Better than Thursday night Bears Football: 14th CD Jotham Stein, Cable and Streaming

Jeff Berkowitz: I know you are saying that if you had known there were no weapons of mass destruction, …you would have changed your hypothetical vote, you wouldn’t have voted [in the Fall of 2002] to support taking military action…but are you happy overall that Saddam Hussein is gone and that regime has changed? Are you happier that Saddam Hussein is out of there and that there is a different regime in charge in Iraq?

Jotham Stein (D-St. Charles, 14th CD primary candidate): I am happy that Saddam Hussein is out of there because he was a heinous dictator who killed millions of his own people. I am not happy with the situation that is happening now and we should immediately withdraw our troops from Iraq because leaving those troops in Iraq is making our country weaker, not stronger.
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Jeff Berkowitz: …Would you go toward a single payer system in general for health care?

Jotham Stein: I believe that all Americans-- that all Illinois families and American families should have a universal health care but I do not have a specific delivery mechanism. In other words, there are positives and negatives, there are upsides and downsides to single payer healthcare; there are upsides and downsides of the Massachusetts Plan; there are upsides and downsides of—
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Jotham Stein [St. Charles], 14th Cong. Dist. Democrat Primary Candidate, is featured on tonight's special City of Aurora edition of Public Affairs , airing through-out Aurora and in surrounding areas on Aurora Community Television, Comcast Cable Ch. 10 at 9:30 pm. The Aurora station reaches all of Aurora, Bristol, Big Rock and parts of Oswego, Sandwich, Sugar Grove and Montgomery.

Stein is a Princeton and Stanford Law School grad, a family man and the bulk of his current legal practice is negotiating fast-paced business and employment deals.

If you miss our show on cable with Stein, you may go to www.PublicAffairsTv.com. Com to watch the same show on your computer. You may also watch, at that site, our shows with Presidential candidates and many other politicians, office holders and candidates, including two other primary candidates in the 14th CD: John Laesch (D-Yorkville) and State Senator Chris Lauzen (R-Aurora). Geneva Mayor and 14th CD Republican Primary candidate Kevin Burns is scheduled to be cablecast and stream from the PublicAffairs podcast page in the near future.

For more about tonight’s Public Affairs show with 14th CD Democratic Primary Candidate Jotham Stein, go here. For more about the 14th CD primary races, go here.
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Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com. 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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Durbin, Dodd, Kucinich, Sweeney, Gibbs, Jackson and Schaitberger on Cable and Soon Streaming

Excerpts from This Week’s suburban edition of Public Affairs and relevant prior shows:
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Jeff Berkowitz: You said you saw military progress in al-Anbar Province. What kind of political progress would be sufficient for you to [have the U.S.] stay longer in Iraq than the eight months you contemplate?

Senator Dick Durbin(D-IL): …The only thing that will bring an end to the War in Iraq is when the people of Iraq thru their elected leaders come together…[See here ]to read more of this transcript.
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For some compare and contrast, included, below, are excerpts of statements from two of Senator Durbin’s potential Republican opponents in next fall’s general election, as they stated their positions on previous “Public Affairs,” shows :
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Jeff Berkowitz: … So, even though there is progress in al-Anbar Province, and perhaps elsewhere, what gives you the confidence to see that this is going to turn around and those car bombings will eventually stop.

Dr. Steve Sauerberg [U.S. Senate Primary candidate; R-Willowbrook]: Well, I think you have seen progress. When two fairly liberal people from the Brookings Institution go to Iraq and they come back and say there is progress, then there is progress…[See here] to read and watch more.
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Jim Nalepa [Potential Republican Primary 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? [See here] to read and watch more.
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Cong. Kucinich [D-Ohio]: I mean, when you vote 90% of the time for a war, you can’t really say that you oppose the war. I mean this is Chicago, we’re in Chicago. I want you to go to a Chicago ward club and see if this passes the straight-faced test: you tell someone, “I am against the War,” and you vote for it, vote for funding it 90% of the time.” You would get laughed out of a Ward club with that proposition.

Jeff Berkowitz: So, you are saying that Obama, Edwards and Clinton can’t say they truly oppose the Iraq War. Is that your point? [See here] to read more
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Jeff Berkowitz: Would you repeal all the Bush tax cuts?

Senator Chris Dodd [D-CT]: Yeah, I think I would—the ones that I know about anyway[But see later part of this transcript] and certainly do a different job on the estate tax than he is doing.

Jeff Berkowitz: Would that be a tax increase for those with incomes over— [See here ]to read more
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This week’s Chicago metro suburban edition of Public Affairs features an initial statement from Senator Dick Durbin [D-IL] and follow-up Q&A with the Senator, as well as Q&A with Presidential candidates Senator Dodd [D-CT] and Cong. Kucinich [D-OH], Rev. and former Presidential candidate Jesse Jackson, AFL-CIO President John Sweeney, Obama for America Communications Director Robert Gibbs and Int’l Ass’n of Fire Fighters President Harold Schaitberger [whose union, coincidentally, endorsed Senator Dodd for President, today] and a cameo appearance walk by Elizabeth Harper Kucinich to add a little sizzle to the last portion of the Q&A with her husband.

Virtually all of the questioning on the show is from Jeff Berkowitz, Host and Producer of “Public Affairs,” but Mary Frances Bragiel [WBBM 780 AM Radio, first question asked] and an unidentfied reporter have cameo appearances in the Q&A with Senator Durbin.

See below for the Public Affairs suburban airing schedule.

The segment with Senator Durbin was filmed at a press conference held by the Senator on August 11, 2007 in front of the Vietnam War Memorial in the Chicago Loop. The press conference, which dealt in large part with the Iraq War, but also with other foreign policy issues, airs in its entirety. The other interviews were all held in the Spin Room at Soldier Field in Chicago, IL after the AFL-CIO Democratic Presidential Debate on August 7, 2007. Public Affairs thanks the Democratic Party and the AFL-CIO for providing candidates and spinners, alike, for interviews.

August is a slow month for domestic and foreign policy. That’s why all of the above referenced Q&As are just as relevant today as the day they occurred and will probably still be relevant, in the case of the Durbin segment, until the White House and General Petraeus issue their respective reports in mid-September about the status of military and political progress in Iraq. The "dog days," nature of August is one reason why you never roll out a new product in August, unless you are a candidate in the 14th CD and you want to get going. Indeed, the non-Iraq War Q&A probably has a shelf life of about six months, demonstrating once again the “Classic,” and enduring nature of the questioning, if not answers, on Public Affairs.
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The show with Senator Durbin, et al also airs through-out the City of Chicago this coming Monday night [September 3] at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 [CANTV] and on Thursday, Sep. 6, 2007 at 7:30 pm on Aurora Community Television, on Comcast Cable Ch. 10 in Aurora and some surrounding areas. The Aurora station reaches all of Aurora, Bristol, Big Rock and parts of Oswego, Sandwich, Sugar Grove and Montgomery. The change to Thursday night instead of Monday night next week in Aurora and surrounding areas, for the airing of "Public Affairs," is due to special programming requirements on Labor Day.
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BTW, Jotham Stein, candidate in the 14th CD Democratic Primary, airs this Thursday night (Aug. 30), in a special airing of Public Affairs, at 9:30 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 Senators Durbin and Dodd, Cong. Kucinich, et al streaming on your computer at PublicAffairsTV.com. In addition to the soon to be posted Durbin, et al show , recently posted shows on the podcast page feature Democratic Presidential Candidates Senator Barack Obama and Governor Richardson; possible Republican opponents to Senator Durbin next fall: Dr. Steve Sauerberg and Jim Nalepa; and 14 TH Cong. Dist. Democratic Primary Candidates Jotham Stein and John Laesch. Additional previously posted shows feature Presidential candidates Giuliani, McCain and Cox, and many other pols and opinion makers.
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The airing schedule for the suburban edition of "Public Affairs," is included directly, below.
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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 U. S. Senator Dick Durbin, et al 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 tonight 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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Dr. Steve Sauerberg, U.S. Senate Candidate, Republican Primary : ...[I]f we are unwilling to stay in Iraq, are we also unwilling to stay in Afghanistan? Will we give that country back to militant Islam, as well...
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Dr. Steve Sauerberg, U.S. Senate Candidate in the Republican Primary, is featured on Tonight's City of Chicago edition of Public Affairs. The show airs throughout the City of Chicago at 8:30 pm, Cable Ch. 21.

Dr. Sauerberg is also featured on tonight's City of Aurora edition of Public Affairs , airing through-out Aurora and in some surrounding areas on Aurora Community Television, Comcast Cable Ch. 10 at 7:30 pm. The Aurora station reaches all of Aurora, Bristol, Big Rock and parts of Oswego, Sandwich, Sugar Grove and Montgomery.

Also airing this week in Aurora, Bristol, Big Rock and parts of Oswego, Sandwich, Sugar Grove and Montgomery is Jotham Stein, a candidate in the 14th Cong. Dist. Democratic Primary. That show airs this Thursday night at 9:30 pm on Aurora Community Television, Comcast Cable Ch. 10.

If you miss tonight's show on cable with U. S. Senate Candidate Sauerberg or Thursday night's show with 14th CD candidate Jotham Stein [D-St. Charles], you can Go here to watch either show on your computer.
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Jeff Berkowitz: …The point is, do you see this turning around because every day people turn on their television set and they see another car bombing where 30, 50, 80, civilian Iraqis are killed by Al Qaeda or by other terrorists. So, even though there is progress in al-Anbar Province, and perhaps elsewhere, what gives you the confidence to see that this is going to turn around and those car bombings will eventually stop.

Dr. Steve Sauerberg [U.S. Senate candidate; R-Willowbrook]: Well, I think you have seen progress. When two fairly liberal people from the Brookings Institution go to Iraq and they come back and say there is progress, then there is progress. I think you have to understand that if we leave there, the chance of genocide and disaster is real. And, if we suggest to our enemies that we are unwilling to work through this in Iraq, when we have left there, they will all head off to Afghanistan. And, if we are unwilling to stay in Iraq, are we also unwilling to stay in Afghanistan? Will we give that country back to militant Islam, as well. And, now we’ve got probably a worse situation than we started with on 9/11. These countries will be chaotic. They will be wonderful places for Al Qaeda to start training bases. They will start to target us again here. And, I think that’s a disaster for America.
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Dr. Steve Sauerberg, Republican Primary U. S. Senate candidate, interviewed on Public Affairs on August 12, 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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For additional partial transcripts of tonight's show and more about the topics and questions for tonight's show with Dr. Sauerberg, go here .
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This week's suburban edition of Public Affairs features, coincidentally enough, a press conference with Democratic incumbent U. S. Senator Dick Durbin, against whom Sauerberg hopes to run in 2008. In addition to Senator Durbin, this week's suburban edition of Public Affairs also features Presidential candidates Senator Dodd [D-CT] and Cong. Kucinich [D-OH], as well as Robert Gibbs, Obama for America communications director; AFL-CIO President John Sweeney, a cameo walk by Elizabeth Harper Kucinich and others.
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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

Berkowitz, McGovern and Dudley join Spitzer on WBEZ on Monday morning and Monday evening

Updated and Revised on Monday at 2:10 pm
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If you miss the show in the morning or evening, don't fret; you can listen to it now at the Eight Forty-Eight audio library.
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Listen to Eight Forty-Eight tomorrow [Monday] morning or evening to learn about where the GOP is and where it is going, or not going. The popular, informative and entertaining radio magazine format program [consisting of news, politics, culture, and public policy segments] will be hosted by Gabriel Spitzer, who has the tough task of "sitting in," eighty percent of the time for one of the most versatile and smartest radio personalities in the City, Steve Edwards. Edwards is on leave studying and getting even smarter at the University of Michigan for the next ten months. The Eight Forty-Eight Chicago Public Radio program airs every weekday from 9:00 am to 10:00 am on WBEZ, 91.5 FM radio and the morning show is repeated every weekday evening at 8:00 pm.

Monday's second segment of the show, running about 15 minutes [starting about 9:10 am and 8:10 pm], following an interview with downstate Congressman Ray LaHood [R-Peoria, 18th Dist], who is not seeking re-election, focuses on the State of the State GOP and to a much lesser extent on the National GOP. Jeff Berkowitz joins in that segment Republican operatives Christine Dudley and John McGovern. Berkowitz, Dudley and McGovern should provide intelligent, balanced observations, insights and political analysis under the direction of Gabriel Spitzer. Berkowitz, of course, can be expected to be the white line down the middle of the road, aka fairandbalanced.

Behind the scenes on Eight Forty-Eight, doing her usual excellent job, is producer Kristin Moo-- who has mastered the job in the short time-- a year or two--she has been there. Moo, in pre-show prep, asks the panelists all the right questions so she can help set up the tone and substance of the show. Of course, Gabriel Spitzer will surely put it all together, with skill and style.

If you miss the show in the morning or evening, don't fret; you can listen to it now at the Eight Forty-Eight audio library.
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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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Durbin Meets the Press, i.e., Berkowitz

Jeff Berkowitz: You said you saw military progress in al-Anbar Province. What kind of political progress would be sufficient for you to [have the U.S.] stay longer in Iraq than the eight months you contemplate?

Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL): My feeling is that General Petraeus said (I met with him) we can’t win this war militarily. We could send in every available soldier in America and it wouldn’t bring an end to the war in Iraq. The only thing that will bring an end to the War in Iraq is when the people of Iraq thru their elected leaders come together. There is only so much we can do as outsiders. We are an occupation force. We have to really trust the Iraqi people will move forward through their leadership. I have virtually no confidence in al-Maliki, the [Iraq] Prime Minister. He has not demonstrated to me or to the American people that he could bring that nation together. The reality is that if we were to try to pick a successor, that person is going to be branded as the American sponsored, Bush sponsored, leader. That would probably doom his opportunity to lead, so it is a terrible situation, way beyond the vision that President Bush sold us, sold some of us. [But, See here].
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Senator Dick Durbin, partial transcript of a press conference held by him on August 11, 2007, in front of the Vietnam War Memorial in the Chicago Loop. The press conference will be airing in its entirety on the Chicago Metro suburban edition of Public Affairs this coming week. That Public Affairs show will also include short interviews by show host Jeff Berkowitz of Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT); Cong. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH); AFL-CIO President John Sweeney, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Obama for America Communications Director Robert Gibbs and Harold Schaitberger, Int’l Ass’n of Fire Fighters President.
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For additonal partial transcripts of this coming week's Chicago metro suburban edition of Public Affairs with Jeff Berkowitz, go here and here.
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Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com. 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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Jotham Stein, 14th CD Dem Primary candidate, on cable and streaming

Jotham Stein [St. Charles], 14th Cong. Dist. Democrat Primary Candidate, is featured on tonight's special City of Aurora edition of Public Affairs , airing through-out Aurora and in surrounding areas on Aurora Community Television, Comcast Cable Ch. 10 at 9:30 pm. The Aurora station reaches all of Aurora, Bristol, Big Rock and parts of Oswego, Sandwich, Sugar Grove and Montgomery.

Due to logistical problems, the Aurora edition of Public Affairs did not air in its usual time slot, earlier this week, on Monday at 7:30 pm on ACTV-10. We regret any inconvenience for our viewers.

However, in addition to tonight’s make up airing, the show with Jotham Stein will also air in the City of Aurora and in surrounding areas a week from tonight, Aug. 30, at 9:30 pm on Comcast Cable Ch. 10.

Stein is a Princeton and Stanford Law School grad, a family man and the bulk of his current legal practice is negotiating fast-paced business and employment deals.

If you miss our shows on cable with Stein, you may go to www.PublicAffairsTv.com. Com to watch the same show on your computer. You may also watch, at that site, our shows with Presidential candidates and many other politicians, office holders and candidates.

For more about tonight’s Public Affairs show with 14th CD Democratic Primary Candidate Jotham Stein, go here. For more about the 14th CD primary races, go here.
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Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com. 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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Score one for Cong. Mark Kirk

It has been almost three decades since then Cong. Ab Mikva held the 10th CD seat for the Democrats. [See here] Republican John Porter won the seat in 1979 in a special election to replace Mikva, after President Carter appointed Mikva to a D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals judgeship.

After Porter held the 10th CD seat for 21 years, his former Chief of Staff, Mark Kirk, continued the Republican tradition when he won the seat in 2000. Now, it looks like the Democrats may have been a bit premature in anticipating the take back of the 10th Cong. Seat in 2008.

Remember, by the time Kirk got to the general election in 2000, he was the veteran of many forums, after a bruising win in a ten-candidate primary that included, among others, a professional wrestler. Kirk’s opponent, former State Rep. Lauren Beth Gash, who had no contested primary—may, as a result not have been battle ready-- and that could have been the difference in her two point loss, that followed thirty-three, or so, general election forums.

Perhaps due to weak opponents and then perhaps due to someone thinking he should avoid the Anti-War boo birds, Kirk “played it safe,” and in large part avoided open community forums, townhall meetings and debates with his opponents during the last few years.

Last fall, when Kirk held onto to the seat with a six-point margin of victory over Democrat Dan Seals [who is running again], it looked like Kirk was on the run. In his only debate of the campaign, an October 26, 2006 event, Kirk seemed rusty relative to his challenger, and he probably lost the debate on style and technique points. In short, Kirk, after six years in Congress, appeared to have lost the edge he came in with.

Last night, 7th year Cong. Mark Steven Kirk [R-Highland Park, 10th CD] held a townhall meeting at the Palatine Township office. For the first 50 minutes or so of last night’s town meeting, it looked like the 2006 Kirk campaign was repeating itself. Kirk made short statements on Iraq and Iran and then touched on some minor issues, but devoted a great deal of time to bashing BP for its plans to increase its pollution of Lake Michigan. Kirk even had an expert on hand on the BP contemplated increase in pollution and it looked like Cong. Kirk might run out the clock before anyone could raise Iraq.

However, a small group of anti-war protesters in attendance forced the Iraq war issue. And, Kirk stood his ground and did fine. Yes, of the one hundred fifteen, or so, individuals in attendance, the hall was dominated, no doubt, by Republicans from Palatine friendly to Kirk. They were upset about illegal immigrants and Kirk’s strong stance on border control pleased them. And, so did, apparently, his strong stance on blocking BP from further pollution of Lake Michigan. And, they probably liked what he was saying about Metra, transportation funds and assistance for his District.

Somewhat surprisingly, Kirk took the military option off the table for dealing with Iran and that seemed to go down with most in attendance, too.

But, then the protestors said enough of that stuff; let’s get to the War. Judging by the applause and crowd noise, the protestors numbered between fifteen and thirty people. In any case, Kirk said, “Let’s be civil,” but okay, let’s have a conversation.

And, they did. Civil and thoughtful, all around: Kirk supporters, anti-war protestors and others, for about an hour. In response to a question, Cong. Mark Kirk explained that he did not raise electoral issues when he visited with the President in May, 2007 about Iraq. When the issue of those military personnel who had died in Iraq was personalized by the protestors, Kirk discussed his feelings of pain and appreciation for those who had made the ultimate sacrifice .

Cong. Kirk, as an 18-year naval reserve officer, wears this country’s uniform, so those are his “brothers and sisters who are dying,” and he made clear he truly feels the pain of their families and friends. Kirk said he knows how tough it is for military members to put their parents and loved ones through the agony of fearing that knock on their door with news of their death, but that members of the military do this for love of country.

Kirk explained to the protesters that he would not support a timetable for withdrawal because he did not want the “opponents of the United States to know exactly when they can prevail.” Kirk went on to argue that, “As we leave Iraq, we should do everything we can to make sure we never have to go back; two wars in Iraq are enough.” [But, see here and here].

Cong. Kirk also outlined the support Iran is giving to Hezbollah and Hamas and the efforts he supports to cut off that financial support, even though he does not support a military effort against Iran. There did not appear to be a lot of supporters in the room for Hezbollah, Hamas and Iran.

There was one anti-war protestor who gave a brief defense of the President of Iran, arguing Ahmadinejad didn’t really say that he wanted to “wipe Israel off the face of the map” But, then the protestor conceded Ahmadinejad, "is a jerk." The anti-war protestors, or their fearless leaders, may want to jettison this guy from their group before their next rally. He won’t win many votes for the Democrat choice in the 10th CD, whether it is Dan Seals or Jay Footlik.

All in all, it was a good outing for Kirk. And, actually, he looked better than if the anti-war protestors hadn’t shown up. Whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger and those in the audience had to notice the strength.

Sure, one swallow does not a spring make. Further, some of Kirk’s opponents in the crowd were filming the event and some footage on youtube might rally the Democratic troops. But, Kirk’s team was filming, too, and their own footage will rally their troops.

John Kerry won the 10th CD 53-47 in 2004 and the District may now be even more Democratic. Further, a lot of Kirk’s fate in 2008 depends on the national mood and the Presidential election. Moreover, when he faces an opponent in the hall instead of some protestors in the room, the debate could get sharper and tougher. However, if he does hold on in 2008, a lot of people are going to say Cong. Mark Steven Kirk went on the right track on a sultry, rainy evening in Palatine, IL on August 22, 2007. You can make book on it.
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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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Can Sauerberg beat Durbin: Cable and Streaming

Dr. Steve Sauerberg: …If you are going to do this [school vouchers] in Chicago, which I don’t think is totally unreasonable, then you need to put a pilot [school voucher] program up in Chicago, and see how it goes. Milwaukee is not Chicago...
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Jeff Berkowitz: So, you could see yourself confirming for the Supreme Court a judge who is avowedly pro-Choice?

Dr. Steve Sauerberg: It could happen.

Jeff Berkowitz: Or pro-Life?
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This week’s suburban edition of Public Affairs features Dr. Steve Sauerberg [R-Willowbrook], candidate in the Republican Primary to be that Party's U. S. Senate nominee to run against Democrat U. S. Senator Dick Durbin, seeking his third term. The airing schedule for the suburban edition of “Public Affairs,” is included, below.
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The show with Dr. Sauerberg also airs through-out the City of Chicago this coming Monday night [August 27] at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 [CANTV] and on Monday, Aug. 27, 2007 at 7:30 pm on Aurora Community Television, on Comcast Cable Ch. 10 in Aurora and some surrounding areas. The Aurora station reaches all of Aurora, Bristol, Big Rock and parts of Oswego, Sandwich, Sugar Grove and Montgomery.
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You may also watch the show with Dr. Sauerberg streaming on your computer at PublicAffairsTV.com. In addition to the Sauerberg show, recently posted shows on the podcast page include shows with Democratic Presidential Candidates Senator Barack Obama and Governor Richardson and 14 TH Cong. Dist. Democratic Primary Candidates Jotham Stein and John Laesch. Previously posted shows feature Ald. Manny Flores, who is still running in the 4th Cong. Dist. Democratic Primary "for now," even though Cong. Luis Gutierrez has announced that he is running for at least one more term; Presidential candidates Richardson, Obama, Giuliani, McCain and Cox, and many other pols and opinion makers.
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Another potential credible candidate to get the Republican Party U. S. Senate nomination to run against the incumbent Democrat Senior Senator from Illinois, Dick Durbin, is Jim Nalepa, who has formed an exploratory committee for the Senate run. Nalepa almost beat former 3rd CD Democrat Cong. Bill Lipinski when Nalepa ran against him in 1994. [Watch Nalepa here].
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Next week's suburban edition of Public Affairs features, coincidentally enough, Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL),along with Presidential candidates Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Cong. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), Robert Gibbs, Communications Director, Obama for America and so, so much more.
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A partial transcript of this week's suburban edition of Public Affairs is included, below:
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Dr. Steve Sauerberg: …If you are going to do this [school vouchers] in Chicago, which I don’t think is totally unreasonable, then you need to put a pilot [school voucher] program up in Chicago, and see how it goes. Milwaukee is not Chicago. [Berkowitz had argued that Milwaukee and Cleveland are two examples of cities that had successfully implemented school voucher programs]

Jeff Berkowitz: So, you would favor the federal government perhaps providing some seed money for a pilot program in Chicago for school vouchers-school choice?

Dr. Steve Sauerberg: I have no problem with that.
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Jeff Berkowitz: As a senator, you are going to have a choice in confirmation of judges. Would you have a litmus test? Would it matter to you whether the judge [wannabe] wanted to overturn Roe v. Wade or the judge [wannabe] supported Roe v. Wade?

Dr. Steve Sauerberg: I don’t think it is appropriate to have a litmus test on any specific issue.

Jeff Berkowitz: Including that. So, you could see yourself—

Dr. Steve Sauerberg: Including that. That’s just not appropriate. That’s not the way judges should be chosen.

Jeff Berkowitz: So, you could see yourself confirming for the Supreme Court a judge who is avowedly pro-Choice?

Dr. Steve Sauerberg: It could happen.

Jeff Berkowitz: Or pro-Life?

Dr. Steve Sauerberg: Who knows.
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Dr. Steve Sauerberg, Republican Primary 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, August 27, 2007, 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21, CANTV on the City of Chicago edition of Public Affairs and on Monday, August 27, 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 August 12, 2007.[You may also go here to watch Dr. Sauerberg on PublicAffairsTV.com].
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Topics and questions discussed in the suburban edition of this week's "Public Affairs," show with Dr. Sauerberg are listed below. Republican Primary U. S. Senate candidate Steve Sauerberg debates and discusses the issues with show host and executive legal recruiter Jeff Berkowitz.

1. Can Dr. Steve Sauerberg, who has had a family medical practice for the last twenty-two years, make the transition to the U.S. Senate?

2. Is America upset with the Democratic controlled Congress? More so than with President Bush?

3. Can Republican Sauerberg run as an outsider, given that the Republican Party has controlled the Executive and Legislative Branches for most of the 2000-2006 time period?

4. Is the Iraq War the current dominant issue? More so than Immigration and Health Care?

5. Was there a change in U. S. military strategy in Iraq earlier this year?

6. If so, is that new U.S. strategy working?

7. If the U. S. is unwilling to stay in Iraq, will it also be unwilling to stay in Afghanistan?

8. Will it be a disaster for America if it leaves Iraq? If it stays in Iraq?

9. Does Sauerberg see light at the end of the Iraq War tunnel?

10. Was Cong. Kirk right to characterize the recent U.S.-Iraq performance as "decidedly mixed"?

11. If Sauerberg had been in the Senate in the Fall of 2002 and knew what he knew as a citizen, would he have voted for the so-called Iraq War Powers resolution?

12. Was Sauerberg glad to see the recently proposed congressional comprehensive immigration reform bill die?

13. Would Sauerberg consider an earned path to citizenship for the 12 million illegal immigrants currently in the U. S.?

14. Would Sauerberg favor a fence across the U. S. southern border?

15. Would Sauerberg favor the U. S. government promoting charter schools and school vouchers?

16. Do we have any idea how well school vouchers work, when implemented?

17. Would Sauerberg have favored the Bush tax cuts in 2001, 2003? Does he support making them permanent?

18. Would Sauerberg raise taxes on anyone? The “super wealthy,”? What does that phrase mean?

19. What, if anything, to do about those who do not have health insurance?

20. How would Sauerberg change, if at all, the U.S. healthcare system?

21. Does Sauerberg favor caps on medical malpractice damage awards obtained at trials?

22. How often has Sauerberg been sued in his role as a family practice doctor?

23. Is Sauerberg pro-Life or pro-Choice with respect to abortion?

24. Does Sauerberg favor parental notice? The ban on partial birth abortion that was recently upheld by the U. S. Supreme Court?

25. Does Sauerberg want to reduce the number of abortions? How?

26. Would Sauerberg have any litmus tests for the confirmation of U. S. Supreme Court judges?

27. Would Sauerberg have supported the prior U. S. assault weapon ban?

28. Would Sauerberg support a ban on discrimination against gays, lesbians, transgenders and bi-sexuals in housing and employment? Favor same sex marriage?
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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 Republican Primary U. S. Senate candidate Dr. Steve Sauerberg airs :

tonightat 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 tonight 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.
***********************************************
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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Jeff Berkowitz: …Would you repeal those Bush tax cuts?

Jotham Stein: I would repeal the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy. I think they were unfair—

Jeff Berkowitz: Does that mean anybody with an income above $150,000 is getting an income tax increase?

Jotham Stein: I would cut them for people with an income above $200,000 because those tax cuts were paid for [by] what? on the backs of the middle class. They took from social security. They increased the deficit. They were blatantly unfair.
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On Friday morning, Former Speaker and current 14th Cong. Dist. Congressman J. Dennis Hastert announced he is hanging them up at the end of this term, if not before. See here. One of at least three Democrats vying for the opportunity to run for the 14th Cong. Dist. seat in Nov. 2008, Stanford Law School and Princeton grad Jotham Stein, is featured on Tonight's City of Chicago edition of Public Affairs. The show airs throughout the City of Chicago at 8:30 pm, Cable Ch. 21.

Jotham Stein is also featured on tonight's City of Aurora edition of Public Affairs , airing through-out Aurora and in some surrounding areas on Aurora Community Television, Comcast Cable Ch. 10 at 7:30 pm. The Aurora station reaches all of Aurora, Bristol, Big Rock and parts of Oswego, Sandwich, Sugar Grove and Montgomery.

If you miss tonight's show on cable with Stein, Go here to watch the show on your computer.

This week's suburban edition of Public Affairs features Dr. Steve Sauerberg, who is running in the Republican Primary for the right to take on Senator Dick Durbin in November, 2008. Sauerberg, who has already put 250K of his own wealth into his race and contemplates putting in at least a million dollars of his own net worth into his Senate race, is featured in next Monday night's City of Chicago and Aurora editions of Public Affairs.

Additionally, you can watch Sauerberg's show here.

Tonight's show topics include the following:

1. How would Stein have voted on the so-called “Iraq War Powers Resolution,” in the Fall of 2002?
2. Did the Coalition forces win the War by removing Saddam Hussein from power?
3. Does Iraq have natural or artificial borders?
4. Does Jordan have natural or artificial borders?
5. Would a “soft partition,” of Iraq work?
6. Should the U. S. be involved in nation building?
7. What would Woodrow Wilson say and do about Iraq?
8. Was there an absence of a democratic history in Iraq? If so, is that a major barrier to establishing or building a democracy in Iraq now?
9. What is the significance, if any, of a significant presence of Al Qaeda in Iraq now and most likely for the last few years.
10. Should the U. S. pursue comprehensive immigration reform now? In 2009?
11. Should the U. S. issue many more temporary immigrant/worker visas than is now the case?
12. Should the U. S. build a fence/wall/solid barrier across the entire southern border?
13. Should the U. S. make use of unmanned drones as part of its border control policy?
14. Should immigrants and others be required to carry biometric cards to establish to employers that they are who they purport to be?
15. Should the U. S. government endeavor to promote innovation in business?
16. Should the U. S. have universal health care? What does that mean?
17. Should the U. S. health care system have a single payer?
18. Should we repeal the Bush income tax cuts? If so, at what annual income? Anything above a 200K annual salary?
19. Should we have a federal law that guarantees all minors in the U. S. food and health care?
20. Do we need a plan to address global warming?
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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

The Fat Lady has sung: Coach Hastert is out. Let the 14th CD Games begin

Revised slightly on Friday at 9:00 pm and on Saturday at 10:30 pm, See below re staffing: Jeff Davis worked on the Jack Ryan 2004 U. S. Senate campaign, but not on the campaign of Jack Ryan's replacement Republican nominee, Alan Keyes. Public Affairs regrets the error.

Coach Hastert hangs up his spikes

The Fat Lady sung this morning at the Kendall County Courthouse. The accidental, but longest serving Republican Speaker of the U. S. House, hung up his spikes today--as his mentee, Republican Illinois House Leader Tom Cross put it. Former Speaker, High School wrestling coach and Cong. J. Dennis Hastert [R-Batavia, 14th CD] will not seek re-election in 2008 and there is speculation he will not serve out the remainder of this term. [See here and here].

Hastert Endorsement

Reliable sources suggest Hastert is “leaning,” toward endorsing the wealthy dairyman and Investment Fund entrepreneur Jim Oberweis (Sugar Grove), perhaps as the lesser of what the former third-in-line to be President views as “several evils,” [See, below], or at least not totally satisfactory candidates to replace him. That is, the Republican field already includes conservative State Senator Chris Lauzen (R-Aurora)-- who has filed the appropriate papers to permit him to raise money, as has conservative Jim Oberweis and as will, if he has not already done so, said to be moderate Republican Mayor Kevin Burns of Geneva. If Hastert does endorse a candidate, it is not expected to come for a while.

Another Classic Conservative Split?

There is also the possibility of other Republicans filing. However, with the field as it is, Mayor Burns is hoping for a classic split by the conservatives to allow him to win in a Republican Primary that should be dominated by conservative voters. Burns has raised money professionally for others and he is confident he can do it for himself. Of course, the above scenario assumes no additional moderates enter to divide Burn’s vote. Others argue there simply aren’t enough moderate Republican primary voters in the 14th CD to come close to electing Burns—assuming he is a “moderate.”

Lauzen’s Reputation

Lauzen has a track record of fifteen years of conservative votes in the Illinois Senate, a record of exercising independence from the Party’s so-called leaders when he thought it was appropriate and he is well respected, in general, in the Illinois conservative community. Indeed, it is Lauzen’s independence from Illinois “Party leaders,” that, among other things, has troubled Hastert. Coach Hastert might call it a lack of “team spirit.” On the other hand, it is that same independence that stands Lauzen in good stead with the Illinois conservative community. You can watch Senator Lauzen here.

Also on Lauzen's resume is that he was one of the Fab 5: Five "fabulous state senators," who entered the Illinois senate in 1992, each of whom was identified with or appreciative of the virtues of free enterprise and small business. In addition to Lauzen, they were Peter Fitzgerald, Pat O'Malley, Steve Rauschenberger and Dave Syverson.

Peter Fitzgerald went on to become an icon for Illinois conservative Republicans, serving only one term in the U. S. Senate but being responsible for cleaning up a great deal of Cook County and Chicago public corruption with his successful drive to bring in an outsider, Patrick Fitzgerald, as the U. S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. Patrick O'Malley gave up his seat to run, unsuccessfully, for his Party's nomination for Governor, as did Steve Rauschenberger for Lt. Gov., but both continue to be well respected by Illinois conservatives, and perhaps by Republicans more generally. Dave Syverson [R-Rockford], now serving in his 15th year, continues to be a well-respected state senator. You will no doubt be hearing more about the Fab 5 in Lauzen's campaign.

Senator Lauzen also thinks he can raise sufficient money to get his message out. This could be a tough challenge. He surely was not able to raise the necessary funds to keep up with Dan Hynes in Lauzen’s 1998 general election campaign for State Comptroller, which Democrat Hynes won fairly easily. Of course, that was a statewide campaign against someone said to have pretty strong support from the then healthy Chicago Democratic Party machine. This is a congressional race, for which Lauzen’s senate district is a much more important base than was the case in 1998. A very different race, Lauzen would no doubt argue.

Oberweis’ wealth

Oberweis, with a net worth estimated a few years ago to be in excess of fifty million dollars, has filed election papers indicating he “intends to spend two and half million dollars,” in his primary and the same amount in the general election, if he wins the Primary. That would be a level of generosity to his own campaign that Jim Oberweis has not exhibited in his three, losing statewide Republican primaries in the last five years.

And, the five million dollars does not include the Oberweis ice cream store TV ads that have been running recently and featuring Jim Oberweis. Money, or more accurately wealth, matters, although it is not always decisive. Talk to, among others, once upon a time would be U. S. Senator from California Michael Huffington,who lost the race, lost his wife [or did he?] and lost tens of millions of dollars, not even counting what his divorce cost him.

Oberweis’ reputation

In Oberweis’ first U. S. Senate run in 2002, he had a rocky start on the abortion issue, upsetting many in the Pro-Life community with his statements and perhaps his announced position on the abortion issue. Since then, he has exhibited more of a consistently culturally conservative position, albeit upsetting some Republican establishment figures, like Bush and Hastert, with his vocal, anti-illegal immigration views. Some suggest those views are anti-immigration views, as well. Oberweis vehemently denies that assertion.

Further, his immigration views and other actions suggest a certain amount of independence by Oberweis from the National and State Party establishment. Indeed, he has openly described himself in the past as an outsider, who resists the notion of being or becoming a “politician.” All of that may, at the end of the day, keep Hastert neutral and uninvolved in the 2008 Republican Primary.

Staffing up.

Oberweis is staffing up, with David From and Brad Hahn of Burnham Strategies, signing onto Team Oberweis. From and Hahn are former Hastert staffers, helping to fuel some of the speculation of a future Hastert endorsement of Oberweis. That speculation is fueled, as well, by the fact that Hastert did endorse Oberweis in his first U. S. Senate primary race in 2002 and by the long standing differences that have characterized the Hastert-Lauzen relationship.

Bill Pascoe and Jeff Davis of the Victory Media Group have also signed onto the Oberweis campaign to be a General Consultant to the Campaign and to be involved in media production services for the campaign. Both Pascoe and Davis worked, in addition to many other political campaigns, on the Jack Ryan U. S. Senate Campaign in 2004. Davis worked on both the Jack Ryan Republican Primary win and on Jack Ryan's short-lived general election campaign. Pascoe was involved with Ryan's short-lived general election campaign, but not the Primary. Both Pascoe and Davis continue, with Dan Proft, as principals in Urqhart Media.

The Democrat Field

Of course, all of the Republican candidates are surely perceived by Republican Cong. Hastert as much less “evil,” than the three 14th CD Democratic Primary candidates: Jotham Stein, John Laesch and Bill Foster. In politics, evil is a relative concept, both within and across political parties.

Stein on Cable and Streaming

You can watch lawyer Jotham Stein on your computer and watch him this Monday night on “Public Affairs,” at 7:30 pm on ACTV-10 in Aurora, and surrounding areas and in Chicago at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21; Stein, a Princeton and Stanford Law School grad, lives down the road from Geneva Mayor Burns, just across the border in St. Charles. It’s a small world.

Laesch Streaming

Hastert’s opponent from 2006, John Laesch (Yorkville) [Watch here], is running again. Laesch is a military vet with counter-terrorism experience and a specialty in Middle- Eastern intelligence work. In 2006, Laesch won a competitive primary and then held Hastert to 60%, Hastert’s worst margin of victory since he won election to the District in 1986 with 52% of the vote. Not bad for a relatively young candidate with little experience, organization and resources. On the other hand, 2006 was, of course, a terrible year, nationally, for the Republican Party and Cong. Hastert was hit with the allegations that he was partially responsible for the House Page scandal.

Foster, a Democrat with big bucks to match Oberweis?

Multi-millionaire, physicist and entrepreneur Bill Foster rounds out the Democratic Primary field, for now. Foster has not appeared on “Public Affairs,” but we anticipate he will do so in the reasonably near future, as we anticipate will Jim Oberweis.

At the end of the day, as they say, Cong. Hastert is officially not a 2008 candidate and it looks like the 14th CD has at least six candidates vying to replace him. Let the games begin. We've already thrown out the first hardball
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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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Hastert’s decision and is anyone editing the Chicago Sun-Times?

Reporting yesterday on tomorrow morning’s announcement by Former Speaker Hastert as to whether he will hang them up at the end of this term, Chicago Sun-Times Columnist Lynn Sweet says, “… Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) on Friday is expected to announce he will not seek a 12th term. “

Lynn is playing it cautiously and not going out on a limb, unlike CBS-2 News Mike Flannery's prediction earlier this week that Hastert will not seek another term.

Most of the pundits are implying, if not predicting, that Hastert will not seek re-election. And, he may not.

However, some reliable sources say Hastert may surprise everyone and announce he will seek re-election. The Republican leadership may want that, in part because Cong. Ray LaHood's decision not to run for re-election in his downstate seat already forces the Republicans to defend one open seat in Illinois. Who needs another, they ask. Surely, they would like to postpone the Hastert seat vacancy for two years. Yes, Hastert got only 60% of the vote in 2006, but of course, that was a terrible year for Republicans in general, and Hastert specifically. The 60% was down from his previous U. S. House record of never getting less than 64%, except in his first election in 1986 when he squeaked by with a 52-48 margin of victory ]. Further, senior Illinois Democratic staffers tell this reporter that Hastert, if he runs again in 2008, is not vulnerable.

Moreover, Hastert and Republican leadership may come up next year with a candidate they prefer over the current crop, and they could ease Hastert out of the seat in a special election at that time. For example, State Rep. Tim Schmitz (R-Geneva), said to be preferred to the current crop by Hastert, would not have to risk giving up his state house seat in a general election. On the other hand, State Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia [D-Aurora], viewed by some as the strongest potential Democratic challenger, might also be more apt to run in a special election, for the same reason as Schmitz.

Who makes up the current crop of Republicans to replace Cong. Hastert? Wealthy investment fund entrepreneur and three-time failed statewide candidate Jim Oberweis [who upset Hastert-Bush enormously with his illegal immigration views], State Senator Chris Lauzen [R-Aurora] [A member of the Fab 5, but whose independence and strong conservative ideology has never played well with Hastert] and relative unknown and said to be moderate-- Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns.

The Chicago Tribune's Pearson and Zuckman tell us Hastert recently has “shown signs,” of “favoring Oberweis as his replacement.” Yes, Oberweis has hired a Hastert staffer, or two. Will that get dairyman Oberweis the endorsement? I don’t know. Maybe Oberweis will sponsor a big time "Freedom Foundation," in the Speaker’s name. Now, that might be more like it.

Sweet tells us on the Democrat side, “Three Democrats are already in the race in this nominal Republican district [What makes this a "nominal Republican district," to Sweet]: businessman and scientist Bill Foster; Jonathan Laesch, the 2006 Democratic nominee, and attorney Jotham Shepard.” [Emphasis Supplied].

Jonathan Laesch? Who might that be? Oh, maybe Sweet means John Laesch. Close, but no cigar.

Jotham Shepard. Who might that be? Oh, maybe Sweet means Jotham Stein. Not very close, clearly no cigar.

It is humorous how some Chicago newspaper publishers and editors deride blogs because they claim the bloggers’ lack of editors result in no quality control.But, is anybody editing the Chicago Sun-Times?

First, there was the Sun-Times major editing/writing/nepotism error of last month.

Now, the Sun-Times can only get one out of three candidates in the 14th CD Democratic Primary correctly identified. Getting a hit one out of every three times may be a good baseball batting average, but getting one out of three candidates right in publishing a newspaper is not so good. As JFK would say, “I, uh, think we can do better.” JFK was right. The Sun-Times can do better. **************************************************************
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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Berkowitz Interview with Gov. Richardson airing this week on Illinois Channel

Are you having trouble watching our interview with Presidential candidate Bill Richardson here? You shouldn't, but if you are, try to watch it stream to your computer from the Illinois Channel. Prefer to watch Gov. Richardson on Cable and you missed it on Public Affairs? Not to worry, the Illinois Channel two hour cablecast block of programming, airing this week across Illinois, has the Berkowitz interview of Richardson airing in the last fifteen minutes of that two hour block. Go to Distribution to find the scheduled cablecast airing time for the two hour Illinois Channel block of programming at your location.

In short, all across the State of Illinois, all roads lead to the Berkowitz interview of Presidential Contender, Gov. Bill Richardson (D-NM).
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Will Kirk give Petraeus his Due? Should he?

Hot off the press, so to speak, at today's new online newspaper, the Chicago Daily Observer, is a little piece on Cong. Mark Kirk [R-Highland Park, 10th CD] and General Petraeus, which you can read by going here.

Will the Chicago Daily Observer provide, at some point, an alternative to Chicago's print newspapers? Or, is the CDO more of a supplement to the print MSM? In either case, one thing is for sure: Competition is the Patron Saint of the consumer. Now, if we can just persuade those in the Executive, Legislative and Judicial Branches of the U.S. Government, as well as all of those in state and local governmental entities, of that, we could say we were on the right track. How is that for a right track/wrong track poll?
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Better than Tuesday night Football, 14th CD Dem. candidate Jotham Stein, Cable and Streaming

This week’s suburban edition of Public Affairs features Jotham Stein [D-St. Charles], running in the 14th Cong. District Democratic Primary. The airing schedule for the suburban edition of “Public Affairs,” is included, below.

Stein has at least two Democratic Primary opponents [Bill Foster and John Laesch, who was the Democratic Party nominee in 2006, getting 40%, which was a good number for Democrats based on prior opposition to Hastert].

The current Republican occupant of the 14th Dist. seat, former U. S. House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert [R-Yorkville], is expected to announce this Friday morning whether he will seek re-election, or not. Mike Flannery, Political Editor at CBS-2 News has gone out on the limb and reported that his reliable sources have told him Hastert will hang them up and not seek re-election, but will serve out his term.

On the Republican side, if Hastert doesn't run, conservative State Senator Chris Lauzen [R-Aurora], is ready to go, with volunteers, an organization, a plan, etc. Similarly, Dairyman and Investment Fund entrepreneur Jim Oberweis, another conservative says he is ready to go, if Hastert is out. Oberweis is said to have a net worth in the 50 million dollar range and up-- and might spend 10% of it on the primary and the general. Oberweis has come up short in two U. S. Senate primaries and one gubernatarial primary, so he may really be willing to spend the bucks in a way he has not previously.

On the other hand, Lauzen is said to have the loyal support of the majority of true blue conservatives. This is perhaps because Senator Lauzen has a solid conservative voting record for the last 15 years in the state senate, and Oberweis is yet to cast his first vote.

While conservatives Lauzen and Oberweis get ready for their dog fight-- which might split the conservative vote, "said to be moderate Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns," is likely to jump in if Hastert is out, providing an ideological alternative, perhaps, in the Republican Primary. Further, Burns is said to know how to raise money, having done it professionally.

Back to Democrat Jotham Stein, this week's Public Affairs guest: he is a very smart, thoughtful lawyer, with a strong academic pedigree from Princeton and Stanford Law School. And, to balance out the academics, he crewed (rowing) at Princeton and enjoys the outdoors in Fox Valley and elsewhere in the District. He is a family guy who comes across as quite sincere. Also, his teaching experience at Stanford involving courses in civics, government and civil liberties shows up in our discussion. You won't want to miss Stein or the discussion.

Stein will have a lot more money to put into his primary campaign than John Laesch but not quite as much as the wealthy Bill Foster, which means Stein will have to be dialing for bucks, like Senator Lauzen and Mayor Burns on the other side of the aisle. Nevertheless, Jothan Stein only needs enough to get out his message, as the Stanford Law School grad says, and he might be able to raise it.
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The show with Jotham Stein also airs through-out the City of Chicago this coming Monday night [August 20] at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 [CANTV] and on Monday, Aug. 20, 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 Jotham Stein streaming on your computer at PublicAffairsTV.com. In addition to the Stein show , recently posted shows on the podcast page include shows with Senator Barack Obama and Governor Richardson and 14 TH Cong. Dist. Democratic Primary Candidate John Laesch. Previously posted shows feature Roberto Maldonado, a Cook County Commissioner who is running in the 4th CD Democratic Primary if Cong. Gutierrez hangs them up in 2008; Ald. Manny Flores, who is also running in the 4th Cong. Dist. Democratic Primary if Cong. Gutierrez hangs them up and maybe even if he doesn't; Senators Sandoval, Syverson and Lauzen, Presidential candidatesRichardson, Obama, Giuliani, McCain and Cox, and many other pols and opinion makers.
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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 14th Cong. Dist. Democrat primary candidate Jotham Stein airs :

tonightat 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 tonight 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, 14th CD candidate Laesch on Cable and Streaming

This Friday morning, Former Speaker and current 14th Cong. Dist. Congressman J. Dennis Hastert is expected to announce [10:00 am, Kendall County courthouse] if he will hang them up [at the end of this term]. Whether he does that or not, at least three Democrats are vying for the opportunity to run for the 14th Cong. Dist. seat in Nov. 2008. Tonight's City of Chicago edition of Public Affairs features one of those Democrat candidates, John Laesch, who garnered 40% of the vote against Cong. Hastert in 2006. The show airs throughout the City of Chicago at 8:30 pm, Cable Ch. 21.

Laesch is also featured on tonight's City of Aurora edition of Public Affairs , airing through-out Aurora and in some surrounding areas on Aurora Community Television, Comcast Cable Ch. 10 at 7:30 pm. The Aurora station reaches all of Aurora, Bristol, Big Rock and parts of Oswego, Sandwich, Sugar Grove and Montgomery.

Or, Go here to watch the show on your computer.

For more about tonight's show topics, go here.

Jotham Stein, another candidate running in the 14th CD Democratic Primary, is the featured guest on the suburban edition of Public Affairs this week. Stein also will be the featured guest on next week's City of Chicago and City of Aurora editions of Public Affairs. Additionally, you can watch Stein's show here.

On the Republican side, it is almost certain State Senator Chris Lauzen [R-Aurora] [Read here and Watch here] and Investment fund entrepreneur Jim Oberweis will jump into the 14th CD race if Cong. Hastert announces he is not seeking re-election.
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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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Berkowitz joins Mike Noonan on Roeser tonight

Jeff Berkowitz will join Mike Noonan, Democratic politican Campaign Consultant as a guest tonight on Tom Roeser’s weekly, call-in radio show, Political Shoot-out, WLS 890 AM Radio, from 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm. See here for Tom’s Blog which has Tom's thoughts on a great many matters, political and otherwise.

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

The show tonight may be touch on the Springfield five ring circus, including the just passed state budget and the remaining issues of mass transit, a capital budget, healthcare access for low income and middle class individuals in Illinois and a Chicago casino, more gaming and perhaps additional casinos, etc. See here for a March 25, 2007, retro TV interview with Illinois Chief Operating Officer John Filan about Gov. Blagojevich's long defunct Gross Receipts Tax, as well as shows with State Reps. Mary Flowers [D-Chicago] and Jim Durkin [R-Western Springs] discussing State Budget and Tax issues ]. Who knows, we may even discuss economics, jobs, free lunches and education.

I don’t know the topics for tonight—they are determined by Mr. Roeser, with some incisive suggestions, no doubt, by his lovely, charismatic and intelligent wife Lillian. However, an educated guess is that the questions will consist of various Statewide, including downstate, issues, possibly selected from the following questions, some of which are holdovers from prior episodes of "Political Shootout," or "Public Affairs."

Of course, you can call and ask any of the below questions or whatever you like. As with University of Chicago Ph. D. prelim questions in economics over the years, many of the questions on Political Shoot-out stay the same each week, only the answers change. And you are Free to Choose, so to speak, as this is the land of Milton Friedman, the late, great Nobel Prize Laureate in Economics from the University of Chicago [WWMFS, i.e., what would Milton Friedman say?:

-What is the core of the dispute in America about immigration and illegal immigration? Go here to watch October 30, 2006 and July 22, 2006 "Public Affairs," TV shows featuring, in part, Senator John McCain discussing immigration, illegal immigration and the Republican Party.

-How will the immigration issue affect the 2008 Presidential election?

-How will the immigration issue play out? And what will be its impact on American politics by 2024?

--Do the Illinois Senate and House Republicans deserve credit, so far, for their opposition to any increase in state taxes?

-Will the presidential choice in November, 2008 be U. S. Senator Hillary Clinton, U. S. Senator Barack Obama[D-IL], former U. S. Senator and Law and Order star Fred Thompson [R-TN}, former Mayor Rudy Giuliani or former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney [Go here to watch a recent "Public Affairs," show featuring, Presidential Candidates Bill Richardson and Barack Obama].

-Will 2006 10th CD Democratic nominee Dan Seals come back to beat Cong. Kirk [R-Highland Park] in 2008? Or, could Seals lose his contested primary with former Rahm Emanuel colleague, Jay Footlik?

-Will Cong. Kirk face a challenge in the 2008 Republican primary?

-Can 36 year old, perhaps wealthy Steve Greenberg beat Cong. Melissa Bean [D-Barrington] in the 8th CD? Is Bean still vulnerable? Is Greenberg, a former minor league hockey player, putting together a winning political team?

-Is WTTW's Chicago Tonight in need of an aggressive political interviewer to boost its sagging ratings? Which TV personality in the Chicago Metro area could provide it?

-Is Dr. Steve Sauerberg or Jim Nalepa a credible candidate to take on Senator Durbin in 2008?

-Is it time for a change in leadership in the State GOP

-Will Cong. Hastert announce this Friday he is "hanging them up," when the current congressional term is over?

-- If Hastert is out, who wins the Republican Primary in the 14th CD. Who wins the Democratic Primary in the 14th CD.
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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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Unraveling Senator Dodd’s spin room spin on Taxes

Jeff Berkowitz: That’s where you would raise taxes? [For those with incomes] of 200,000-- 250,000?

Senator Dodd: Probably around there, Yeah.
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Senator Chris Dodd, the senior senator from Connecticut, was elected to the U.S. House in the Watergate year of 1974; moved into the Senate in 1980; and was said to have considered running for President in 2004, but instead endorsed his junior colleague, Senator Lieberman.

The 63 year old Dodd joined the Democratic Presidential Primary this year, but appears to be auditioning, with Senator Biden, for a Secretary of State post in a Clinton Administration, and along those lines, seemed to be going after Senator Obama on Hillary’s behalf in the AFL-CIO debate in Chicago.

On taxes, Senator Dodd, unlike Gov. Richardson, is no follower of JFK on taxes.[See Richardson, a Democrat Tax Cutter] [BTW, the Public Affairs fifteen minute interview with Gov. Richardson is airing on cable next week throughout the state of Illinois and streaming on the Illinois Channel, during the last fifteen minutes of its two hour block of programming]. Take a listen to Senator Dodd:
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Jeff Berkowitz: Senator Dodd, any reason why you think you didn’t talk [at the AFL-CIO Chicago debate] about taxes, at all, the Bush tax cuts?

Senator and Democratic Presidential Candidate Chris Dodd: They do the best they can and obviously a big issue, as well, tax policy and what happens—

Jeff Berkowitz: What would you say on the Bush tax cuts? Would you repeal them all?

Senator Dodd: No, I think, you know, tax policy has to be pro-growth. Good jobs get created out of it. It has got to be fair. A lot of their tax policy is not responsible. But, I want to make sure we make it possible for people to be able to save, which we don’t do in this country, here; to be able to retire with dignity and have pensions and retirement accounts that are going to vest properly and—

Jeff Berkowitz: Would you repeal all the Bush tax cuts?

Senator Dodd: Yeah, I think I would—the ones that I know about anyway and certainly do a different job on the estate tax than he is doing.

Jeff Berkowitz: Would that be a tax increase for those with incomes over—

Senator Dodd: I don’t think so.

Jeff Berkowitz: If you repeal the tax cuts, then—

Senator Dodd: They call them a tax increase; I don"t

Jeff Berkowitz: One of your competitors, Bill Richardson, says he wouldn’t repeal the tax cuts for those earning 150,000, but for $200,000 he would—

Senator Dodd: The top income [earners], yes.

Jeff Berkowitz: Where would you draw the line?

Senator Dodd: The top one percent of income earners.

Jeff Berkowitz: What does that mean to you, $300,000 and above?

Senator Dodd: I think the number is around $250,000 or $200,000.

Jeff Berkowitz: That’s where you would raise taxes? 200,000-- 250,000?

Senator Dodd: Probably around there, Yeah.
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Senator Chris Dodd, Democratic Primary Candidate for President, interviewed in the “Spin Room,” at the home for the Chicago Bears, Soldier Field, after Tuesday night’s AFL-CIO sponsored debate among seven of the Democratic Presidential Candidates.
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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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Kucinich throws body punches at Clinton, Obama, and Edwards

Jeff Berkowitz: So, you are saying that Obama, Edwards and Clinton can’t say they truly oppose the Iraq War. Is that your point?

Cong. and Dem. Presidential candidate Kucinich [D-Ohio]: ... if somebody votes for funding a War more than 90% of the time, and votes to give over 400 billion dollars to a War, and that person says they are opposed to a War, is that person believable?...
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Kucinich’s Political Comeback:

Dennis Kucinich is perhaps best known for being the farthest to the left in a Democratic Presidential Primary field of eight lefties. But, his life experiences and personal life are also of interest. The sixty year old former one term Mayor of Cleveland at the end of the 1970s, who is said to have spent the 1980s in political Siberia, rebounded with an election to the state senate in 1994 and then to Congress in 1996 from Cleveland and some of its suburbs. He is making his second run to be the Democratic Party's nominee for President, having run previously in 2004.

Kucinich’s First Lady nominee:

Now in his eleventh year in Congress, he is twice divorced and beats even Fred Thompson [an unofficial candidate for President] in having a current wife who is more than thirty years Kucinich’s junior. Better, she is connected to Mother Teresa, well-educated, thinks monetary reform is a cure for poverty and the best physical description that comes to mind to describe Elizabeth Harper Kucinich is “knock-out.”

Kucinich: End NAFTA

Kucinich said, to tremendous applause last night from the exclusively AFL-CIO union crowd in Chicago’s Soldier Field [Estimated crowd numbers ranged from 10,000 (media reports) to 17,000 (official number that was announced at the event)], he would end NAFTA and CAFTA, unlike the top tier candidates: Clinton, Obama and Edwards, who spoke of fixing those trade agreements.

Kucinich: Some imports are better than others

However, the one import Cong. Kucinich apparently is quite taken with is his wife, British citizen Elizabeth Harper. The political pundits are fond of asking: How the Hell did Dennis end up with her? For an answer, go here.

It’s all about the War, stupid.

The other thing Cong. Kucinich is quite taken with is his strident, no nonsense opposition to the War in Iraq. Take a listen:
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Jeff Berkowitz: It sounds like Hillary and Barack and Edwards are moving toward the center on the Iraq War. I watched the debate tonight and I heard you talk about stopping the funding of the War--

Cong. Kucinich [D-Ohio] and Democratic Primary candidate for President: They are moving toward the center, all right, the center of Baghdad.

Jeff Berkowitz: But, are they slipping away because-- you do want to steer them in the direction of voting to stop the funding of the Iraq War, right? [Although] …they actually voted that way on the last War funding vote, right?

Cong. Kucinich [D-Ohio]: I mean, when you vote 90% of the time for a war, you can’t really say that you oppose the war. I mean this is Chicago, we’re in Chicago. I want you to go to a Chicago ward club and see if this passes the straight-faced test: you tell someone, “I am against the War,” and you vote for it, vote for funding it 90% of the time.” You would get laughed out of a Ward club with that proposition.

Jeff Berkowitz: So, you are saying that Obama, Edwards and Clinton can’t say they truly oppose the Iraq War. Is that your point?

Cong. Kucinich [D-Ohio]: I am just suggesting to you, humbly, that you, as a journalist, take that question to a Chicago ward club, without even mentioning names: if somebody votes for funding a War more than 90% of the time, and votes to give over 400 billion dollars to a War, and that person says they are opposed to a War, is that person believable? Ask the people of Chicago, see what they say.
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Dennis Kucinich, Congressman and Democratic Primary Candidate for President, interviewed in the “Spin Room,” at the home for the Chicago Bears, Soldier Field, after last night’s AFL-CIO sponsored debate among seven of the Democratic Presidential Candidates.
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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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