A "Public Affairs," virtual debate with Manzullo and Abboud tonight on Cable in Rockford, et al, and Streaming
“Public Affairs,” interviews with Congressman Don Manzullo (R-Egan) and his Democratic opponent, Robert Abboud, Barrington Hills Village President, air this evening in Rockford and other 16th Cong. Dist. communities, listed below, on Comcast Cable Ch. 17. The program with Abboud airs at 8:00 pm and that is followed at 8:30 pm by the program with Cong. Manzullo.
Jeff Berkowitz, Host and Producer of Public Affairs, and executive legal recruiter, debates and discusses bailout and other congressional issues with candidate Robert Abboud (taped on September 21, 2008) and Cong. Manzullo (taped on September 30, 2008). A Bush Administration 700 billion-dollar bailout proposal was rejected by Congress in a Sep. 29, 2008 vote, but approved, with “sweeteners,” in an Oct. 3, 2008 vote.
You may watch the Abboud program on your computer, here, a previous program with Abboud here and the Manzullo program here. For more details about the Abboud and Manzullo programs, click the more info button to the right of the viewing picture for each show watched on your computer.
In addition to Rockford, the Public Affairs programs, referenced above, featuring 16th CD Republican incumbent Cong. Manzullo (Egan) and his Democratic opponent, Robert Abboud (Barrington Hills), air tonight in the following communities: Byron, Cedarville, Cherry Valley, Loves Park, Machesney Park, Mount Morris, New Milford, Portions of Ogle County, Oregon, Polo, Stillman Valley, Winnebago, Portions of Boone County and Poplar Grove.
Partial Transcripts of the Abboud and Cong. Manzullo shows are included, below:
Jeff Berkowitz: It sounds like—I know you wanted to give a caveat that you wanted more information, so forth—
Robert Abboud (D-Barrington Hills, 16th CD candidate): Yeah.
Jeff Berkowitz: But, it sounds like you would be likely to support this bailout legislation, 700 billion dollars, if you were in Congress this week and had a bailout vote, as it sounds likely we will. Based on what you know today, sounds like you would probably support it.
Robert Abboud: Because the alternative is, if we let them fail, it will create chaos in the—
Jeff Berkowitz: I am not arguing, I am just saying I want to get that clear. Sounds like you [would] probably support it.
Robert Abboud: Yeah, that’s probably right. Have to see the legislation, but-
Jeff Berkowitz: As you sense, so would Don Manzullo. So what’s the difference between you and Don being there?
*********************************************
Jeff Berkowitz: Back to you and Don Manzullo, how would he be acting differently than you are, here?
Robert Abboud: Well, there are two things. First off, I would have been looking at this problem ten years earlier because I would have been very concerned about the condition of where we are in the banking laws that have allowed us to change the risk management from an individual strategy to a commodity strategy. Secondly, I would be looking very closely, much more closely than he is, at the management structure of how this bailout is actually going to occur.
*******************************************
Robert Abboud (16th CD Democratic Nominee; Village President, Barrington Hills), interviewed on September 21, 2008
*******************************************
Jeff Berkowitz: …a 700 billion dollar bailout vote on-
Cong. Don Manzullo (R-Egan, 16th CD): That’s correct.
Jeff Berkowitz: September 29th [2008]
Cong. Don Manzullo: Right.
Jeff Berkowitz: One third of the Republicans voted for it, Two thirds voted against it.
Cong. Don Manzullo: Right.
Jeff Berkowitz: Forty percent of the Democrats voted against it. It failed, you voted no.
Cong. Don Manzullo: That’s correct.
Jeff Berkowitz: In thirty seconds or less, why did you vote no. You’ve heard people say—the Country needed this. Some people would say it was unpatriotic to vote no.
Cong. Don Manzullo: The Illinois Delegation split 9 to 9 on it, which is very interesting.
*********************************************************
Cong. Don Manzullo: I talked to Mark [Kirk (R)], I talked to Melissa [Bean (D)]. I mean, we’re good friends, the Illinois delegation is very—
Jeff Berkowitz: So, why did they vote yes?
Cong. Don Manzullo: This is a vote of conscience.
Jeff Berkowitz: You’re saying that they thought that was the best thing for the country.
Cong. Don Manzullo: That’s correct and I’m not going to criticize them.
Jeff Berkowitz: Your vote was a vote of conscience, too?
Cong. Don Manzullo: It was also a vote of conscience.
****************************
Jeff Berkowitz: Tell us, why was it a vote of conscience to vote no.
Cong. Don Manzullo: Well, because of the nature of the bill that created a dictator.
Jeff Berkowitz: Who was that dictator?
Cong. Don Manzullo: The dictator would be the Secretary of Treasury.
Jeff Berkowitz: For the moment, that would be Hank Paulson.
Cong. Don Manzullo: That would be Hank Paulson.
Jeff Berkowitz: And, it could change to be a Democrat or a [another] Republican in 2009?
Cong. Don Manzullo: It could be anybody. Paulson asked for unprecedented powers.
***************************************************
Cong. Don Manzullo: He [Paulson] had authority to spend 700 billion dollars in thirty days.
Jeff Berkowitz: He did?
Cong. Don Manzullo: I mean he could have done that.
Jeff Berkowitz: Unless Congress voted and said [the Treasury Secretary couldn't] spend that [additional] 350 billion dollars.
Cong. Don Manzullo: By a veto proof majority and that’s very difficult to do.
***********************************
Cong. Don Manzullo: …The other reason [why I voted against it] is we had no guarantee this would work. It was risky, it was untested [and] unprecedented and there were alternatives out there…The third problem is that we could solve this problem through the SEC by changing the accounting rules [Mark to Market] that really hamstring the institutions when it comes to valuing these instruments that hold the mortgages…
************************************
Cong. Don Manzullo: What’s important is that we should do everything possible that is reasonable and quick before we undertake something draconian such as dumping 700 billion dollars into the hands of a person that could spend it the way he wants to.
********************************
Cong. Don Manzullo (R-Egan, 16th CD), interviewed on September 30, 2008
*******************************************
Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com. *************************************************************
"Public Affairs," is a weekly political interview show airing in Chicago on CANTV, in the Chicago metro area and in Aurora on Comcast and also often on the Illinois Channel. You can watch the shows, including archived shows going back to 2005, here.
**************************************************
Recently posted shows on the Public Affairs YouTube page now include a show taped Sep. 30 with Cong. Don Manzullo (R-Egan, 16th CD) about his no vote on the bailout, jobs, trade and other issues related to his election contest with Democrat Robert Abboud, a show taped Sunday, Sep. 28, 2008 with State Rep. Julie Hamos (D-Evanston) and a show taped on Sunday, Sep. 21,2008 with 16th Cong. Dist. Democatic Nominee Robert Abboud (D-Barrington Hills), two shows featuring clips and interviews, primarily from the Democratic and Republican National Party conventions, go here to watch 2nd Convention clip show and shows with Cook County Cmsr. and Obama Media Team Member Forrest Claypool and much more.
**********************************************************************
Jeff Berkowitz, Host and Producer of Public Affairs, and executive legal recruiter, debates and discusses bailout and other congressional issues with candidate Robert Abboud (taped on September 21, 2008) and Cong. Manzullo (taped on September 30, 2008). A Bush Administration 700 billion-dollar bailout proposal was rejected by Congress in a Sep. 29, 2008 vote, but approved, with “sweeteners,” in an Oct. 3, 2008 vote.
You may watch the Abboud program on your computer, here, a previous program with Abboud here and the Manzullo program here. For more details about the Abboud and Manzullo programs, click the more info button to the right of the viewing picture for each show watched on your computer.
In addition to Rockford, the Public Affairs programs, referenced above, featuring 16th CD Republican incumbent Cong. Manzullo (Egan) and his Democratic opponent, Robert Abboud (Barrington Hills), air tonight in the following communities: Byron, Cedarville, Cherry Valley, Loves Park, Machesney Park, Mount Morris, New Milford, Portions of Ogle County, Oregon, Polo, Stillman Valley, Winnebago, Portions of Boone County and Poplar Grove.
Partial Transcripts of the Abboud and Cong. Manzullo shows are included, below:
Jeff Berkowitz: It sounds like—I know you wanted to give a caveat that you wanted more information, so forth—
Robert Abboud (D-Barrington Hills, 16th CD candidate): Yeah.
Jeff Berkowitz: But, it sounds like you would be likely to support this bailout legislation, 700 billion dollars, if you were in Congress this week and had a bailout vote, as it sounds likely we will. Based on what you know today, sounds like you would probably support it.
Robert Abboud: Because the alternative is, if we let them fail, it will create chaos in the—
Jeff Berkowitz: I am not arguing, I am just saying I want to get that clear. Sounds like you [would] probably support it.
Robert Abboud: Yeah, that’s probably right. Have to see the legislation, but-
Jeff Berkowitz: As you sense, so would Don Manzullo. So what’s the difference between you and Don being there?
*********************************************
Jeff Berkowitz: Back to you and Don Manzullo, how would he be acting differently than you are, here?
Robert Abboud: Well, there are two things. First off, I would have been looking at this problem ten years earlier because I would have been very concerned about the condition of where we are in the banking laws that have allowed us to change the risk management from an individual strategy to a commodity strategy. Secondly, I would be looking very closely, much more closely than he is, at the management structure of how this bailout is actually going to occur.
*******************************************
Robert Abboud (16th CD Democratic Nominee; Village President, Barrington Hills), interviewed on September 21, 2008
*******************************************
Jeff Berkowitz: …a 700 billion dollar bailout vote on-
Cong. Don Manzullo (R-Egan, 16th CD): That’s correct.
Jeff Berkowitz: September 29th [2008]
Cong. Don Manzullo: Right.
Jeff Berkowitz: One third of the Republicans voted for it, Two thirds voted against it.
Cong. Don Manzullo: Right.
Jeff Berkowitz: Forty percent of the Democrats voted against it. It failed, you voted no.
Cong. Don Manzullo: That’s correct.
Jeff Berkowitz: In thirty seconds or less, why did you vote no. You’ve heard people say—the Country needed this. Some people would say it was unpatriotic to vote no.
Cong. Don Manzullo: The Illinois Delegation split 9 to 9 on it, which is very interesting.
*********************************************************
Cong. Don Manzullo: I talked to Mark [Kirk (R)], I talked to Melissa [Bean (D)]. I mean, we’re good friends, the Illinois delegation is very—
Jeff Berkowitz: So, why did they vote yes?
Cong. Don Manzullo: This is a vote of conscience.
Jeff Berkowitz: You’re saying that they thought that was the best thing for the country.
Cong. Don Manzullo: That’s correct and I’m not going to criticize them.
Jeff Berkowitz: Your vote was a vote of conscience, too?
Cong. Don Manzullo: It was also a vote of conscience.
****************************
Jeff Berkowitz: Tell us, why was it a vote of conscience to vote no.
Cong. Don Manzullo: Well, because of the nature of the bill that created a dictator.
Jeff Berkowitz: Who was that dictator?
Cong. Don Manzullo: The dictator would be the Secretary of Treasury.
Jeff Berkowitz: For the moment, that would be Hank Paulson.
Cong. Don Manzullo: That would be Hank Paulson.
Jeff Berkowitz: And, it could change to be a Democrat or a [another] Republican in 2009?
Cong. Don Manzullo: It could be anybody. Paulson asked for unprecedented powers.
***************************************************
Cong. Don Manzullo: He [Paulson] had authority to spend 700 billion dollars in thirty days.
Jeff Berkowitz: He did?
Cong. Don Manzullo: I mean he could have done that.
Jeff Berkowitz: Unless Congress voted and said [the Treasury Secretary couldn't] spend that [additional] 350 billion dollars.
Cong. Don Manzullo: By a veto proof majority and that’s very difficult to do.
***********************************
Cong. Don Manzullo: …The other reason [why I voted against it] is we had no guarantee this would work. It was risky, it was untested [and] unprecedented and there were alternatives out there…The third problem is that we could solve this problem through the SEC by changing the accounting rules [Mark to Market] that really hamstring the institutions when it comes to valuing these instruments that hold the mortgages…
************************************
Cong. Don Manzullo: What’s important is that we should do everything possible that is reasonable and quick before we undertake something draconian such as dumping 700 billion dollars into the hands of a person that could spend it the way he wants to.
********************************
Cong. Don Manzullo (R-Egan, 16th CD), interviewed on September 30, 2008
*******************************************
Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com. *************************************************************
"Public Affairs," is a weekly political interview show airing in Chicago on CANTV, in the Chicago metro area and in Aurora on Comcast and also often on the Illinois Channel. You can watch the shows, including archived shows going back to 2005, here.
**************************************************
Recently posted shows on the Public Affairs YouTube page now include a show taped Sep. 30 with Cong. Don Manzullo (R-Egan, 16th CD) about his no vote on the bailout, jobs, trade and other issues related to his election contest with Democrat Robert Abboud, a show taped Sunday, Sep. 28, 2008 with State Rep. Julie Hamos (D-Evanston) and a show taped on Sunday, Sep. 21,2008 with 16th Cong. Dist. Democatic Nominee Robert Abboud (D-Barrington Hills), two shows featuring clips and interviews, primarily from the Democratic and Republican National Party conventions, go here to watch 2nd Convention clip show and shows with Cook County Cmsr. and Obama Media Team Member Forrest Claypool and much more.
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