Saturday, May 10, 2008

Berkowitz joins Paul Vallas on Tom Roeser's Political Shoot-out radio show tomorrow night

Revised and supplemented significantly at 2:30 pm on Saturday
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Jeff Berkowitz will join Paul Vallas as a guest tomorrow night [Mother's Day] on Tom Roeser’s weekly, Sunday, call-in radio show, Political Shoot-out, WLS 890 AM Radio, from 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Vallas is the man who re-made and reformed the Chicago Public School ("CPS") system, under Mayor Daley, from 1995 to 2001, as its CEO-Superintendent.

Vallas had a very strong assist from Gery Chico, then the President of the Board of Education at CPS [Vallas and Chico were known as Messrs Inside and Outside at CPS]. Vallas was dumped by the Mayor(as was Chico)--or he simply left the CPS-- in the summer of 2001 to make a run for Governor in the Democratic Primary. Paul Vallas came close to beating Blago, and Roland Burris was a close third (36-34-30). Blagojevich, of course, went on to beat Jim Ryan (52-45) and the rest, as they say, is history. Vallas left Illinois to take on the Philadelphia public school system for a few years and he is now in the last year of his contract with the Recovery School District in New Orleans. The smart money says Vallas is taking a good look at a run for Illinois Governor in 2010.

Vallas was quite popular with Republicans in the Chicago Metro suburbs and Chicago Democratic minority residents-- with both of those demographics liking what he did at CPS. It would be a daring and sensible move for Democrat Vallas to consider entering the Republican Party Primary for his 2010 run for Governor. Vallas could be the the State GOP's messiah and he could, at the same time, avoid what is shaping up to be a crowded 2010 Democratic Guv Primary. That political party change by Vallas would also dovetail nicely with Vallas' newfound appreciation for School Vouchers-School Choice [ See Tom Roeser] and his longtime appreciation for the societal benefits of privitization, for which Vallas drew much flak while at the CPS and during the 2002 Democratic Guv primary.
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You say you don't live within the WLS broadcast area? Not to worry. You can go here to listen to the program, live, on the web.[You may encounter some technical problems in signing on-- allow five minutes, or so, for following the prompts for technical difficulties, and you should be able to hear WLS live on the web] 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], something he wrote on this blog or just the way he looks? 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, Libertarians, Centrists, Independents, Peronistas, Communists [no collect calls, please], Putin followers, elitists, clingers to religion and guns, outside agitators and others are, of course, all welcome.

Tomorrow night's show may touch on the Springfield six-ring circus, including the possible impeachment of Governor Blagojevich and whether there is credible evidence of an impeachable offense by Blago [Watch here the forthcoming Public Affairs show with Rep. Durkin [dealing in part with this topic], the Blagojevich meltdown and the toxic tone in Springfield among Dems which might help the Republicans be resurrected in Illinois; Are the Republicans in Illinois now the party of ethics and better jobs [[Watch here this past week's suburban edition of Public Affairs show with Senator Dillard dealing in part with this topic], will there be an operating or capital budget before May 31, should there be state government provided healthcare insurance for all low income and middle class individuals in Illinois who need it? Should there be a Chicago casino, should there be more gaming and perhaps additional casinos in Illinois,For a look back at how the more things change, the more they stay the same, 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, archived 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 education, economics, school vouchers- school choice, rcovery in New Orleans, Governor Bobby Jindahl's chances to be McCain's VP [Vallas now reports to Gov. Jindahl], charter schools, jobs and free lunches .

This reporter doesn't know the topics for tomorrow night—they are determined by Mr. Roeser, with some incisive suggestions, no doubt, by his lovely, energetic and intelligent wife Lillian. However, an educated guess is that the questions will consist of various Illinois political and New Orleans recovery 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 [or do they?]. 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? is the question we classically ask, followed with:

--What would the last five years have looked like in Illinois under a Governor Vallas? the next five years?

--WasChicago Sun-Times columnist Laura Washington correct, once upon a time, to be concerned that "concealed carry," would put a dangerous person with a gun next to her in a movie theater, or is that more likely to be the case without a concealed carry law?

--Was Barack Obama Emil Jones' show pony, as Senator Rauschenberger contends? [watch here]

--Was Obama way too cautious in his handling of the Pastor Disaster?

--Is Obama's cautious nature both his strength and his weakness?

--In light of what has transpired about Rev. Wright, Rezko and Ayers, does Sen. Dillard reqret the TV ad he cut for Obama last year. [Watch Sen. Dillard discuss this topic].

-Will the state GOP cave in the next few months on its hostility to increased taxes? Will House Republican leader Cross lead the capitulation?

-Will 2006 10th CD Democratic nominee Dan Seals come back to beat Cong. Kirk [R-Highland Park] this year? Does Obama's almost certain presence at the top of the ballot result in an almost certain loss for suburban agenda Kirk? Are both Seals and Kirk playing a prevent defense?

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

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

-Can the new face surprise and take the RNC position from both LaHood and Rauschenbeger at the State GOP convention in Decatur in early June?

- Could Colonel Jill Morgenthaler (D-Des Plaines) upset first term Republican incumbent Cong. Peter Roskam in the Illinois 6th CD? Watch Morgenthaler go after Roskam here. Is Roskam hiding from Public Affairs?
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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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Recently posted shows on the Public Affairs Youtube page include a week from now's show in the suburbs with State Rep. Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs), this coming week's show in the suburbs with 6th CD Democratic candidate Jill Morgenthaler,(this past week's show in the suburbs with Sen. Dillard and (previously posted) last week's show in the suburbs with former Republican Primary Presidential Candidate John Cox, reflecting (a) on the similarity of much of Cox's message to that of Obama and (b) on the Illinois Combine, which in Cox's view, seems still to have a grip on the State GOP and some of its leaders, our prior show with Dem. Campaign consultant Pete Giangreco, our prior show with State Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago), our prior shows with Senator and Deputy Republican Senate Leader Christine Radogno (R-Lemont), State Rep. Lang (Part 2), State Rep. Lang (Part 1) , WGN Radio political pundit Paul Green, Senator and 2010 Illinois Republican Primary Gubernatorial candidate Bill Brady,former State Senator Steve Rauschenberger, assessing Barack Obama, Republican U.S. Senate Republican nominee Dr. Steve Sauerberg, discussing his Democratic opponent--Senator Durbin-- and domestic, cultural and foreign policy issues, State Rep. Julie Hamos (D-Evanston,IL), discussing Barack Obama, as well as various Illinois Budget issues (spending, mass transit, capital budget, education, gaming and taxes) , State's Attorney for Cook County Republican nominee and Cook County Board Member Tony Peraica; and Anita Alvarez, Chief Deputy to current State's Attorney for Cook County Dick Devine and now the Democratic nominee for State's Attorney of Cook County