Monday, December 31, 2007

Cong. Bean and her 8th CD prior and would be Opponents

Kirk Morris, 8th CD candidate, featured tonight on Public Affairs.

Tonight’s City of Chicago edition of “Public Affairs,” (8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21, CANTV) features Kirk Morris (R-Gurnee), a candidate in the 8th Cong. Dist. Republican Primary. The 8th CD is located, in large part, due west of the 10th Cong. District. The 10th CD, in turn, is made up of the North Shore (i.e., Winnetka, Wilmette, Kenilworth, Glencoe, Highland Park, Northfield and Deerfield) and areas north and west of those affluent suburbs. The 8th CD is split among three counties: portions of northwest Cook, West Lake and McHenry.

Bean, a Democrat/Republican fence sitter in the Land of Republicans?

The 8th Cong. Dist. Democrat incumbent, Melissa Bean (Barrington), has become a bit of a political powerhouse, not unlike what her 10th CD Republican fence sitter counterpart to the east, Mark Kirk, once was. Although the 8th CD is a fairly Republican district, Bean took advantage of the fact that Cong. Phil Crane had outstayed his welcome, abused his power and had grown neglectful of his constituents. After losing to Crane 57 % to 43 % in 2002, Bean never stopped running and came back to beat the then 35 year, Republican incumbent 52% to 48% in 2004.

Cong. Bean has, from a political science perspective, done a nice job of straddling the center, and voting as if her focus was on winning reelection in a Republican district, while still being enough of a Democrat to run with the support of that Party’s base. For example, she won’t quite say she favors all of the Bush tax cuts, but she might say she favors some of them, i.e., those that benefit the middle class, with that term being undefined by Bean. For another example, Cong. Bean was one of the CAFTA 15, a group of fifteen Democrats who supported the Central American Free Trade Agreement. Bean argued that the trade agreement was good for business (and employee) interests in her district—and coincidentally, perhaps, that vote and a few others, almost assured her of the endorsement and financial support from the U. S. Chamber of Commerce, and perhaps support from some other business groups.

Why Bean beat McSweeney

That kind of financial support and voting straddles made Bean a formidable opponent for the Republicans in 2006. Additionally, some of his critics argue that although David McSweeney was a smart, aggressive, hardworking Republican nominee in 2006, he simply was not enough of a “natural campaigner,” to win. Others will argue his team didn’t focus sufficiently on winning over the Chicago and suburban media. And, still others will argue that the national Democratic Tsunami was simply too much for a Republican to topple a skilled incumbent, such as Bean.

The impact of the anti-war, anti-free trade vote

Of course, Bean’s generally supportive voting for the War and her occasional business oriented votes such as CAFTA resulted in the far left, third party [but, so called Moderate Party] candidacy of Bill Scheurer, and Scheurer pulled Democratic votes from Bean in the 2006 general election, resulting in a three way split of 50% for Bean, 6% for Scheurer and 44% for McSweeney.

Because Scheurer got at least 5% of the vote, the Moderate Party automatically gets a slot on the 2008 fall ballot, and Lain Abernathy mysteriously replaces Bill Scheurer as the Moderate Party candidate. We say "mysteriously," because in terms of debating skills, Scheurer may have been the best candidate on the Fall, 2006 8th CD ballot. Scheurer's wife, Randi, is opposing Cong. Bean in the 8th CD 2008 Democratic Primary.

See here for more about the dissatisfaction on the labor side of the world with Cong. Bean. Go here to watch Cong. Bean discuss (in January, 2006) what the Teamsters thought of Bean and watch Kirk Morris tonight for a further discussion of that topic.

The 2008 Republican Primary

Morris faces Ken Arnold and Steve Greenberg in the Republican Primary. Arnold ran in the six candidate 2006 Republican Primary, receiving maybe 2% of the vote-- and he seems to be running again mostly to have an opportunity to send out press releases and participate in forums. Arnold didn’t make much of an effort to run a real campaign in 2006 and that has not changed this time around. It doesn’t take much (about 800 good signatures) to get on a congressional primary ballot. It takes quite a bit more to put forth a serious, well financed, well organized, credible campaign effort.

Greenberg, 36, has received, in one form or another over the years, some money from his father and other relatives and seems to have enough money to hire a media guy like Dan Curry (Curry Public Strategies), a young campaign manager (Brad Goodman, who has some field experience from the failed and wacky 2006 8th CD primary campaign of Teresa Bartels and the losing 2006 primary campaign of Kathy Salvi), and a few other general consultants. The Republican establishment in Illinois seems to think that that much financing and that much organization should be enough for Greenberg to win in the Primary. And, they may be right. Of course, the Republican establishment might be in for a surprise when it comes to the General Election, but the State GOP generally doesn't think that far ahead.

Greenberg is running a gladhanding, semi-stealth campaign (something Curry has some experience with, See Jim Ryan’s failed 2002 gubernatorial campaign) with Greenberg avoiding TV shows like Public Affairs, or any other forums where he might face tough questioning on the issues. Curry’s apparent betting is that paid media, along with some of the Curry magic with the Chicago and suburban media, can do it for his client, Greenberg, in the primary, and Curry may be right.

Greenberg says he has declined to do “Public Affairs,” because he is not smart enough to handle the likes of Jeff Berkowitz, and come time of the general election, Greenberg had best hope he was wrong (or perhaps the former minor league hockey player was just being a little cute, or diplomatic).

Into the fray steps Kirk Morris, who is making his second appearance tonight on Public Affairs (Watch the first appearance or on our YouTube page (Morris is top, left most picture) ).[Morris' second appearance will soon be placed on our You Tube page]. Go here for more about Kirk Morris and tonight's topics.

Morris is a smart, aggressive candidate who is not afraid to discuss the issues. On the other hand, he will probably be happy if he can raise 100K. Is that enough to provide him with the necessary mailers and cable TV to get out his message, relative to that of the better self-funded Greenberg? That could be tough. As they say, money is the mother’s milk of politics.

On the other hand, Morris can at least face his constituents and say he is not afraid to answer tough, aggressive questioning. And, he can say, indeed, this is at a minimum what a congressperson owes his constituents. After campaigning for four years and after three years in congress, Bean can’t say that. And, after campaigning for six months, Greenberg can’t say that. Will that mean something on February 5, 2008? We discuss, you decide.
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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 http://www.publicaffairstv.com/PublicAffairs/Podcasts/Podcasts.html
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Sunday, December 30, 2007

More T-balls from Chris Matthews to Senator McCain

John McCain, once again the darling of the liberal Mainstream Media?

It is really shocking how much “national show hosts,” can pander when they want to [see here]. Senator McCain, who of course was the darling of the liberal mainstream media when he ran for President in 2000 because he was perceived as being willing to take on the Republican establishment and traditional conservatives, seems to be recapturing some of that affection from the mainstream media as the first primary voting in the Presidential election season approaches [the Iowa caucuses are on Jan. 3, followed by the New Hampshire Primary on Jan. 8].

McCain had lost his mainstream media support because of his staunch support of the Iraq War, notwithstanding his blunt criticism of Defense Secretary Rumsfeld and President Bush for their mismanagement of the War. But, the War has been going significantly better during the last six months than it had been-- to the point where even the mainstream media must take notice.

Liberal Mainstream media: Maxima mea culpa?

It appears as if the mainstream media think the way to ask for forgiveness for their skepticism that the war could be turned around is to be nice to Senator McCain. They are almost chanting, “Maxima mea culpa.” Well, okay, they haven’t gone quite that far.

But, if McCain can continue his own surge in Iowa and not just get a third place finish, but pass the sinking Huckabee and come in second to Romney, then watch the mainstream media flock to McCain--in the hope that he could catch Romney in New Hampshire.

Matthews: A pander bear?

Leading the charge for the mainstream media on McCain’s behalf is Hardball’s Chris Matthews. Chis is becoming a virtual pander bear, asking McCain such toughies as, “Will you win in New Hampshire?’

The below is another partial transcript of the Hardball show of December 19, 2007, with a few more suggested questions from Berkowitz to help Chris out:

Troops in Iraq for 4 More Years?

Chris Matthews: Will troops in Iraq be an issue in the next Presidential election? Will we still have so many troops in Iraq—I really need to know this from you. Will it still be such a crying issue at home? [Will] we have so many troops in Iraq that it’s going to be an issue that hounds us in the next presidential election?

It's the casualties, stupid.

Senator John McCain: No, I believe that if we proceed along this path and don’t withdraw too quickly that the key to it is that casualties will be way down.

Questions that Berkowitz would have asked McCain: What are the monthly casualties for November, 2007? How much is “way down.” By when will the U. S. casualties reach that low of a number?

Senator McCain: It’s not American presence, it’s American casualties. We’ve still got American troops in Bosnia. We’ve got them in South Korea. We’ve got them in Japan. Americans willingly accept troops [in these places], but they want the casualties down, and if we can continue this way under this great guy Petraeus—who should have been Time Magazine’s Man of the Year [Time chose Russia's Putin].

Questions that Berkowitz would have asked: You have heard of the Out of Iraq,” caucus in the U. S. House of Representatives? Do you think members of that caucus will be okay with a continued presence of the U. S. military in Iraq, so long as the casualties are “down.” Again, how far down must they be? If they reach that level, what percentage of the American voters will be okay with a continued presence in Iraq?

Chris Matthews: Will you, to use your phrase, and I know you are not as dainty as this—will you, I know you would never do this, will you win in New Hampshire?

Senator McCain: Yes.

Chris Matthews: Thank you.
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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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Chris Matthews plays T-Ball with Senator McCain about “Torture.”

Senator John McCain: Okay. And so, anyway, it baffles me. It baffles me that people could say that the United States of America would get the reputation in the world for doing such things.

[Comment by Jeff Berkowitz: It baffles me. It baffles me how a person of as much integrity, character, principle and honesty as Senator McCain could not see fit to make any of the above distinctions between soldiers acting on behalf of a nation-state and fighting terrorists as opposed to soldiers acting on behalf of a nation state and fighting other soldiers acting on behalf of a nation-state. It baffles me. It also baffles me how Senator McCain could apparently be so unaware of those, e.g., Director Tenet, with views that differ from McCain's.]
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In the first few years of Hardball (which began its run a decade ago), Chris Matthews’ show seemed appropriately named. Matthews didn’t put up with spin and he didn’t stop until he got a clear answer from his guest. Notwithstanding his numerous years working for Democrats, including as a top aide to House Speaker Tip O’Neill, Speechwriter for President Jimmy Carter and aide to Senator Ed Muskie, Matthews seemed tough in his questioning of both Democrats and Republicans.

Chris Matthews certainly exhibited a “take no prisoners,” approach with the Clintonistas, especially during the impeachment proceedings and their aftermath. Although Matthews has conceded, publicly, that he voted for Clinton twice, he obviously had some regrets, especially over Monica Lewinsky and the White House efforts to trash the lady, as they did each of the Bill Clinton “bimbo eruptions.”

That kind of tough, but fair, questioning continued up to and following 9/11, with Matthews best characterized, at times, as “adoring of President Bush’s leadership,” such as when he discussed Bush on November 8, 2001. See suburban, City of Chicago and Aurora editions of Public Affairs, airing the Week of Jan. 7, for clips of Matthews and a Berkowitz interview of Matthews on November 8, 2001.

But with Matthews’ early distrust and then opposition to the War in Iraq from the get go and his quick analogies to the Vietnam War (which he opposed in his youth in the late 60s and early 70s), Matthews began to lead the charge of the group of mostly Bush and Republican haters and liberal lovers at MSNBC, best exemplified by the mindless, venomous far left rants of Keith Olbermann.

MSNBC does have some token Republicans and maybe even conservatives, e.g., Joe Scarborough and Tucker Carlson, not unlike perhaps the token liberals on the Fox News Channel, e.g. Alan Colmes and Juan Williams. However, mainstream media bias being what it is, no one characterizes MSNBC as having significant bias to the far left in the same way the mainstream media characterizes FOX as having far right bias.

So, you ask-- what bias does Matthews bring to an interview with Senator and Presidential candidate John McCain (R-AZ)?

First, Matthews can be expected to have a substantial soft spot for McCain because the good Senator was one of only three Republicans to oppose the Bush tax cuts, worked with Democrat Russ Feingold on Campaign Finance (McCain-Feingold) and worked with one of Matthews’ Democrat friends (Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA)) on Comprehensive Immigration Reform (McCain-Kennedy).

But, more importantly, if you are as strongly anti- Iraq War as Matthews is, you are not just opposed to the War, but you are enthusiastic about tearing down every aspect of the American effort in Iraq. That certainly includes “aggressive interrogation,” which Matthews is quick to characterize as unlawful and immoral torture.

With McCain’s well-known opposition to aggressive interrogation of soldiers, quick willingness to call such behavior torture and to downplay any notion that the interrogations could be effective-- you can see the Matthews softballs getting set-up in the pipeline. And, as we all know, occasionally a batter can miss even a slow-pitch softball. So, Matthews essentially treats McCain like a toddler and places the ball on the T for him.

We have transcribed, below, the relevant portion of the Matthews interview with Senator McCain on Hardball on December 19, 2007. However, we have also included, below, in brackets, the questions that someone who is balanced, e.g., Berkowitz, might have asked Senator McCain. Of course, if the guest were somebody who defends aggressive interrogation by the U. S. or Iraqi forces, the right questions for a balanced host to ask would include those that McCain or Matthews raised. You see how that works. That would be hardball.

Perhaps, it is asking too much of a candidate, but if McCain really is the straight-talking Express, as he claims, he might have answered a few of the Berkowitz suggested questions, even if Matthews didn’t choose to ask them. I mean I am sure McCain knows the relevant questions that his opponents on this issue would raise. At least, this reporter hopes he does.
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Chris Matthews: It’s hard to keep up with the way people look at things like torture. You’ve had first hand experience. Are you surprised that you are sort of the only one, the only voice in your Party that’s expressed really passionate concern about the- the misuse of the United States authority when we have someone in our custody?

Senator McCain: Well, it concerns me that people think somehow that it is effective—it gives reliable and unreliable information but the thing that concerns me most of all, Chris, is the moral standing of the United States in the world. And, by the way, I am not the only Republican; Colin Powell has weighed in heavily on this, as have---

Chris Matthews: Yes, another soldier.

Senator McCain: Yes, it’s interesting—those who have served in uniform are uniformly against such a thing and those who haven’t seem to think that it is effective; it’s not effective, it’s not reliable. [But, see here.] We tried Japanese for War Crimes after World War II who waterboarded American prisoners of war. Now, how do you then justify—if we tried Japanese for committing war crimes, how can we then justify doing that same thing. [See here].

[Questions Jeff Berkowitz would have asked Senator McCain: How much do you actually know about those war crimes trials of the Japanese? Were they tried for anything else, other than alleged waterboarding? Was the waterboarding the same exact technique alleged to be used by the U. S. against high-valued terrorists? [See here]. Did it matter that the Americans who were "tortured," were soldiers of a nation state with which Japan was at war, as opposed to terrorists who make no effort to adhere to any of the rules of war?]

Senator McCain; So, there’s many arguments I can make, whether it be the moral high ground, whether it be effective or not, and whether we think that this—Let me just put it this way. I believe we are going to win this War against radical Islamic extremists in the ideological battleground.

Chris Matthews: We’ll be the good guys?

[Question Jeff Berkowitz would have asked Senator McCain: George Tenet, former CIA Director, during his CBS “60 Minutes,” Interview earlier this year, spoke much more positively than you regarding the effectiveness of “aggressive interrogations,’ including waterboarding. Tenet said, “the program of questioning ‘high value’ targets (a program that has been criticized for using sleep deprivation and water boarding among other techniques) was more valuable to the security of the United States than all the work done at the FBI, the CIA and the National Security Agency, which tracks foreign electronic communications.” [See Fox News.Com, April 26, 2007] Senator McCain, what do you say to Director Tenet?

Senator McCain: We’ll have the moral high ground. You lose the moral highground. When you do something like that. Let me relate one incidence that I had recently. I was in Iraq. I met with a former high-ranking member of Al Qaeda. I asked him. What were the reasons for their success? He said two. One was the lawlessness and total chaos after our initial victory because we didn’t have control of the country. And, two: Abu Graib. Abu Graib, he said, was his greatest recruiting tool.

Chris Matthews: Yeah.

Senator McCain: I rest my case.

[Question Jeff Berkowitz would have asked Senator McCain: Really, do you see Abu Graib as an example of the U. S. military using aggressive interrogation techniques to obtain information from the enemy? Or, would it better be characterized as example of sadistic behavior by rogue prison guards who had little or nothing to do with U. S. or Iraqi efforts to obtain information from enemy combatants or detainees? If it is the latter, what is the point of your raising it in this discussion?

Chris Matthews: Well, you have some hostages to destiny, yourself. You have service people in your family.

Senator McCain: Yeah, and also my constituents and—what Colin Powell and a lot of the military worry about, of course, as you well know is that if we do this to people—then what’s going to happen in future wars—not against Al-Qaeda, but in a war against another nation—and they decide that they are going to torture people—our men and women in the military—because we did. And, let me just add one point. Why do you think it is the British didn’t torture German pilots during the battle of Britain, where the survival of the British Empire, the island, was at stake, and they captured German pilots. I’ll tell you the main reason is because they knew the British pilots were going to be in the hands of the Germans.

[Question Jeff Berkowitz would have asked Senator McCain: Doesn’t your reference to the British avoiding torture of the German soldiers to protect subsequent British POWs kind of miss the point? The British thought the Germans would avoid torture of Brits if the Brits did not torture the Germans. Do you see any indication that Al Qaeda or other terrorists not a part of a nation-state will reciprocate in not engaging in “torture,” or “aggressive interrogations,” of American soldiers who are caught if America does not employ “aggressive interrogation techniques. Wouldn’t the same distinction apply in future wars with terrorists? Who would you ask to sign the Geneva Conventions on behalf of Al Qaeda? Osama Bin Laden?]

Chris Matthews: Pretty soon.

Senator McCain: Okay. And so, anyway, it baffles me. It baffles me that people could say that the United States of America would get the reputation in the world for doing such things.

[Comment by Jeff Berkowitz: It baffles me. It baffles me how a person of as much integrity, character, principle and honesty as Senator McCain could not see fit to make any of the above distinctions between soldiers acting on behalf of a nation-state and fighting terrorists as opposed to soldiers acting on behalf of a nation state and fighting other soldiers acting on behalf of a nation-state. It baffles me. It also baffles me how Senator McCain could apparently be so unaware of those, e.g., Director Tenet, with views that differ from McCain's.]
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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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Monday, December 24, 2007

Better than "It's a Wonderful Life:" State's Attorney Candidate and Ald. Tom Allen on cable, streaming on PA and You Tube

Jeff Berkowitz: Was [Robert] Sorich involved in [government] corruption?

Ald. Tom Allen: Only when we use—

Jeff Berkowitz: Was that a yes or no?

Ald. Tom Allen: Was Sorich? Yes, yes. What I am saying is that I think to tell people what it really is—they are stealing, they are robbing, they are embezzling and they are extorting from the taxpayers and if they are, they should be prosecuted in an aggressive way and the State’s Attorney’s Office of Cook County should be involved—

Jeff Berkowitz: Have they [The State’s Attorney office] been aggressive on that kind of corruption?

Ald. Tom Allen: It doesn’t seem that- It doesn’t seem that way. They should be and under my leadership, they would be involved.
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Tonight's City of Chicago edition of Public Affairs (8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21, CANTV) features Cook County, IL State's Attorney Candidate
Chicago Ald. Tom Allen (D-Chicago)
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Next Monday night's "Public Affairs," show in Chicago (8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21, CANTV, New Year's Eve) features 8th CD Republican Primary candidate Kirk Morris (Gurnee.) This is the second appearance of Morris on Public Affairs.
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You may also watch the show with State's Attorney Democratic Primary candidate Ald. Tom Allen and this week's suburban edition of Public Affairs show with State's Attorney Democratic Primary candidate First Ass't Bob Milan (airing only in 10 North Shore suburbs this week; the suburban edition of Public Affairs is preempted by Christmas in 25 suburbs in which the show regularly airs on Tuesday night) along with other recently posted shows, including additional Democratic State's Attorney candidates Chief Deputy to State's Attorney Devine- Anita Alvarez (River Forest), Cook County Comm. Suffredin (Evanston) and Chicago Ald. Brookins; Rep. Hamos (D-Evanston), 14th CD Republican Primary candidates Sen. Lauzen and Jim Oberweis, 14th CD Democratic Primary Candidates Jotham Stein and John Laesch on your computer
at PublicAffairsTV.com. [For all of the shows on the Public Affairs podcast page, other than Alvarez and Oberweis , please click the Archives icon to bring up those shows].

In addition to those shows, prior shows on the "Public Affairs," podcast page feature Presidential candidates Obama, Giuliani, Richardson, McCain and Cox, and many other pols, including Obama-Bean in April, 2006, Congresswoman Bean in January, 2006 and Congresswoman Schakowsky in October, 2005 and opinion makers. You may also watch these "Public Affairs," shows and others at www.itunes.com
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Having trouble watching the 14th CD Democratic and Republican Primary candidates listed above and the Alvarez,Milan, Brookins, Suffredin and Allen quintet on the Public Affairs podcast page or at Itunes.com? Not to worry, you can now go here to watch them all on YouTube.com as well other Public Affairs shows, e.g., our extended interview with Presidential candidate Gov. Bill Richardson. This TV show host has been told that almost anybody who has a computer should be able to access Youtube, so no longer will you have a technical excuse for not watching Public Affairs, as all of our shows, going forward, and many prior ones, will be posted on YouTube.com.
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More about Ald. Allen, tonight's show topics and a partial transcipt of the show with Candidate Allen is included here. An additional partial transcript of the show with Ald. Allen is included 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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Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Hillary Clinton comes home to Chicago: the old Hillary introduces the new Hillary--and there is no change, just more money.

Hillary's one million dollar evening:

Hillary Clinton stopped in Chicago last night for two funders, and her campaign claimed she raised one million dollars collectively at the two events. Doubtful. Team Clinton only permitted media to attend the Hyatt Regency event, in the Loop, which charged a minimum of $25 per attendee. This crowd had the look mostly of $25 per head fans. With Team Clinton claiming 700 in attendance, if the great majority gave the minimum, that event produced 40K, or less.

The glitzier event charged a max of $2300 per individual, the Fed Max, and was held at the Drake Hotel in the Loop, after the Hyatt event. Assuming 300 attended and all paid the max, the gross revenue estimate associated with the event would be about 700 K, and a total for the evening of about 750K.

Maybe Team Clinton got to its promised million, but that number seems more fanciful than real.

The Terry McAuliffe warm up act: Hillary’s Goo Goo Doll

The Clinton funder estimates are not unlike longtime Clinton fundraiser and FOB (Friend of Bill) Terry McAuliffe touting tonight that the Clinton campaign cumulatively has raised 120 million dollars (see here) and was leading in 24 of 27 states, apparently conceding that Clinton is behind in the very early states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, trailing Obama and perhaps Edwards (in Iowa), as well.

Promises, Promises

Hillary was making the usual Democratic Presidential Promises: High Quality Health Care insurance provided to anyone who wants it; High Quality education, from pre k to college for all who want it.

Of course, school choice and charter schools were not mentioned because the Democratic Party doesn’t believe in competition and especially not in competition for schools or teachers. The Democratic Party, which may like kids, draws the line at anything that might upset teachers’ unions. After all, about ten per cent of the delegates to the Democratic Convention are either public school teachers or former public school teachers. No Democratic Presidential candidate wants to take on those folks, no matter how helpful that might be to the kids the Dems purport to serve.

One has to wonder why Hillary didn’t promise free, high quality housing, transit and clothing to everyone. Maybe that is for next time.

Paying for the Great Society

No estimate was given for the cost of the expanded domestic programs and how they would be financed. Since she promised to end the War in Iraq, one supposes she would count on about 120 billion dollars per year as an Iraq War peace dividend. There is the repeal of the Bush tax cuts for the rich that might produce, according to Obama, Clinton and Edwards, another 200 billion dollars, or so, in revenue to finance domestic programs. Of course, this ignores the fact that taxes paid by the rich have gone up, not down, as a result of the Bush tax cuts.

And, then, as Edwards, Clinton and Obama remind the nation daily, after the revolution comes, we will regulate and tax Big Oil, Big Drug Companies and Big Insurance, even more than now. Any other questions, they would say?

The Hillary makeover

But, the positive sign for Obama and Edwards was that much of Hillary’s 20-minute speech tonight was devoted to a Hillary bio makeover. Sixteen days to the Iowa Primary, and Team Clinton has decided that the voters still don’t know the real Hillary. The Hillary that went to church as a young girl—not exactly part of her image over the last three decades. The Hillary that went to work for the Children’s Defense Fund, not a big law firm. But, those lost billing records? Weren’t they records of time spent by Hillary at a big law firm, the Rose Law Firm—at least big for Arkansas.

The Hillary that attached herself to Mr. Bill so she could do good for the State of Arkansas and then for the whole country as the first lady. And, then she became the U. S. Senator from New York because the good New Yorkers believed in her as a selfless do gooder.

Hillary is saying, clear as night follows day, “Take a good look at my bio.” It is about working for change for the last 35 years, not like that Obama guy who has been “hoping,” for change or that Edwards guy—who says he will “demand,” change.

So, vote for me, says Hillary. Change is just a word unless backed up by experience. That’s the new Hillary bio, she says. Funny, most of us who follow politics thought that was the old Hillary bio. At her core, Hillary is a Frenchie—the more things change, the more they stay the same. Yet another definition of change for the Iowa caucus goers to consider.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Better than last Sunday's Russert with Romney: Berkowitz with 8th CD Morris on Cable and soon streaming on YouTube

This week's Chicago Metro suburban edition of Public Affairs features Kirk Morris (R-Gurnee), 8th Cong. Dist. Republican Primary Candidate, vying with two others for the right to take on 2nd Term Democrat, Cong. Melissa Bean (D-Barrington).

The show with Kirk Morris airs tonight in 25 suburbs in its regular, weekly, Tuesday night slot at 8:30 pm on either Comcast Cable Ch. 19 or 35. In 10 suburbs, the show aired last night and it will air again Wednesday and Friday night this week on Comcast Cable Ch. 19 at 8:30 pm. See, below, for further details as to the specific airing schedule and channel for "Public Affairs with Jeff Berkowitz," for your Chicago suburban location.
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8th CD Republican Primary candidate Kirk Morris debates and discusses with show host and Executive Legal Recruiter Jeff Berkowitz a broad range of Domestic and Foreign public policy issues, including the War and Waterboarding; Immigration, Earmarks and Fair Trade; Cong. Bean, the Teamsters, CAFTA and Kirk Morris; Gays, Guns, God and Abortion.
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The show with Kirk Morris also airs through-out the City of Chicago on Monday Night, Dec. 31 [New Year's Eve] at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 [CANTV] and in a special airing at 6:00 pm on Thursday, [Dec. 27] on Aurora Community Television, on Comcast Cable Ch. 10 in Aurora and some surrounding areas. That is, 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 soon watch this week's show (Taped on Dec. 16) with 8th CD Republican Primary candidate Kirk Morris, along with other recently posted shows, including State's Attorney Candidates Chief Duputy Alvarez, Ald. Allen, Comm. Suffredin, First Ass't Milan and Ald. Brookins; 14th CD Republican Primary candidates Jim Oberweis, Chris Lauzen and Kevin Burns; Rep. Hamos (D-Evanston), 14th CD Democratic Primary Candidates Jotham Stein and John Laesch on your computer at PublicAffairsTV.com. [For all of the shows on the Public Affairs podcast page, other than Oberweis and Milan, please click the Archives icon to bring up those shows].

In addition to those shows, prior shows on the "Public Affairs," podcast page feature Presidential candidates Obama, Giuliani, Richardson, McCain and Cox, and many other pols, including Obama-Bean in April, 2006, Congresswoman Bean in January, 2006 and Congresswoman Schakowsky in October, 2005 and opinion makers. You may also watch these "Public Affairs," shows and others at www.itunes.com
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Having trouble watching the 14th CD Democratic and Republican Primary candidates listed above and the Alvarez, Milan, Brookins, Suffredin and Allen quintet on the Public Affairs podcast page or at Itunes.com? Not to worry, you can now go here to watch them all on YouTube.com as well other Public Affairs shows, e.g., our extended interview with Presidential candidate Gov. Bill Richardson, and our October, 2007 interview with Kirk Morris. The Dec. 16, 2007 interview with Kirk Morris will soon be posted on our YouTube site. This TV show host has been told that almost anybody who has a computer should be able to access Youtube, so no longer will you have a technical excuse for not watching Public Affairs, as all of our shows, going forward, and many prior ones, will be posted on YouTube.com.

Next week's Chicago suburban edition of "Public Affairs," features First Ass't and State's Attorney for Cook County candidate Bob Milan, and that show is also available on YouTube, along with other Public Affairs shows. go here to watch them all on YouTube.com
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This week's "Public Affairs," show with Kirk Morris was recorded on Dec. 16, 2007
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The airing schedule for the Chicago Metro 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 guest 8th CD Republican Primary Candidate candidate Kirk Morris 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 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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Monday, December 17, 2007

Better than Monday night Football: SA candidate Alvarez grilled on Cable and now streaming on YouTube.

Jeff Berkowitz: And, so when Brookins says if the State’s Attorney’s office screwed up…. the two top people there [under Devine], Milan and Alvarez—they have to take a hit as well; you’re saying Brookins is wrong?

Anita Alvarez: Yes, I think he is wrong. Because, I don’t understand why I should be taking a hit for something that happened years ago before I even came into the office and not only that, now we have safeguards in place so that something like that [torture of accused] wouldn’t happen…we have tried police officers, we have charged police officers and I am the only one in this race who can stand up there and say I have tried and convicted police officers.
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Jeff Berkowitz: [Twenty-eight] Chicago aldermen have filed a lawsuit; they want to get access to those individuals, to the names [of the 662 police who have received ten or more complaints].

Anita Alvarez: To the names.

Jeff Berkowitz: So, they can exercise oversight, so they can know what’s going on.

Anita Alvarez: The aldermen are going to exercise oversight?
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Jeff Berkowitz: They provide a check. That’s what this country is all about. We don’t trust the Executive, we don’t trust the Judiciary, and we don’t trust the Congress. We try to have checks and balances, right…Shouldn’t the City Council have oversight as to what is going on in the police department...

Anita Alvarez: It is checks and balances, but we are trained, we are prosecutors and we have investigators assigned to our office. So, we are trained to look into these kinds of matters. I am not saying we are—
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Tonight's City of Chicago edition of Public Affairs (8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21, CANTV) features Cook County, IL State's Attorney Candidate Anita Alvarez. Alvarez is Dick Devine's (the current State's Attorney) Chief Deputy, meaning Alvarez shares oversight responsibility for almost 900 attorneys and about six hundred support staff with her immediate boss, First Ass't Bob Milan, and she deals with budget and other Leadership and administrative issues in the State's Atttorney office. She is running in a tough six candidate Democratic Primary.

The show with Anita Alvarez also airs at 7:30 pm tonight [Dec. 17] on Aurora Community Television on Comcast Cable Ch. 10 in Aurora and some surrounding areas. That is, the Aurora station reaches all of Aurora, Bristol, Big Rock and parts of Oswego, Sandwich, Sugar Grove and Montgomery.
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Next Monday night's "Public Affairs," show in Chicago (8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21, CANTV) features Ald. Tom Allen, another candidate for State's Attorney in the Democratic Primary.

8th CD Republican Primary candidate Kirk Morris (Gurnee) is the featured guest on this week's Suburban edition of Public Affairs. This is the second appearance of Morris on Public Affairs.
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Chief Deputy Alvarez debates and discusses with show host and Executive Legal Recruiter Jeff Berkowitz a broad range of State's Attorney public policy issues. Go here for a description of the topics discussed on tonight's show, a partial transcript of the show and more about Chief Deputy Alvarez.
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You may also now watch the show with State's Attorney Democratic Primary candidate Alvarez and soon this week's suburban edition of Public Affairs show with 8th CD Republican Primary candidate Kirk Morris, along with other recently posted shows, including State's Attorney Candidates First Ass't Milan, Ald. Allen, Comm. Suffredin and Ald. Brookins; Rep. Hamos (D-Evanston), 14th CD Republican Primary candidates Sen. Lauzen and Jim Oberweis, former candidate Mayor Burns and 14th CD Democratic Primary Candidates Jotham Stein and John Laesch on your computer at PublicAffairsTV.com. [For all of the shows on the Public Affairs podcast page, other than Alvarez and Oberweis , please click the Archives icon to bring up those shows].

In addition to those shows, prior shows on the "Public Affairs," podcast page feature Presidential candidates Obama, Giuliani, Richardson, McCain and Cox, and many other pols, including Obama-Bean in April, 2006, Congresswoman Bean in January, 2006 and Congresswoman Schakowsky in October, 2005 and opinion makers. You may also watch these "Public Affairs," shows and others at www.itunes.com
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Having trouble watching the 14th CD Democratic and Republican Primary candidates listed above and the Alvarez,Milan, Brookins, Suffredin and Allen quintet on the Public Affairs podcast page or at Itunes.com? Not to worry, you can now go here to watch them all on YouTube.com as well other Public Affairs shows, e.g., our extended interview with Presidential candidate Gov. Bill Richardson. This TV show host has been told that almost anybody who has a computer should be able to access Youtube, so no longer will you have a technical excuse for not watching Public Affairs, as all of our shows, going forward, and many prior ones, will be posted on YouTube.com.
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The show with Anita Alvarez was recorded on December 9, 2007
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A partial transcipt of the show with Candidate Alvarez is included directly, below.
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Are Alvarez and Milan joined at the hip to Daley and Devine?

Jeff Berkowitz: This is what people are saying about you and [First Ass’t] Bob Milan because if Daley didn’t do the right thing [on torture] as State’s attorney, and if Devine didn’t do the right thing [as Daley’s First Ass’t], you and Bob Milan…are tied at the hip to Devine at least, if not to Daley. You can’t ask for the support of that guy and tout that you are close to Devine and close to the office, and then say, “I don’t really know what he did [on torture].

Anita Alvarez, Chief Deputy to Dick Devine and State’s Attorney of Cook County candidate, Democratic Party: I am not joined at the hip with Mayor Daley and—

Jeff Berkowitz: Devine, you joined at—would you like the endorsement of Dick Devine.

Anita Alvarez: Well, you know Dick Devine is in a position where he has his two top deputies [Milan and Alvarez] running against each other, so he has remained—

Jeff Berkowitz: So, you don’t think he will endorse?

Anita Alvarez: No, he is remaining neutral and I think that is probably the best thing for him to do. But, I am not joined at the hip with the Mayor—

Jeff Berkowitz: But, are you joined at the hip with Dick Devine?

Anita Alvarez: No, I am not joined at the hip with Dick Devine.

Jeff Berkowitz: And, so when Brookins says if the State’s Attorney’s office screwed up…. the two top people there, Milan and Alvarez—they have to take a hit as well; you’re saying Brookins is wrong?

Anita Alvarez: Yes, I think he is wrong. Because, I don’t understand why I should be taking a hit for something that happened years ago before I even came into the office and not only that, now we have safeguards in place so that something like that [torture of accused] wouldn’t happen…we have tried police officers, we have charged police officers and I am the only one in this race who can stand up there and say I have tried and convicted police officers.

Chicago Cops Gone Wild?

Jeff Berkowitz: Well, if the office is doing so well at this stuff, why did they [the police] have to disband the Special Operations unit for what they were doing- rogue cops, you got this …off-duty cop beating up on the barmaid—you’ve seen the videotape, you’ve got off duty cops beating up on the businessmen—is it “Chicago Cops Gone Wild,”still. I mean if all these things [that you refer to] are happening and in place, and all these procedures and you are doing this and that, the stuff I mentioned is happening just in the last six months.

Anita Alvarez: The SOS?

Jeff Berkowitz: Right, the SOS, the barmaid getting beat up, the businessmen getting beat up, what the Hell is going on with these cops.

Anita Alvarez: Well, you are talking about the Chicago Police Department. You are not talking about my office; you are talking about the Chicago—

Jeff Berkowitz: Well, your office is supposed to be going after rogue cops. And if there are rogue cops out there and you are slow to do it, your office takes the hit.

Anita Alvarez: We are not slow to do it. That SOS investigation was a long-term investigation and it resulted in a lot of indictments. So, no, we’re not slow to get on those cases…we investigate not only the allegations of excessive force but also the bribery, the official misconducts and those types of cases.

Disclosing the identities of the Chicago Police 662

Jeff Berkowitz: What about the list of 662 policemen who have had ten or more complaints?

Anita Alvarez: Um-um.

Jeff Berkowitz: [Twenty-eight] Chicago aldermen have filed a lawsuit; they want to get access to those individuals, to the names

Anita Alvarez: To the names.

Aldermanic Oversight of the Chicago Police Department?

Jeff Berkowitz: So, they can exercise oversight, so they can know what’s going on.

Anita Alvarez: The aldermen are going to exercise oversight?

Jeff Berkowitz: That’s what they say.

Anita Alvarez: Well, I don’t—

Jeff Berkowitz: You don’t think they should have access to those names?

Anita Alvarez: No, I don’t. I don’t because there are police officers who have CRs, as we call them. The complaints against them. A lot of those CRs—

Jeff Berkowitz: CRs means?

Anita Alvarez: Complaint registration numbers. There are many very good, aggressive police officers out there who are going to pick up, as we say, CRs. That doesn’t mean the allegations—that they are truthful.

Civil and criminal allegations a part of the public record?

Jeff Berkowitz: There are good people in civil life who are good people and somebody files a complaint, a wife, for instance—Blair Hull [had that come out in the Senate Primary race in 2004], it’s all public.

Anita Alvarez: Um-um.

Jeff Berkowitz: So, it’s okay for individuals to be wrongfully accused and the public gets to know about that, but if a policeman gets more than ten complaints, the City Council, exercising oversight, doesn’t have the right to know? Don’t you think it is a bit inconsistent?

Anita Alvarez: No, I think it is dangerous to release those names to all the aldermen in the City of Chicago. What—

Jeff Berkowitz: You can have a protective order that says that they can’t disclose that [to others]. The court orders that type of thing all the time. So, this information can be used only by the aldermen.

Anita Alvarez: Well, I would like to know what the aldermen are going to do with it.

Why the alderman want the names of the Chicago Police 662

Jeff Berkowitz: Well, they say they are going to look at it and they would probably call somebody, maybe the State’s Attorney, before them and ask about—have you looked at this? Has this pattern of this person getting 10 or 15—

Anita Alvarez: So, the aldermen are better suited than to look for patterns than—

Checks and Balances: The American Way?

Jeff Berkowitz: They provide a check. That’s what this country is all about. We don’t trust the Executive, we don’t trust the Judiciary, and we don’t trust the Congress. We try to have checks and balances, right…Shouldn’t the City Council have some oversight as to what is going on in the police department and maybe even oversight to bring the State’s Attorney to talk about what’s going on in terms of that investigation and you can’t do that if you don’t know the names…this is what America is about…checks and balances, right? I don’t mean to wave the flag at you, but it is checks and balances.

Anita Alvarez: It is checks and balances, but we are trained, we are prosecutors and we have investigators assigned to our office. So, we are trained to look into these kinds of matters. I am not saying we are—

Jeff Berkowitz: You are saying we should trust you… the city council shouldn’t ask any questions, just trust you and it will be fine.

Anita Alvarez: No, that’s not what I am saying. I’m not saying—

Jeff Berkowitz: You are saying you are trained, so—

Anita Alvarez: I am not saying that we are doing everything perfectly.

Jeff Berkowitz: But, how will they know? How can they check if they can’t even get the names of these people? They can’t even have an intelligent conversation because you are not giving them access.

Anita Alvarez: No, I think they can have an intelligent conversation and if the aldermen wanted to do something about police corruption, Ald. Allen and Ald. Brookins [Allen does not favor release of the names to the City Council, Brookins does; Both are candidates for State’s Attorney in the Democratic Primary] —they are sitting in the City Council for years and years and years. They have more of an opportunity to make a change in the Chicago police department than a State’s Attorney or me as an Ass’t, a sitting State’s Attorney… I am not saying we are doing everything perfectly, we don’t, we’re not.

Grading the State’s Attorney’s office

Jeff Berkowitz: …When asked to grade the office, you said a B or B plus, right?

Anita Alvarez: Um-um.

Jeff Berkowitz: For what period of time—

Anita Alvarez: Because I think there is more that we can do.

Jeff Berkowitz: For the last ten years, a B or B plus?

Anita Alvarez: Yes.

Jeff Berkowitz: I think Bob Milan said an A plus. What’s the difference between you and him? What do you think should be done to get it to an A plus?

Anita Alvarez: Because I know there are changes that need to be made.

Alvarez: A Change Agent?

Jeff Berkowitz: So, give me the top three things that you would do in the first year if you were the State’s Attorney? To change.

Anita Alvarez: To change? I would like to bring back the …
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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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Speaker Hastert and Jim Oberweis: Strange Bedfellows and the Odd Couple, Part 1.

Speaker Hastert has spent a large majority of his adult life in politics [15 years as a teacher and coach, 27 years as a politician]. Senator Lauzen has spent a bare majority of his adult life in politics [14 years providing accounting services to small businessmen and 15 years as a politician]. Jim Oberweis has spent the great majority of his adult life in business [about 30 years] and about six years running unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for the U. S. Senate [twice] and Governor [once]. Oberweis is now running for the Republican primary nomination in the 8th Congressional District. [The Republican and Democratic Primaries for the Fall General Election and the March 8, 2008 Special Election to fill out the remainder of Hastert’s term will be held on February 5, 2008].

Hastert endorsed Oberweis for his first U. S. Senate primary run in 2002, said he didn’t have the right temperament and tone to be Senator in 2004, didn’t endorse him for Governor in 2006, but endorsed him last week for Congress.

Team Oberweis, after running for six years proudly as an outsider, non—politician, embraced Speaker Hastert, the ultimate insider, warmly as it accepted Hastert’s endorsement last Thursday. On Friday, Jim Oberweis explained that he can unite the Party by bringing Party insiders, like Hastert, together with Party outsiders, like Oberweis.

Team Oberweis castigated Senator Lauzen as a career politician, but then said it didn’t mean to use the term in a pejorative way. When asked if Speaker Hastert is also a career politician, Team Oberweis tried, awkwardly, to deny that the phrase fits.

As this reporter tells people, he tries to be sufficiently cynical in his analysis and discussion of politics and politicians to get it right, but he just can’t keep up with the politicians, outsider or insider, career or amateur.

Team Oberweis said last week it doesn’t know if Speaker Hastert will have time to campaign for Oberweis, but the Speaker will cut a TV ad for the money funds entrepreneur. The Fox Valley waits with baited breath to see the Odd Couple return to TV.
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Coburn-Obama: Fluff?

Jeff Berkowitz: Jim, you took a crack at the Coburn-Obama legislation as fluff and you heard Senator Lauzen’s response that it was easy to criticize, do you see things that are helpful in that legislation—

Jim Oberweis: Oh, yes.

Jeff Berkowitz: And what would you do that isn’t in there?

Jim Oberweis: Well, when it was originally proposed, it was pretty good. Before it got passed, it got significantly watered down. And, today, there is just kind of a summary in there-- you can’t really search and get all the details and know who is connected to it [the spending] and why.

Jeff Berkowitz: Can’t get all the details of what?

Jim Oberweis: Some of the spending programs.

Jeff Berkowitz: So, you just get summaries. You would have more details of what the spending is and who is associated with it? Would that be it or would you do even more than that?

Jim Oberweis: That would be a huge step in the right direction.

Hastert Endorsement of Oberweis: how important?

Jeff Berkowitz: On the Hastert endorsement [of you], how influential do you think that endorsement will be?

Jim Oberweis: I think it is terrific. I mean it shows that I am the candidate who not only can bring together the outsiders as I have done before but now the Party is starting to recognize the need to come together, and I am getting that kind of support, also.

Jim Oberweis: Peacemaker between insiders and outsiders?

Jeff Berkowitz: But, are those insiders who you have criticized in the past. Is Speaker Hastert an insider and are you sort of working both sides of the fence?

Jim Oberweis: Yes, I am working to bring both sides together. That’s exactly what I just said and I think that’s important.

Where does Kjellander fit in this puzzle?

Jeff Berkowitz: Would that include people like [Republican National Committeeman from Illinois and insider] Kjellander, too?

Jim Oberweis: No.

Jeff Berkowitz: But, Kjellander is a friend of Hastert’s right?

Jim Oberweis: Oh, I don’t think so.

Jeff Berkowitz: You don’t think so, so he’s not associated with that?

Jim Oberweis: Look, when you’re in a public position, I think you try to be nice to a lot of people but I don’t believe Denny would consider Kjellander a—

Speaker Hastert and Senator Lauzen: Two career politicians?

Jeff Berkowitz: You’ve called Senator Lauzen a career politician. Would you also call Speaker Hastert a career politician?

Jim Oberweis: I’d call him a wrestling coach and a high school teacher who went on to serve a higher purpose.

Jeff Berkowitz: But, 27 years as a politician [for Speaker Hastert].

Jim Oberweis: Come on.

Jeff Berkowitz: But, 27 years, seriously, isn’t that---

Jeff Berkowitz: [Oberweis looks away] you don’t have an answer for that?

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Jeff Berkowitz: The War wasn’t really covered in the forum. [Oberweis starts to walk away].

Jeff Berkowitz: You don’t want to talk about the War, either?
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Jim Oberweis interviewed after a Candidate Forum sponsored by the St. Charles Chamber of Commerce and other local chambers of Commerce, December 14, 2007, Hilton Inn, St. Charles, IL
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Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Better than people watching at annual Serafin & Assoc. Party: Alvarez on Cable and soon Streaming

State's Attorney Candidate Anita Alvarez (D-River Forest): Actually, I would favor a law that no one could ever buy a gun.

Jeff Berkowitz: So, you would take the guns away from people who own them legally now?

Anita Alvarez: I think we would be a safer society if people didn’t own guns.

Jeff Berkowitz: Do you think the 2nd Amendment [to the U. S. Constitution] has anything to say about that? I mean, should we follow the 2nd Amendment?

Anita Alvarez: I think—we have put more danger in the street with people owning guns and the cases that I have seen and the children that I have seen get killed because of guns. It’s just too dangerous. I would favor—
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This week's Chicago Metro suburban edition of Public Affairs features Cook County, IL State's Attorney Candidate Anita Alvarez. Alvarez is Dick Devine's (the current State's Attorney) Chief Deputy, meaning Alvarez is the No.3 attorney in the office, behind State's Attorney Devine and his First Assistant, Bob Milan. Alvarez has (1) oversight responsibilities, along with Milan, for the almost 900 attorneys and about six hundred support staff in the office, (2) responsibilities for such matters as budget and diversity and (3) other leadership and administrative responsibilities.

Anita Alvarez is running in a tough six candidate Democratic Primary for State's Attorney of Cook County.

The show with Alvarez airs tonight in 25 suburbs in its regular, weekly, Tuesday night slot at 8:30 pm on either Comcast Cable Ch. 19 or 35. In 10 suburbs, the show aired last night and it will air again Wednesday and Friday night this week on Comcast Cable Ch. 19 at 8:30 pm. See, below, for further details as to the specific airing schedule and channel for "Public Affairs with Jeff Berkowitz," for your Chicago suburban location.
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Chief Deputy and candidate for State's Attorney Anita Alvarez debates and discusses with show host and Executive Legal Recruiter Jeff Berkowitz a broad range of State's Attorney public policy issues (listed, below).
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The show with Anita Alvarez also airs through-out the City of Chicago this coming Monday Night [Dec. 17] at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 [CANTV] and at 7:30 pm this coming Monday evening [Dec. 17] on Aurora Community Television, on Comcast Cable Ch. 10 in Aurora and some surrounding areas. That is, 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 soon watch the show with State's Attorney Democratic Primary candidate Alvarez, along with other recently posted shows, including State's Attorney Candidates Ald. Allen, Comm. Suffredin, First Ass't Bob Milan and Ald. Brookins; 14th CD Republican Primary candidates Jim Oberweis, Chris Lauzen and Kevin Burns; Rep. Hamos (D-Evanston), 14th CD Democratic Primary Candidates Jotham Stein and John Laesch on your computer at PublicAffairsTV.com. [For all of the shows on the Public Affairs podcast page, other than Oberweis and Milan, please click the Archives icon to bring up those shows].

In addition to those shows, prior shows on the "Public Affairs," podcast page feature Presidential candidates Obama, Giuliani, Richardson, McCain and Cox, and many other pols, including Obama-Bean in April, 2006, Congresswoman Bean in January, 2006 and Congresswoman Schakowsky in October, 2005 and opinion makers. You may also watch these "Public Affairs," shows and others at www.itunes.com
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Having trouble watching the 14th CD Democratic and Republican Primary candidates listed above and the Milan, Brookins, Suffredin and Allen quartet on the Public Affairs podcast page or at Itunes.com? Not to worry, you can now go here to watch them all on YouTube.com as well other Public Affairs shows, e.g., our extended interview with Presidential candidate Gov. Bill Richardson. This TV show host has been told that almost anybody who has a computer should be able to access Youtube, so no longer will you have a technical excuse for not watching Public Affairs, as all of our shows, going forward, and many prior ones, will be posted on YouTube.com.

Next week's Chicago suburban edition of "Public Affairs," features 8th CD Republican Primary Candidate Kirk Morris, and that show is likely to be placed on YouTube in the next week, along with other Public Affairs shows. go here to watch them all on YouTube.com
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Cook County, IL State’s Attorney election contest:

State’s Attorney Chief Deputy Anita Alvarez is one of six candidates in the Democratic Primary for State's Attorney of Cook County. She is joined in the race by Chicago Ald. Allen, Chicago Ald. Brookins, Comm. Suffredin, State’s Attorney First Ass't Bob Milan and attorney Tommie Brewer.

The victor in the Democratic Primary will face the winner of the Republican Primary between Cook County Comm. and attorney Tony Peraica and attorney Ed Barron.

Meet Anita Alvarez:

Alvarez has been associated with the State's Attorney of Cook County office for the last 21 years (her entire legal career). She has worked in the Gang Crimes Unit; was a supervisor in the Public Integrity Unit; Deputy Chief, Narcotics Bureau; Chief, Special Prosecutions Bureau; Chief of Staff to Devine and currently is the Chief Deputy to the retiring State's Attorney, Dick Devine. Her educational background includes Maria High School in Pilsen, Loyola University of Chicago and Chicago Kent Law School.

For more about Anita Alvarez, Go here.

Topics discussed in the show with candidate Anita Alvarez:

Cook County State's Attorney candidate and Chief Deputy Anita Alvarez (D-River Forest) debates and discusses with show host and Executive Legal Recruiter Jeff Berkowitz a broad range of public policy issues relating to leadership and administration of the State's Attorney office, including whether State's Attorney Devine did what he should have done to investigate allegations of confessions resulting from torture, whether the moratorium on capital punishment in Illinois should be lifted, whether the Mayor's office should release to the City Council the names of police officers who are the subject of ten or more complaints from individuals, how well is the State's Attorney office performing in terms of diversity hires, should individuals be allowed to own guns; do more guns result in less crime; are crack cocaine drug laws fair to all; have Chicago cops gone wild; are Milan and Alvarez connected at the hip to Devine; what major changes would Alvarez makein the State Attorney's office; should we have concealed carry; and much, much more.
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A partial transcript of this week's show with candidate Alvarez is included directly, below.
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More Guns, Less Crime?

Jeff Berkowitz: You’ve heard the saying, “More guns, Less crime.”

Anita Alvarez, Chief Deputy to State’s Attorney Dick Devine: Um-um.

Jeff Berkowitz: Make sense to you?

Anita Alvarez, Candidate for State’s Attorney, Democratic Primary: More guns, less crime?

Jeff Berkowitz: Yes, [the book with that title by] John Lott. Criminals…if they are in an area like Chicago where it is illegal to what, own a handgun?

Anita Alvarez (D-River Forest): Yes, it is.

Bad Guy (w/ a gun) meets a good guy (w/o a gun):

Jeff Berkowitz: A bad guy goes up to a good guy and if the good guy is following the law, the bad guy knows the good guy doesn’t have a gun, and the bad guy has kind of an advantage. If [on the other hand], the bad guy thinks the good guy does own a gun, he is going to be more careful. Do you think that makes sense?

Anita Alvarez: No, I think—I believe in gun control. I believe less guns is better.

Illegal to possess a handgun in Chicago:

Jeff Berkowitz: And, you believe…people in Chicago not being allowed to own a handgun is fine.

Anita Alvarez: Yes.

Jeff Berkowitz: And, if somebody is in a home that is in an area that is somewhat crime ridden, and he would like to own a gun to protect himself (or herself) in his house, you say, “Nope, you don’t get to.”

Anita Alvarez: No, not at all [he should not own a gun].

Will the police get there in time?

Jeff Berkowitz: Call the police, they’ll get there in time, right?

Anita Alvarez: Well, that’s right. I don’t believe that people should be able to---

Jeff Berkowitz: But, you know that police often won’t get there in time.

Anita Alvarez: Well, it happens, sometimes. But, I believe in stricter gun control.

Can a battered woman use a gun as an equalizer? A woman's issue?

Jeff Berkowitz: And, in these cases for women who are being battered by their husbands, they can’t own a gun; they sometimes can’t get a protective order, they can’t get the police there in time—your answer is? Tough?

Anita Alvarez: I still would not—

Jeff Berkowitz: Because you just told me as a female, you can identify with women and so forth—would you identify with a female in that kind of situation?

Anita Alvarez: No, I don’t think that anybody should own guns.

Concealed Carry as an equalizer?

Jeff Berkowitz: So, no concealed carry?

Anita Alvarez: No, absolutely not.

Jeff Berkowitz: If a woman is going down a street in a tough area and she would like to have a gun in her purse, just in case [a bad guy tries to assault her]-- it’s a felony [for her to have a gun in her purse], right?

Anita Alvarez: That’s right. I believe in gun control and I don’t believe that—and you are pointing out very specific cases that again if in fact a woman is murdered, I understand that. However, I think we are all safer in our society without guns.
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Jeff Berkowitz: Should we have more gun control? Some people say we should have an assault weapon ban. We had it on the federal level and it lapsed. Should the state of Illinois

Anita Alvarez: I think we should

One gun purchase per year?

Jeff Berkowitz: Have an assault weapon ban? Some people say we should restrict the number of guns people can purchase. Some say restrict it to one a month, maybe one a year. Does either sound good to you?

Anita Alvarez: I agree with that.

Jeff Berkowitz: One a year? You would favor a law that said you could only buy one gun a year?

Take guns away from the good guys?

Anita Alvarez: Actually, I would favor a law that no one could ever buy a gun.

Jeff Berkowitz: So, you would take the guns away from people who own them legally now?

Anita Alvarez: I think we would be a safer society if people didn’t own guns.

Does 2nd Amendment give Americans the right to own a gun?

Jeff Berkowitz: Do you think the 2nd Amendment [to the U. S. Constitution] has anything to say about that? I mean, should we follow the 2nd Amendment?

Anita Alvarez: I think—we have put more danger in the street with people owning guns and the cases that I have seen and the children that I have seen get killed because of guns. It’s just too dangerous. I would favor—

Jeff Berkowitz: But, do individuals have a right to own a gun from the 2nd Amendment [to the U. S. Constitution]?. You have read the 2nd Amendment?

Anita Alvarez: I have read the 2nd Amendment.

Jeff Berkowitz: You believe in the 2nd Amendment?

Anita Alvarez: People do interpret that way. I don’t believe I do. I don’t think people should own guns. I really don’t.

Crack Cocaine and the African-American community:

Jeff Berkowitz: Crack Cocaine. Do you know the controversy there about the enforcement. Is it unequal? Is it disproportionately putting African-Americans in jail? Enforcement of crack cocaine laws? What do you think?

Anita Alvarez: No, I don’t think that there is a disproportionate amount of minorities [in jail] because of crack cocaine. Drugs are a problem—

Jeff Berkowitz: But, some kinds of drugs that are taken in suburbs- less enforcement. Down in the tougher areas—they go right to jail.
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The "Public Affairs," show with Anita Alvarez was recorded on Dec. 9, 2007
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The airing schedule for the Chicago Metro 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 guest State's Attorney candidate Anita Alvarez(D-River Forest) 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 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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Monday, December 10, 2007

Better than Monday night football: First Ass't Milan on Cable in Chicago and Streaming

Tonight's City of Chicago edition of Public Affairs (8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21, CANTV) features Cook County, IL State's Attorney Candidate Bob Milan (D-Glenview). Milan is Dick Devine's (the current State's Attorney) First Assistant, meaning Milan has oversight responsibility for almost 900 attorneys and about six hundred support staff. Bob Milan is running in a tough six candidate Democratic Primary.
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Next Monday night's "Public Affairs," show in Chicago (8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21, CANTV) features Anita Alvarez, Chief Deputy to Cook County State's Attorney Dick Devine and candidate for State's Attorney in the Democratic Primary.

Alvarez is the featured guest on this week's Suburban edition of Public Affairs.
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First Ass't and State's Attorney candidate Bob Milan debates and discusses with show host and Executive Legal Recruiter Jeff Berkowitz a broad range of State's Attorney public policy issues. Go here for a description of the topics discussed on tonight's show and more about First Assistant Bob Milan.
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You may also watch the show with State's Attorney Democratic Primary candidate Milan, along with other recently posted shows, including State's Attorney Candidates Ald. Allen, Comm. Suffredin and Ald. Brookins; soon this week's suburban edition of Public Affairs show with State's Attorney candidate Anita Alvarez ; Rep. Hamos (D-Evanston), 14th CD Republican Primary candidates Sen. Lauzen, Jim Oberweis and Mayor Burns and 14th CD Democratic Primary Candidates Jotham Stein and John Laesch on your computer at PublicAffairsTV.com. [For all of the shows on the Public Affairs podcast page, other than Oberweis and Milan, please click the Archives icon to bring up those shows].

In addition to those shows, prior shows on the "Public Affairs," podcast page feature Presidential candidates Obama, Giuliani, Richardson, McCain and Cox, and many other pols, including Obama-Bean in April, 2006, Congresswoman Bean in January, 2006 and Congresswoman Schakowsky in October, 2005 and opinion makers. You may also watch these "Public Affairs," shows and others at www.itunes.com
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Having trouble watching the 14th CD Democratic and Republican Primary candidates listed above and the Milan, Brookins, Suffredin and Allen quartet on the Public Affairs podcast page or at Itunes.com? Not to worry, you can now go here to watch them all on YouTube.com as well other Public Affairs shows, e.g., our extended interview with Presidential candidate Gov. Bill Richardson. This TV show host has been told that almost anybody who has a computer should be able to access Youtube, so no longer will you have a technical excuse for not watching Public Affairs, as all of our shows, going forward, and many prior ones, will be posted on YouTube.com.
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The show with Bob Milan was recorded on Nov. 11, 2007
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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: Lauzen on Cable in Aurora, et al and Streaming

Jeff Berkowitz: …Is Waterboarding something we should be doing more of, or less?

Sen. Lauzen: I don’t think so.

Jeff Berkowitz: We should do less of it?

Sen. Lauzen: Yes, that’s my first reaction.

Jeff Berkowitz: Should we ever do it?

Sen. Lauzen: In a case where you are going to save millions of people, yes…
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Tonight's City of Aurora edition of Public Affairs features State Senator and 14th Cong. District Republican Primary Candidate Chris Lauzen (R-Aurora).

Senator Lauzen debates and discusses, tonight, with show host and Executive Legal Recruiter Jeff Berkowitz a broad range of domestic, foreign and cultural public policy issues.
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The show with Senator Lauzen airs at 7:30 pm tonight [Nov. 19] on Aurora Community Television, on Comcast Cable Ch. 10 in Aurora and some surrounding areas. That is, 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 14th Cong. Dist. Republican Primary candidate Lauzen, along with other recently posted shows, including State's Attorney Candidates Ald. Allen, Comm. Suffredin, Ald. Brookins and First Ass't Bob Milan, Rep. Hamos (D-Evanston), 14th CD Republican Primary candidate Mayor Kevin Burns and 14th CD Democratic Primary Candidates Jotham Stein and John Laesch on your computer at PublicAffairsTV.com. [For all of the shows on the Public Affairs podcast page, other than Sen. Lauzen and Bob Milan, please click the Archives icon to bring up those shows].

In addition to those shows, prior shows on the "Public Affairs," podcast page feature Presidential candidates Obama, Giuliani, Richardson, McCain and Cox, and many other pols, including Obama-Bean in April, 2006, Congresswoman Bean in January, 2006 and Congresswoman Schakowsky in October, 2005 and opinion makers. You may also watch these "Public Affairs," shows and others at www.itunes.com
*****************************************************************
Having trouble watching the 14th CD Democratic and Republican Primary candidates listed above and the Brookins, Suffredin, Milan and Allen Quartet on the Public Affairs podcast page or at Itunes.com? Not to worry, you can now go here to watch them all on YouTube.com as well other Public Affairs shows, e.g., our extended interview with Presidential candidate Gov. Bill Richardson. This TV show host has been told that almost anybody who has a computer should be able to access Youtube, so no longer will you have an excuse for not watching Public Affairs, as all of our shows, going forward, and many prior ones, will be posted on YouTube.com.
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The 14th Cong. District Republican and Democratic Primary Candidates, covered intensively by "Public Affairs":

State Senator Chris Lauzen (R-Aurora) is one of two strong conservative candidates running in the 14th Cong. Dist. Primary. He is joined in the race by Conservative businessman Jim Oberweis (who taped Public Affairs on Nov. 18) and moderate Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns (previously a guest on Public Affairs) You can watch Burns and Lauzen on both www.publicaffairstv.com and www.youtube.com

The victor in the Republican Primary will face the winner of a hotly contested Democratic Primary between John Laesch (who lost to then Speaker and twenty year Cong. Hastert in 2006), St. Charles attorney Jotham Stein and scientist Bill Foster. Both Laesch and Stein have been prior guests on Public Affairs (go to www.publicaffairstv.com and www.youtube.com ). Foster has not yet accepted repeated invitations to appear on "Public Affairs with Jeff Berkowitz."
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A partial transcript of tonight's show with Senator and 14th CD candidate Chris Lauzen (R-Aurora) is included 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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Saturday, December 08, 2007

The Prime of Barack Obama

Obama's lost confidence:

Sometime after his sparkling announcement for President on February 10 in Springfield, with his picture perfect family by his side, Obama misplaced his confidence. It was as if he had stuck his confidence in his coat pocket, as he would a speech-- and suddenly he couldn’t find it.

The misplaced confidence showed especially in his halting, unsure answers in the debates. Some said he simply was not comfortable with the one-minute answer format. But, the problems with Obama seemed deeper. The excitement had passed. He was campaigning as if he had been assigned some tasks and he would execute them in a workmanlike manner, but without the passion that marks a winner.

The Obama comeback:

However, in the last few months all that changed. Obama had a few good debates—when he seemed to take charge. He would turn to Hillary and make his points, with confidence and clarity. You got the sense that Obama, once again, thought he could win. Not that he would necessarily win, but that he could. That is no small accomplishment when you are taking on half (or more) of the most powerful couple that the Democratic Party has ever known—Hillary and Mr. Bill.

Tonight was more of the confident Obama. It was a Generation Obama event in Chicago (The Riviera) with performing artists Jeff Tweedy, Jill Sobule, Stephan Jenkins and Leo Kremer. This is an important part of Obama’s base: young, hip, educated, ready to volunteer foot soldiers in the Obama brigade.

The remarks were perfect for the Democratic Primary. Obama has a cadence and a passion that Hillary can’t match. And, Hillary is almost a generation removed from Barack and this base. She can smile and say, “I’m your girl,” but she is never really going to connect with this generation, let alone be their “girl.”

Obama's America of gloom and doom:

Although Obama likes to refer to himself as a “hopemonger,” as the outsider party, he starts his pitch with an America that is filled with gloom and doom: people all across the country are “working harder for less,” and “they have never paid more for health care, college or gasoline.” In Obama’s America, “it is harder for people to save,” “harder for them to retire,” “they may be maxed out on their credit cards,” they may have “taken out a home equity loan and home prices are going down.” They are “nervous,” and they are “stressed.’ And, they have “lost faith that their leaders can and will do anything about it.“ “Nobody is listening.”

My, my. In Obama’s America, it almost seems like the 1930s, with 25% national unemployment and businessmen jumping out of windows.

Obama argued that “the only mission that was ever accomplished was to use fear and falsehoods to take this country into a war that should have never been authorized and should have never been waged, and has cost this country billions of dollars and thousands of lives and has not made us more safe.“

Obama as a change agent:

Obama asserts-- with all of the above problems-- the old, standard, meek politics won’t work. He argues we need aggressive change- and that change must be based on principles and convictions—something he implies Hillary is lacking.

Obama speaks of helping a homecare worker by giving her just “a little bit more pay,” and giving her a “little more retirement security.” Obama says there are millions of people like this homecare worker all across the country that “hope they can find a job that pays a living wage.” They hope they won’t be bankrupt if they get sick. And, they hope they can send their kids to college even if they are not rich. And, they hope they can retire with some security and respect.

Mutually shared obligations:

Moreover, all of this goes back to Obama’s theme of mutually shared obligations, which Obama articulated during his 2004 Senate Primary contest and again last year as he was preparing for his Presidential run. Obama argues the current administration has told the homecare workers, and many others, that they are on their own.

But, Obama believes he is his brother’s keeper and “that’s the reason he is running for President.” He wants to use government to help all those who need help. Is he trying to reinvent the “Great Society,” of LBJ? Perhaps. If he does a press conference in the next year in Chicago, perhaps we can ask.

More Obama solutions: take away tax breaks from companies that are shipping jobs overseas; give tax breaks to hardworking Americans that deserve them [here, it appears that Obama would like to cut payroll taxes of employees who do not earn enough income to pay income taxes]; raise the minimum wage every year “so workers will not be poor.”

Obama promises to “make sure every single American has health care they can count on,” that is at least as good as Obama’s health insurance plan as a U. S. Senator; make sure every child in America “has the best education we have to offer.” As President, he will “reward teachers for their greatness by paying them more money.” And, of course, Obama will bring the troops home from Iraq within 16 months.

Key to winning in the Democratic Primary:

This is great stuff for the Democratic Primary. Promise everybody everything. All will have the best health care the nation has to offer. All will have the best education the nation has to offer. If he had more time, he could have promised the best houses, the best cars, etc., to every American.

Econ 101:

Democratic candidates in their primaries act as if no one knows economics. Not the candidates and not the constituents. Everybody can have the best of everything. If they lack skills, so what? We will pass a law mandating a higher wage. If employers choose to hire fewer workers at the higher wage, the government will mandate that the employer doesn’t do that. Mandates and promises; the key to winning in the Democratic Primary.

For the Democratic Presidential primary, Obama is in his prime. If there is an economic problem, Obama as President can mandate a solution. This is an article of faith among Democratic Primary voters. Further, he has the cadence, the style, and the inspiration. The smart money is now going with Obama to win the Democratic nomination for President.

The general election? That could be a bit more difficult for Obama. But, first things first. No sense in worrying about the General if you don’t win the primary. Just ask Obama’s campaign guru, David Axelrod. Axelrod is back in the saddle, and his candidate is moving ahead.