Better than tomorrow night's Obama presser: Berkowitz w/Eric Zorn tonight on rise and fall of Blagojevich and Burris/ media bias; Cable and Streaming
Eric Zorn [Chicago Tribune columnist and blogger]: I think Blagojevich’s book will [tell us some new things]. I am looking forward to reading it. I don’t think it is going to tell us incriminating things about Blagojevich, but I...personally am fascinated by the story of Rod Blagojevich...here is this...working class kid who really scrapped his way into a position a couple of years ago where he was a plausible candidate for the Presidency of the United States down the line...[Watch the Zorn show here]
Jeff Berkowitz:...leveraged the family [position] into becoming State Rep. , then to Congressman, then to ...Governor, he thought maybe to becoming Vice-President—and who knows- President?
Eric Zorn: And a guy with some considerable political skills and a pretty good intellect. I mean, I think he is a smart guy.
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Eric Zorn: I mean it is a good question about Lisa Madigan and what she stands for...because oftentimes politicians... make their bones on these small areas and then they say, “look, I am so good--here.”
Jeff Berkowitz: Real quick-- media bias in Chicago, mainstream media bias, public TV. I’ve talked about it, what do you think? Am I right to say there’s just too much liberal bias at WTTW, a Chicago public TV station? Carol Marin, two times a week, fifteen minutes [each of those nights on Chicago Tonight]—we know she’s quite liberal. Nice person, good journalist, [but] ...
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The "Public Affairs," show featuring Eric Zorn, Chicago Tribune columnist and blogger, airs tonight in its regular cable scheduled slots throughout the City of Chicago at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21(CANTV, aka Chicago Access Network TV) and in Aurora and surrounding areas at 7:30 pm on ACTV-10. The Aurora station, ACTV-10, aka Aurora Community Television, Comcast Cable Ch. 10, reaches all of Aurora, Bristol, Big Rock and parts of Oswego, Sandwich, Sugar Grove and Montgomery.
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You can also watch the show with the Chicago Tribune's Eric Zorn on your computer.
**********************************
On the City of Chicago, Aurora and Rockford edition of Public Affairs, Chicago Tribune columnist and blogger Eric Zorn debates and discusses with show host Jeff Berkowitz whether Senator Roland Burris should resign or be forced out; how Illinois ended up with Roland Burris as its U. S. Senator; inaction by Illinois Democratic leaders; how to get AG Lisa Madigan and other candidates and pols to give the public their positions and viewpoints, Media bias on Chicago Public TV, the rise and fall of Gov. Blagojevich and Roland Burris-- and much, much more. This show was taped on March 8, 2009.
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Jeff Berkowitz: ...people are coming out with books: Rod Blagojevich is coming out with a book, Elizabeth Brackett, at WTTW, is coming out with a book [soon]
Eric Zorn, Chicago Tribune columnist and blogger]: about Blagojevich.
Jeff Berkowitz: Are they going to tell us anything we don’t know?
Eric Zorn: I think Blagojevich’s book will. I am looking forward to reading it. I don’t think it is going to tell us incriminating things about Blagojevich, but I...personally am fascinated by the story of Rod Blagojevich...here is this...working class kid who really scrapped his way into a position a couple of years ago where he was a plausible candidate for the Presidency of the United States down the line...
Jeff Berkowitz:...leveraged the family [position] into becoming State Rep. , then to Congressman, then to ...Governor, he thought maybe to becoming Vice-President—and who knows- President?
Eric Zorn: And a guy with some considerable political skills and a pretty good intellect. I mean, I think he is a smart guy.
Jeff Berkowitz: Not brainy in the sense of Eric Zorn, but shrewd.
Eric Zorn: Not brainy- He’s a shrewd guy, but, of course, obviously he has an enormous downside.
Jeff Berkowitz: Okay, so he took some chances, he blew it. That’s an interesting story?
Eric Zorn: I think it’s an interesting story...
Jeff Berkowitz: Will [WTTW's] Elizabeth Brackett’s book tell us much?
Eric Zorn: You know, I don’t know what Elizabeth’s book is going to tell us. I think it is coming out too quickly. I think you need to wait until we hear more of what’s on these wiretaps. You need to wait until people like Lon Monk can actually talk—and Scofield—some of those people who have served with Blagojevich—can talk candidly and that may be after the trial.
************************************************************
Eric Zorn: ... it is a good question about [Illinois AG] Lisa Madigan and what she stands for...because oftentimes politicians... make their bones on these small areas and then they say, “look, I am so good--here.”
Jeff Berkowitz: Real quick-- media bias in Chicago, mainstream media bias, public TV. I’ve talked about it, what do you think? Am I right to say, there’s just too much liberal bias at WTTW, a Chicago public TV station? Carol Marin, two times a week, fifteen minutes [each of those nights on Chicago Tonight]—we know she’s quite liberal. Nice person, good journalist, [but] quite liberal. Phil Ponce [Chicago Tonight anchor], what is he? Liberal. Elizabeth Brackett [Chicago Tonight correspondent], liberal. Is there anybody there who provides another point of view? Or...even in interviewing—maybe flushes out some of the other points of view.
Eric Zorn: I would certainly like to see more balance in some of the panels on public radio and TV.
Jeff Berkowitz: How about moderators and questions. Look, I don’t know who I could be thinking of—who could actually provide a different way of interviewing [on WTTW].
Zorn: [Laughter].
Jeff Berkowitz: I mean, who that could be, I don’t know.
Eric Zorn: But, no, you make a good point. I am less concerned with the interviewer than I am with the panels. I think that oftentimes you will see a panel—
Jeff Berkowitz: Laura Washington, Delmarie Cobb, Cheryl Corley [three African-American female liberals] talking about Roland Burris to Eddie Arruza [on Chicago Tonight, a few weeks ago]. Could it be more unbalanced?
Eric Zorn: Yeah, I think you’re right. I think they do need to do more.
Jeff Berkowitz: Nobody knew that when [WTTW-Chicago Public TV] put that [panel] together? What were they thinking?
Eric Zorn: I don’t know.
Jeff Berkowitz: You would have said the same thing?
Eric Zorn: I would. If I am producing a show like that, yeah... I mean I think it is more interesting, I mean just from the point of view of having a panel that’s more interesting, I would want to have someone to add to those people.
Jeff Berkowitz: Race is an issue and the panelists said race is an issue [re the Roland Burris appointment]... in this case, you might want to have one white person?
Eric Zorn: Totally, totally, yeah. I mean—
Jeff Berkowitz: Maybe one conservative.
Eric Zorn: Yeah, I mean we had this panel—
Jeff Berkowitz: Maybe one male? Maybe one ideologically diverse person?
Eric Zorn: We did this panel [discussion] a week ago today, two weeks ago on the future of journalism in Chicago and the panel included fourteen journalists and nobody on the financial-business side...
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For more about the Chicago Tribune's Eric Zorn and another partial transcript of the show with Zorn, please go here
******************************
The "Public Affairs," show, featuring the Tribune's Eric Zorn, also airs throughout the City of Rockford (and in surrounding areas) this Thursday night, March 26 at 8:00 pm on Cable Ch. 17. The surrounding areas reached by Ch. 17 include 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.
*******************************************
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, Aurora and Rockford 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 include the fastest five minutes on the web- a New York Times video about Obama-Berkowitz, a show with State Senator Susan Garrett(D-Lake Forest) about hot topics in Illinois state government, a show with IL 5th CD Dem nominee--Cook County Cmsr. Mike Quigley (who is now extremely likely to win the
April general election to decide who replaces Cong. Rahm Emanuel), the second fastest five minutes on the web- a segment of Bill O'Reilly with Berkowitz discussing a clip of Obama from 2002 on Blagojevich and many more shows. And, see here for very recent postings on our Youtube page.
**********************************************************************
Jeff Berkowitz:...leveraged the family [position] into becoming State Rep. , then to Congressman, then to ...Governor, he thought maybe to becoming Vice-President—and who knows- President?
Eric Zorn: And a guy with some considerable political skills and a pretty good intellect. I mean, I think he is a smart guy.
********************************************************
Eric Zorn: I mean it is a good question about Lisa Madigan and what she stands for...because oftentimes politicians... make their bones on these small areas and then they say, “look, I am so good--here.”
Jeff Berkowitz: Real quick-- media bias in Chicago, mainstream media bias, public TV. I’ve talked about it, what do you think? Am I right to say there’s just too much liberal bias at WTTW, a Chicago public TV station? Carol Marin, two times a week, fifteen minutes [each of those nights on Chicago Tonight]—we know she’s quite liberal. Nice person, good journalist, [but] ...
**************************************************************
The "Public Affairs," show featuring Eric Zorn, Chicago Tribune columnist and blogger, airs tonight in its regular cable scheduled slots throughout the City of Chicago at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21(CANTV, aka Chicago Access Network TV) and in Aurora and surrounding areas at 7:30 pm on ACTV-10. The Aurora station, ACTV-10, aka Aurora Community Television, Comcast Cable Ch. 10, reaches all of Aurora, Bristol, Big Rock and parts of Oswego, Sandwich, Sugar Grove and Montgomery.
*************************************************
You can also watch the show with the Chicago Tribune's Eric Zorn on your computer.
**********************************
On the City of Chicago, Aurora and Rockford edition of Public Affairs, Chicago Tribune columnist and blogger Eric Zorn debates and discusses with show host Jeff Berkowitz whether Senator Roland Burris should resign or be forced out; how Illinois ended up with Roland Burris as its U. S. Senator; inaction by Illinois Democratic leaders; how to get AG Lisa Madigan and other candidates and pols to give the public their positions and viewpoints, Media bias on Chicago Public TV, the rise and fall of Gov. Blagojevich and Roland Burris-- and much, much more. This show was taped on March 8, 2009.
*****************************************************
Jeff Berkowitz: ...people are coming out with books: Rod Blagojevich is coming out with a book, Elizabeth Brackett, at WTTW, is coming out with a book [soon]
Eric Zorn, Chicago Tribune columnist and blogger]: about Blagojevich.
Jeff Berkowitz: Are they going to tell us anything we don’t know?
Eric Zorn: I think Blagojevich’s book will. I am looking forward to reading it. I don’t think it is going to tell us incriminating things about Blagojevich, but I...personally am fascinated by the story of Rod Blagojevich...here is this...working class kid who really scrapped his way into a position a couple of years ago where he was a plausible candidate for the Presidency of the United States down the line...
Jeff Berkowitz:...leveraged the family [position] into becoming State Rep. , then to Congressman, then to ...Governor, he thought maybe to becoming Vice-President—and who knows- President?
Eric Zorn: And a guy with some considerable political skills and a pretty good intellect. I mean, I think he is a smart guy.
Jeff Berkowitz: Not brainy in the sense of Eric Zorn, but shrewd.
Eric Zorn: Not brainy- He’s a shrewd guy, but, of course, obviously he has an enormous downside.
Jeff Berkowitz: Okay, so he took some chances, he blew it. That’s an interesting story?
Eric Zorn: I think it’s an interesting story...
Jeff Berkowitz: Will [WTTW's] Elizabeth Brackett’s book tell us much?
Eric Zorn: You know, I don’t know what Elizabeth’s book is going to tell us. I think it is coming out too quickly. I think you need to wait until we hear more of what’s on these wiretaps. You need to wait until people like Lon Monk can actually talk—and Scofield—some of those people who have served with Blagojevich—can talk candidly and that may be after the trial.
************************************************************
Eric Zorn: ... it is a good question about [Illinois AG] Lisa Madigan and what she stands for...because oftentimes politicians... make their bones on these small areas and then they say, “look, I am so good--here.”
Jeff Berkowitz: Real quick-- media bias in Chicago, mainstream media bias, public TV. I’ve talked about it, what do you think? Am I right to say, there’s just too much liberal bias at WTTW, a Chicago public TV station? Carol Marin, two times a week, fifteen minutes [each of those nights on Chicago Tonight]—we know she’s quite liberal. Nice person, good journalist, [but] quite liberal. Phil Ponce [Chicago Tonight anchor], what is he? Liberal. Elizabeth Brackett [Chicago Tonight correspondent], liberal. Is there anybody there who provides another point of view? Or...even in interviewing—maybe flushes out some of the other points of view.
Eric Zorn: I would certainly like to see more balance in some of the panels on public radio and TV.
Jeff Berkowitz: How about moderators and questions. Look, I don’t know who I could be thinking of—who could actually provide a different way of interviewing [on WTTW].
Zorn: [Laughter].
Jeff Berkowitz: I mean, who that could be, I don’t know.
Eric Zorn: But, no, you make a good point. I am less concerned with the interviewer than I am with the panels. I think that oftentimes you will see a panel—
Jeff Berkowitz: Laura Washington, Delmarie Cobb, Cheryl Corley [three African-American female liberals] talking about Roland Burris to Eddie Arruza [on Chicago Tonight, a few weeks ago]. Could it be more unbalanced?
Eric Zorn: Yeah, I think you’re right. I think they do need to do more.
Jeff Berkowitz: Nobody knew that when [WTTW-Chicago Public TV] put that [panel] together? What were they thinking?
Eric Zorn: I don’t know.
Jeff Berkowitz: You would have said the same thing?
Eric Zorn: I would. If I am producing a show like that, yeah... I mean I think it is more interesting, I mean just from the point of view of having a panel that’s more interesting, I would want to have someone to add to those people.
Jeff Berkowitz: Race is an issue and the panelists said race is an issue [re the Roland Burris appointment]... in this case, you might want to have one white person?
Eric Zorn: Totally, totally, yeah. I mean—
Jeff Berkowitz: Maybe one conservative.
Eric Zorn: Yeah, I mean we had this panel—
Jeff Berkowitz: Maybe one male? Maybe one ideologically diverse person?
Eric Zorn: We did this panel [discussion] a week ago today, two weeks ago on the future of journalism in Chicago and the panel included fourteen journalists and nobody on the financial-business side...
****************************************
For more about the Chicago Tribune's Eric Zorn and another partial transcript of the show with Zorn, please go here
******************************
The "Public Affairs," show, featuring the Tribune's Eric Zorn, also airs throughout the City of Rockford (and in surrounding areas) this Thursday night, March 26 at 8:00 pm on Cable Ch. 17. The surrounding areas reached by Ch. 17 include 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.
*******************************************
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, Aurora and Rockford 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 include the fastest five minutes on the web- a New York Times video about Obama-Berkowitz, a show with State Senator Susan Garrett(D-Lake Forest) about hot topics in Illinois state government, a show with IL 5th CD Dem nominee--Cook County Cmsr. Mike Quigley (who is now extremely likely to win the
April general election to decide who replaces Cong. Rahm Emanuel), the second fastest five minutes on the web- a segment of Bill O'Reilly with Berkowitz discussing a clip of Obama from 2002 on Blagojevich and many more shows. And, see here for very recent postings on our Youtube page.
**********************************************************************
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