. Danny Solis [25th Ward] and possibly Ald. George Cardenas [12th Ward] will throw their hats in the ring, as well.

State Rep. Susana Mendoza [D-Chicago] may also be tempted to get in the race, but probably not. Unlike the alderman and Cook County Board Member Maldonado, Mendoza would have to give up her current statehouse seat to run, something which pols are loath to do—unless they have a sure thing. Never give up your base, as they say.

The 4th CD: a geograhpic and ethnic description.

The 4th CD, an Hispanic majority district created in 1992 and altered a bit by the 2001 Redistricting, includes Little Village, Pilsen, Cicero and Back of the Yards on the south side of Chicago and Wicker Park, Bucktown, Logan Square and Humboldt Park on the north side-- and portions of 23 Chicago Wards.

The population of the 4th CD is about 75% Latino, 20% white and 5% African-American. However, in terms of likely voters, it is about 50% Latino, 40% white and 10% black. 75% of the Hispanics are Mexican, 10 % Puerto Rican and 15% other. The whites are substantially yuppie and their preferences will be heard in this race, with Ald. Flores expected to get a good chunk of those votes.

Late breaking news:

The good news for Ald. Flores this morning was that his campaign fundraising efforts for the last quarter easily bested his current Primary rivals [beating Comm. Maldonado by almost 300K and beating Ald. Munoz by more than 350K]. However, the bad news for all the 4th CD wannabees was that the rumor of the last month, or so, that Cong. Gutierrez might reneg on his promise to step down made its way into this morning's paper, with the article referring to a source close to Cong. Gutierrez [See here].
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Topics discussed/debated with Ald. and 4th CD candidate Manny Flores

Healthcare and immigration
Chicago Ald. and 4th Cong. Dist. Democratic Primary Candidate Manny Flores discusses and debates domestic and foreign policy issues with show host and executive Legal Recruiter Jeff Berkowitz. Topics include health care, the No. 1 issue in the 4th CD; how to pay for universal healthcare and the need for a safety net; are not-for-profit hospitals doing their share to care for low income patients; Should the U. S. try to fix the pockets of the health care system that are not working or should we go to a single payer system? Can the healthcare system be fixed in a way that maintains its superior rating for quality while extending its reach to those not currently served.

Other topics discussed include comprehensive immigration reform and why the McCain-Kennedy-Gutierrez (“MKG”) bill failed in Congress. Were the border control provisions in that bill credible? Was the public and congressional debate characterized by divisive or simply spirited rhetoric? Were the majority of Americans disappointed or pleased the MKG bill failed? Is there a way to move forward with immigration reform? Piecemeal instead of comprehensive? Is improved border control necessary simply to protect national security, as well as to provide for a more orderly and legal immigration process?

Have illegal immigrants been “crowding out,” government services for legal immigrants and other U. S. Citizens? Or, do illegal immigrants contribute more in taxes paid than they receive in government services, e.g., education, healthcare, food assistance, etc received?

Should “chain immigration,” be permitted, i.e., an illegal immigrant spouse of a legal immigrant is granted permanent non-resident status and then a path to earned citizenship? Same for children [born outside the U. S.] of a legal immigrant? Grandparents of a legal immigrant? Where should the line be drawn?

What is the best way to improve educational options in low income areas? More tax dollars spent on education? More charter school choice? More school voucher choice? Raise teacher salaries? What does it mean for politicians to be responsible stewards of educational tax dollars?

Other topics discussed include how would Ald. Flores have voted in 2002 regarding authorizing the President to take military action in Iraq? Does Ald. Flores think that the Bush Administration lied about WMD in Iraq or was it just mistaken due to faulty, worldwide intelligence?

What action does Ald. Flores favor with respect to Iraq at this point? Would a U. S. precipitous withdrawal be a de-stabilizing force in the Region? Does Ald. Flores agree with Presidential candidate Edwards that the Global War on Terrorism is simply a bumper sticker? A bumper slogan?

Would Iraq become a safe haven for Al Qaeda if the U. S. were to withdraw most or all of its troops now? Would the Iranian troops in Iraq become much more a problem if the U. S. were to withdraw from Iraq now?

Are environmental and energy self sufficiency issues important in the 4th Cong. Dist. Race? How to wean the country off of foreign oil and how to transform the current economy into a green economy? Should we turn blue collar jobs into green collar jobs?

Will Cong. Gutierrez change his position and seek re-election?

Will people have to drive smaller cars and fewer SUVs in a Cong. Flores world? If China and India are not involved in the energy/environmental changes, is it futile for the U. S. to embark on such a program? Does Cong. Flores favor carbon emission caps?
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A partial transcript of this week's suburban show is included directly, below.

Healthcare services: No.1 issue in the 2008 4th CD race.

Jeff Berkowitz: Let’s go right to the issues. No.1 issue, 4th Cong. Dist. Democratic Primary?

Ald. and 4th CD Dem. Primary Candidate Manny Flores: Well, you have a number of issues—

Jeff Berkowitz: I know you have a number of issues, but give me the No. 1 and then we’ll go to the rest.

Ald. Manny Flores: You are looking at Healthcare as a very important issue.

Jeff Berkowitz: Tops, above everything else?

Ald. Manny Flores: Absolutely, because if you are sick and you don’t have a way to take care of your healthcare costs, where do you go? What happens to you? What happen to your family….
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Single Payer Healthcare System?

Jeff Berkowitz: …Should we change the whole system? Should we move toward a government system because there is a pocket of problems. In other words, should we try to fix that pocket as opposed to saying to 300 million people, the government will be the single payer.

Ald. Manny Flores: I didn’t—

Jeff Berkowitz: You haven’t made a decision yet [on that].

Ald. Manny Flores: That’s why I indicated to you it may not necessarily be the best choice to go with a single payer system.

Jeff Berkowitz: You haven’t decided, yet.

Ald. Manny Flores: I haven’t decided that yet but I do believe that we need some basic safety net. One of the things I am very concerned about is creating a system where you undermine the quality of healthcare in the United States. No doubt about it—there is no doubt that the United States has the best quality of health care available.

Jeff Berkowitz: People come here from all over the world. If they need a specific skill, if they need a sophisticated heart surgery, they need cancer treatment, they don’t go to Cuba—much as people say about it, they come to the United States.

Ald. Manny Flores: That’s right and we want—

Jeff Berkowitz: Best technology. The best innovation in drugs. The best innovation in healthcare services. It’s expensive for those things, but you are saying you don’t want to lose that superior rating.

Ald. Manny Flores: That’s correct. But, we want to make the superior rating available and accessible to Americans, people who live here; people who are paying taxes, people who are hardworking citizens, not just simply for the rich—

Jeff Berkowitz: Well, when you say make it available for Americans, that’s perhaps a good segue—immigration, would that be the No. 2 issue in the 4th CD?
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Ald. and 4th CD Dem. Primary Candidate Manny Flores, as he is airing this week on Public Affairs in 35 Chicago Metro suburbs. [See below for the suburban airing schedule] and as will be airing on Monday, July 23, 2007, 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21, CANTV on the City of Chicago edition of Public Affairs and on Monday, July 23, 2007 at 7:30 pm on Aurora Community Television, on Comcast Cable Ch. 10 in Aurora and some surrounding areas. The show was recorded on July 8, 2007.[You may also go here to watch, soon, Chicago Ald. Manny Flores [D] on PublicAffairsTV.com].
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In twenty-five North Shore, North and Northwest suburbs, the "Public Affairs," show airs every Tuesday night 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 Public Affairs show airs three times each week in its regular slots at 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Ch. 19, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, as indicated, below. ********************************************************
The suburban episode of Public Affairs with guest Chicago Ald. Manny Flores airs Tonight :

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

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

and this week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday night at 8:30 pm, airing on Comcast Cable Channel 19 in Bannockburn, Deerfield, Ft. Sheridan, Glencoe, Highland Park, Highwood, Kenilworth, Lincolnshire, Riverwoods and Winnetka.
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Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com. You may watch "Public Affairs," shows with Presidential Candidates Obama, McCain, Giuliani and Cox and many other pols at www.PublicAffairsTv.com
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Senate Candidate Wintermute [R] takes on Senator Holmes [D]: Cable and streaming soon

Jeff Berkowitz:...And so, if people are trying to get into the charter schools but they can’t because they are on a long waiting list-- doesn’t that seem odd if the charter schools aren’t doing well? Would it be saying parents are stupid? You wouldn’t want to say parents are stupid, would you?

Senate Candidate Terri Ann Wintermute [R-Bolingbrook]: Of course, not. But, I think it comes down to—and my daughter is a second grade teacher—kids need to know the basic reading, writing and arithmetic, especially in their early grades. And, the idea behind charter schools is “Let’s be innovative, let’s look at new ways to educate children.” And, we should always do that, but I think we have to be careful about taking funds from our public schools.
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State Senate Candidate Terri Ann Wintermute [R-Bolingbrook] is the featured guest on tonight’s [July 16] City of Chicago edition of "Public Affairs," airing at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 [CANTV] throughout the City of Chicago. Wintermute is also featured on the Aurora edition of Public Affairs, airing at 7:30 pm in Aurora and some surrounding areas on Aurora Community Television, Comcast Cable Ch. 10. The Aurora station reaches all of Aurora, Bristol, Big Rock and parts of Oswego, Sandwich, Sugar Grove and Montgomery.
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The Republican Senate Seat went Democratic in 2006

State Senate Candidate Terri Ann Wintermute [R-Bolingbrook] ran against now State Senator Linda Holmes [D-Aurora; 42nd Dist.] in 2006 and Wintermute is back for her Fall, 2008 re-match, assuming she wins her February, 2008 primary. As of now, we don't know of any Primary opposition for Wintermute.

The 42nd Dist. senate seat was long held by Republican Senator Ed Petka of Plainfield, who won a circuit court judgeship in the Nov. 7, 2006 election, becoming the first 12th Circuit judge to serve in Will County’s 1st Subcircuit.

Wintermute experience:

Terri Ann Wintermute had been a Will County Board member for 10 years and she chaired the Will County Land Use and Zoning Committee. Wintermute is Secretary-Treasurer to the Board of her family's one hundred employee Chicagoland Quad Cities Express Company.

Tax Pledges, Tax Swaps and “Living within our means.”

Senate Candidate Wintermute debates and discusses with show host and executive legal recruiter Jeff Berkowitz the following questions and topics:

Would Wintermute vote for an increase in the sales or income tax? Would Wintermute take a tax pledge not to raise the sales or income tax? Did Blagojevich make a mockery of his pledge not to raise the sales or general income tax?

Does candidate Wintermute or Senator Holmes support HB 750, the tax Swap?

Is Republican State House Leader Tom Cross saying, "The state must live within its means? Does Cross support an increase in the number of gaming stations at four of the casinos to develop a dedicated revenue stream for a state Capital Budget?

Gaming Expansion, Pay to Play and Senate President Jones

Would Wintermute support an expansion of gaming by one additional casino for the state? Would Senator Holmes support Senate President Jones' proposed expansion of gaming by four additional casinos for the State? Would that gaming expansion diminish jobs for those working in gaming in and around the 42nd District? Was Pay to Play involved in Senate President Jones' decision to support four new casinos?

Would Wintermute support campaign finance reform that would cap contributions by individuals, unions and corporations to state legislative candidates? Restrict contributions to the Governor or candidates running against him by businesses that do business with state agencies under the control of the Governor?

The 51% solution for Education? GRT

Should we follow Wintermute's proposal that 51% of new State revenue go to education? Was that the policy under the George Ryan administration? How many jobs would have been lost in Illinois if the Governor's Gross Receipts tax had been passed? Would the Gross Receipts tax have been completely passed on to consumers? If the answer is yes, how would business firms have been hurt by that tax?

Lifting Caps on Charter Schools?

Would Wintermute support lifting the cap on Charter Schools in the City of Chicago, in the suburbs and downstate? Have the data on charter school effectiveness not been too favorable, as Wintermute suggested? Yet, if charter schools are not effective, why are the waiting lists so long in Illinois to get into them? Should we be careful about taking funds from our public schools, as Wintermute suggested? Does Wintermute support school vouchers? Senator Holmes?

Power costs

Should the freeze of the last decade on Ameren and Comed electric power rates be continued? Or, should Comed and Ameren be permitted to raise their rates in conjunction with the higher rates they are paying to purchase energy.

Gays, Guns, God and Abortion

Is Wintermute Pro-Life? Holmes Pro-Choice on abortion? Would either favor parental notice? Should there be a ban on semi-automatic guns? Do people who hunt deer need semi-automatics?

Would Wintermute support the current ban on discrimination, based on sexual orientation, in housing and employment?

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You can also watch Republican Presidential Primary Candidates McCain, Giuliani and Cox, Democratic Presidential Primary Candidate Obama and many more pols, opinion makers and opinion shapers, e.g., soon tonight's show with Terri Ann Wintermute and soon this week's suburban edition of Public Affairs with 4th Cong. Dist. Democratic Primary candidate and Chicago Ald. Manny Flores and currently prior shows with Senator Martin Sandoval [D-Chicago], MarySue Barrett, President of the Metropolitan Planning Council, Cook County Commissioner Roberto Maldonado [D-Chicago], State Senators Lauzen [R-Aurora] and Syverson [R-Rockford], Republican Campaign Consultants Dan Proft and Dan Curry on your computer by going to PublicAffairsTv.com
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Charter Schools: Good or Bad?

Jeff Berkowitz: …you know a lot of people are big supporters of charter schools…They’re capped. You can only have 30 in the Chicago. 15 in the suburbs, 15 downstate. Should those caps be lifted so you could have more competition from charter schools with the [traditional] public schools. Just have no caps. Let Chicago decide. Let Decatur decide. Let Bolingbrook decide.

Terri Ann Wintermute [Senate Candidate, R-Bolingbrook]: You know, the data on charter schools has really come out not to be too favorable.

Jeff Berkowitz: You don’t think so?

Terri Ann Wintermute: I’m trying to remember what report it was that is supposed to come out, I think, later this year where they are being gauged. And, their progress is being charted.

Jeff Berkowitz: It’s odd, though, because there are these [very long] waiting lists [to get into charter schools]. I have heard people say [what you have said] and there are people who cite studies that say charter schools are doing very well. But, one way of looking at it—if you look at waiting lists to get into charter schools, they are enormous—Mayor Daley, the Mayor of the City of Chicago will tell you that is true. Arne Duncan [the CEO of the Chicago Public Schools] will tell you that. And so, if people are trying to get into the charter schools but they can’t because they are on a long waiting list-- doesn’t that seem odd if the charter schools aren’t doing well? Would it be saying parents are stupid? You wouldn’t want to say parents are stupid, would you?

Terri Ann Wintermute: Of course, not. But, I think it comes down to—and my daughter is a second grade teacher—kids need to know the basic reading, writing and arithmetic, especially in their early grades. And, the idea behind charter schools is “Let’s be innovative, let’s look at new ways to educate children.” And, we should always do that, but I think we have to be careful about taking funds from our public schools.

Republicans and School Vouchers-School Choice.

Jeff Berkowitz: So, you wouldn’t support school vouchers, then?

Terri Ann Wintermute: I do not support school vouchers.

Jeff Berkowitz: Oh, I thought that was sort of a Republican thing—give individuals control, give parents control, you don’t support them?

Terri Ann Wintermute: I don’t support school vouchers.

Jeff Berkowitz: What about your opponent, do you know what
[Senator] Linda Holmes’ position is on that?

Terri Ann Wintermute: I don’t know her position.
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Terri Ann Wintermute: Now, getting back to school vouchers, one thing I wanted to add is that I did say I would support tax credits.

Jeff Berkowitz: The $500 tax credit for public and private school related expenditures by parents?

Terri Ann Wintermute: Yes.

Jeff Berkowitz: But, no school vouchers and no more charter schools, or at least—

Terri Ann Wintermute: I would like to see the final study [on charter schools] that was out and have an opportunity to thoroughly review that.

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Abortion, Bans on Partial Birth Abortion and Parental Notice

Jeff Berkowitz: Abortion, what’s your position on abortion and was it an issue in the last election?

Terri Ann Wintermute: Pro-Life, with the exceptions of rape, incest and the life of the mother.

Jeff Berkowitz: And, what about your opponent, senator Linda Holmes?

Terri Ann Wintermute: Linda Holmes said abortion at any point in the pregnancy, on demand.

Jeff Berkowitz: She would not limit partial birth abortion?

Terri Ann Wintermute: I don’t believe that she said she would. It was [described] on Project Vote Smart.

Jeff Berkowitz: Parental notice, you would favor it?

Terri Ann Wintermute: Yes, absolutely.

Jeff Berkowitz: Senator Holmes would not?

Terri Ann Wintermute: I believe she would not.

Jeff Berkowitz: We’ll find out, if Linda Holmes comes on this show and then we can discuss that.
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Assault Weapons, Semi-automatics and Hunting people and deer

Jeff Berkowitz: What about the state, should there be some state controls on the sale of guns?

Terri Ann Wintermute: I don’t have a problem with the waiting period. I don’t have a problem with registration.

Jeff Berkowitz: Would you like to see a ban on assault weapons?

Terri Ann Wintermute: It depends on what’s on the list?

Jeff Berkowitz: Semi-automatics. How about that? Do we need more semi-automatics out there?

Terri Ann Wintermute: I don’t know that we do.

Jeff Berkowitz: So, you might want to restrict semi-automatics.

Terri Ann Wintermute: It depends—Is it used for hunting? Is it used for sport?

Jeff Berkowitz: Well, you can hunt people or you can hunt deer.

Terri Ann Wintermute: Exactly. Or is it used for hunting people.

Jeff Berkowitz: So, the same gun can be used for multiple things. Do people who hunt deer need semi-automatics? Is that the way it’s done, I don’t know. I am not a hunter.

Terri Ann Wintermute: I don’t know. I think you can—there’s a description of whether it goes into the chamber--

Jeff Berkowitz: Gays-- Senate Bill 101. Would you have supported that?
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State Senate Candidate Terri Ann Wintermute, interviewed on Public Affairs on July 1, 2007 and as is airing tonight in Chicago [8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21] and Aurora and surrounding areas [7:30 pm on ACTV, Comcast Cable Ch. 10], and as will soon be streaming on computer at www.PublicAffairsTv.com
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Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com. You may watch "Public Affairs," shows with Presidential Candidates Obama, McCain, Giuliani and Cox and many other pols at www.PublicAffairsTv.com
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