Berkowitz joins Caprio on Roeser's radio show tonight

Jeff Berkowitz will join Kevin White, 2006 5th CD Republican Nominee, as a guest tonight 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.
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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] or the [Public Affairs YouTube.com page], 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.

Political personalities or pols who might be discussed tonight include President Obama, Cook County Board President Todd Stroger, Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan, Republican House Leader Tom Cross, Senate President Cullerton, Senate Republican Leader Radogno, Attorney General Madigan, Gov. Quinn, Republican Primary actual and potential Gov. Candidates Brady, Andrzejewski, Murphy, Dillard and Proft and Democratic and Republican Guv candidates too numerous to mention, Cong. Schakowsky, Cong. Kirk, Treasurer Giannoulias, Chris Kennedy, Cheryl Jackson, Cong. Jackson, Rush Limbaugh, DuPage County Board Chairman Schillerstrom, DuPage SA Birkett, John Kass, Mike Flannery, Carol Marin, Cmsrs. Peraica, Claypool and Schneider; Paul Vallas, Ald. Preckwinkle, Sheriff Tom Dart and many, many more.

--What's the real reason Comm. Claypool decided not to run for Cook County Board President in the Democratic Primary?

--Is Sheriff Tom Dart likely to run for AG or Cook County Board President? WWSSWHTD?

--Will Lisa Madigan run for Senator or Governor?

--Could Cong. Kirk beat Madigan for Senator or Governor?

--Is Kirk unwilling to run against Madigan?

--If Kirk doesn't run for re-election in 10th CD, will Senator Garrett seek that seat? Dan Seals? Senator Bond?

--Could Pres. Todd Stroger win re-election?

--Will the Illinois House join the Illinois Senate and pass a major increase in the State Income tax

--Will Senator Burris tough it out until the end of his term in 2010? Could he win a five way primary race with three strong white opponents? Giannoulias, Madigan and Kennedy? and Cheryl Jackson? Would President Obama not endorse in that race? Would Cong. Kirk taken on the Dem winner?

--What will it take for the Illinois Republican Party to become the party of ideas? Somebody realizing they could take some ideas from the Illinois Policy Institute? Somebody realizing they could take some ideas from the Heartland Institute? Has a candidate already started to do that?

--Who would be next in line among the Republicans to run for Governor if that's how that decision were made? Joe Birkett? Who does Bob Kjellander want there? Who does the recently indicted Bill Cellini want there? Is the Illinois Combine alive and well? Is the Pope Catholic?

--How important is Chairman McKenna to who becomes the Republican State-wide nominees?

--Will Illinois Republicans be able to unite around the new Senate Republican Leader Christine Rodogno, and the continued leadership of House Republican Leader Tom Cross, both of whom are moderates, at least on social issues.

--Can Andy McKenna, Jr. hang on as State GOP Chairman for another year? Or, did his opposition to SB 600 doom him with the party activists?

--Will State GOP Chairman Andy McKenna, Jr. be kicked upstairs soon? After two State general election disasters under the "Leadership of McKenna," are the money guys getting restless? Are there any money guys left in State GOP? money ladies? bag ladies?

--Did Chicago Tonight manage to do its 100th consecutive interview of a liberal book author recently Do conservatives not do book tours in Chicago? Or, does the Chicago Tonight staff just not read the books of those authors?

--What examples would Chicago Tonight give of ideological diversity among their hosts/interviewers?

--Was putting Palin on the ticket a major mistake by McCain?

--Did Sarah Palin demonstrate she has insuffient knowledge of domestic and foreign policy issues to be the Republican front-runner for 2012

This reporter doesn't know the topics for tonight—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, national and Obama transition issues, possibly selected from the above, or below, questions, some of which are holdovers from prior episodes of "Political Shootout," or "Public Affairs."

--Could Paul Vallas win as a Republican candidate for Governor?
Could he get out of the R Primary?

--Does the Chicago Public School system spend more than $15,000 per kid per year to try to educate kids? Did Arne Duncan tell the truth about this? Does Ron Huberman tell the truth about this? If not, why not?

--Will the Illinois Republican Party restore its brand by opposing the Quinn income tax increase? Will Cross and Radogno keep the party united on this issue?

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

-- Did RNC Chairman Michael Steele do a good job of speaking to the DuPage County Republicans (and to the media) in February?

Did Steele make a mixtake when he criticised Rush Limbaugh? or, was it a mistake to apologize to Rush? Did Steele make a mistake when he spoke recently of a woman's individual choice on the abortion issue?

--Will Kjellander be indicted? Cellini convicted?

--Will U. S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald be promoted? be removed? fall off a horse?

--Will Al Sanchez sing? More Heartburn for Mayou Daley's ears?
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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. *************************************************************
"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.
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Other 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 Tom Bevan, Executive Editor of RealClearPolitics and a show with conservative activist Joe Morris about SB600 as a litmus test for reformers, **********************************************************************

Dan Proft, likely Republican Primary IL Guv Candidate, on cable next week/streaming soon

Update: Watch show with Proft here
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Jeff Berkowitz: How much would that save you?

Dan Proft: In this fiscal year, according to Quinn’s budget…it looks like they are projecting about 18 billion dollars in Medicaid spending, so it would save you about five billion dollars, that’s the increase over the last three fiscal years alone. [Watch show with Dan Proft]

Jeff Berkowitz: It would save about 5 billion dollars in the 2010 budget…?
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Dan Proft, a likely candidate for Governor in the 2010 Republican Primary, and past target of Chicago media personality Carol Marin for his activities in Cicero, is next week’s featured guest in the Chicago Metro Suburban edition of Public Affairs. The program was taped this past Sunday and you can now watch Proft here.

On the show, Proft discusses, among other things, a substantial potential reduction in the State budget via a change in the state’s medicaid income eligibility standards. Interestingly, in last night’s episode of Illinois Lawmakers, more than twenty state legislators, including Democratic House Speaker Madigan, Democratic Senate President Cullerton, Republican Senate Leader Radogno, gave their views about curing Illinois' budget deficit, but nobody mentioned changing Medicaid's income eligibility standards. Nor did Jack Tichenor, the program’s host, raise the issue. Nor did Rich Miller, publisher of Capitolfax and interviewed by Tichenor, raise the issue. But, Proft did. Take a listen:

Dan Proft [likely candidate for Governor in 2010 Republican Primary]: …Blagojevich is gone. That illegal expansion of [Medicaid by Blago] is not [gone]. Doubling the eligibility of Medicaid has resulted in a 33% increase in Medicaid spending by the state just in the last three years.

Jeff Berkowitz: What did it go from? From what to what?

Dan Proft: It went from 200% of poverty level to 400% of the poverty level. So incomes up to $86,000 in terms of household income [are eligible for Medicaid].

Jeff Berkowitz: As opposed to [going to incomes of about] $40,000 for a family of four.

Dan Proft: Roughly, right…

Jeff Berkowitz: It doubled that and you’re saying that expanded [state Medicaid] way too much and you want to cut it back. Is that what you are saying?

Dan Proft: If you said this expansion [which was one of the articles for which Blagojevich was impeached] was wrong, then you have a duty to make it right.

Jeff Berkowitz: You’re agreeing it was wrong…?

Dan Proft: I’m agreeing its wrong and you should make it right.

Jeff Berkowitz: How much would that save you?

Dan Proft: In this fiscal year, according to Quinn’s budget…it looks like they are projecting about 18 billion dollars in Medicaid spending, so it would save you about five billion dollars, that’s the increase over the last three fiscal years alone.

Jeff Berkowitz: It would save about 5 billion dollars in the 2010 budget…?

Dan Proft: It would save at least that amount.

Jeff Berkowitz: That sounds pretty high.

Dan Proft: Five billion dollars.

Jeff Berkowitz: In state money?

Dan Proft: Yes

Jeff Berkowitz: In 2010?

Dan Proft [likely candidate for Gov. in 2010 Republican Primary]: Yes…
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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. *************************************************************
"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.
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Other "hot" 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 and possible Republican candidate for Governor, Matt Murphy (R-Palatine), a show with the RealClearPolitics.com's Tom Bevan about Obama's First 100 days and assessing Obama, a show with Senator Steans (D-Chicago) about budget deficits and education reform, a show with conservative, Republican activist Joe Morris about SB600 as a litmus test for reformers and many other issues relating to the State GOP and state government, and 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.
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The last Chicago political interview show standing features Adam Andrzejewski's run for IL Guv: Cable/Streaming

Jeff Berkowitz: So, [the net worth of your wife and you] is somewhere ... in the ten to twenty million dollar range. Would that be right?

Adam Andrzejewski [Republican Primary Candidate for Governor]: That’s right.
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Adam Andrzejewski: I think in education we do well [in Illinois]. If you take out Chicago …we nearly lead, as Illinois nearly leads the other fifty states in terms of graduation rates. If you add Chicago back in, we fall to 13th, so we do need to do something about the failing schools of Chicago, this is what I’ll do…
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Adam Andrzejewski: I would like to bring school vouchers to Illinois. I think the critical reality in Springfield doesn’t reflect that right now.
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Adam Andrzejewski: If we can do that [saving 2 billion dollars by cutting pork; saving three billion dollars by introducing Medicaid efficiencies], that’s good- so now we’re down to three billion dollars [for the 2010 state deficit], and if the economy comes back—this deficit exploded in the economic recession, when it was at its worst—so, as the economy comes back, that deficit is also going to shrink in real time…
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This week’s suburban edition of Public Affairs features Adam Andrzejewski (R-Hinsdale), who was the first declared candidate for Governor in the 2010 Republican Primary. Watch Adam here.

See below for the Chicago metro suburban, City of Chicago, Aurora and Rockford airing schedules for the show with Adam Andrzejewski. Watch Andrzejewski debate and discuss whether "Every dime spent by the State should be online," how much wealth Andrzejewski has available to self fund; whether every elected official, including local school board members, should be required to release his tax returns; whether Andrzejewski could fix the deficits with spending cuts; whether the state should raise the income taxes or other taxes; should the state cut spending more than Gov. Quinn has proposed; should we have school vouchers-school choice; should we lift charter school caps; should we make abortion illegal and many other public policy issues with show host and executive legal recruiter Jeff Berkowitz.
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The "Public Affairs," show with Adam Andrzejewski can be watched on your computer.
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The "Public Affairs," show with Adam Andrzejewski [R-Hinsdale] was taped on May 17, 2009
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Public Affairs Chicago Metro suburban airing schedule:

The show featuring 2010 Republican Primary Guv candidate Adam Andrzejewski is airing this week in the North and Northwest Chicago Metro suburbs in its regular slot:

Tuesday night (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 Tuesday night(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 on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Channel 19 in Bannockburn, Deerfield, Ft. Sheridan, Glencoe, Highland Park, Highwood, Kenilworth, Lincolnshire, Riverwoods and Winnetka.
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Chicago and Aurora:

The "Public Affairs," show featuring Adam Andrzejewski will also air throughout the City of Chicago this coming Monday night i.e., June 1 at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21(CANTV, aka Chicago Access Network TV) and on that same night on cable 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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Rockford:

The "Public Affairs," show featuring Adam Andrzejewski , will also air throughout the City of Rockford (and in surrounding areas) a week from this coming Thursday night, June 4 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.
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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. *************************************************************
"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.
*****************************************
Other "hot" 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 and possible Republican candidate for Governor, Matt Murphy (R-Palatine), a show with the RealClearPolitics.com's Tom Bevan about Obama's First 100 days and assessing Obama, a show with Senator Steans about budget deficits and education reform, a show with conservative activist Joe Morris about SB600 as a litmus test for reformers, a show with State Senator and likely 2010 10th CD candidate Susan Garrett(D-Lake Forest), and 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.
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Senator and Possible R Guv Candidate Matt Murphy on Deficits, taxes, jobs and education: Cable and Streaming

Jeff Berkowitz: All twenty-two Republicans in the Senate will support what you’ve just said about not supporting an increase in the [individual] income tax or corporate tax.

Matt Murphy, State Senator (R-Palatine): That is my sincere hope [Watch the full show wirh Sen. Murphy here or the four minute version here and watch Gov. Quinn's five minute defense to Berkowitz of Quinn's proposed income tax increase here.

Jeff Berkowitz: What’s your belief, not your hope.

Matt Murphy, State Senator (R-Palatine): I think so, no, I think so. I think we all understand that you’re really, really hampering people’s ability to build an American dream for themselves when, I mean, we’re at 9.1 % unemployment now and rising.
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The "Public Affairs," show, featuring Matt Murphy, State Senator (R-Palatine) and "a definite maybe," to run for Governor in the 2010 Primary, 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 a special Holiday airing date tomorrow night 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 Senator Murphy on your computer.
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The show with Senator Murphy was taped on May 3, 2009.
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Jeff Berkowitz: In your view it is all manageable in terms of not having to raise the individual income tax or the corporate income tax?

Matt Murphy, State Senator and possible Republican Guv Candidate: My view is that yes, first of all, but again, we have no higher priority in my mind than to keep people who are nervous about their job, in it, and to help those who have just lost one to get a new one. And, putting a 50% income tax on them and their employers and their prospective employers is not going to do that. I mean it is 180 degrees from putting people back to work.
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Jeff Berkowitz: In the Senate, there are thirty-seven Democrats and twenty-two Republicans, right?

Matt Murphy, State Senator (R-Palatine): Yes.

Jeff Berkowitz: All twenty-two Republicans in the Senate will support what you’ve just said about not supporting an increase in the [individual] income tax or corporate tax.

Matt Murphy, State Senator (R-Palatine): That is my sincere hope.

Jeff Berkowitz: What’s your belief, not your hope.

Matt Murphy, State Senator (R-Palatine): I think so, no, I think so. I think we all understand that you’re really, really hampering people’s ability to build an American dream for themselves when, I mean, we’re at 9.1 % unemployment now and rising.
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For another partial transcript and more about tonight's show wirh Senator Murphy, please go here.
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Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com. *************************************************************
"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.
*****************************************
"Hot" 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 and possible Republican candidate for Governor, Matt Murphy (R-Palatine), a show with the RealClearPolitics.com's Tom Bevan about Obama's First 100 days and assessing Obama, a show with Senator Steans about budget deficits and education reform, a show with conservative activist Joe Morris about SB600 as a litmus test for reformers, a show with State Senator and likely 2010 10th CD candidate Susan Garrett(D-Lake Forest), and 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.
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Chicago's Primary Public TV Station: WTTW, LIberals Talking to Liberals

--WTTW: used to be Wilmette talking to Winnetka

It wasn’t too long ago that some racial minorities tended to criticize Chicago’s primary public TV station, WTTW, as being too insulated from urban issues and perhaps a little “too white,” or suburban with their statement that the station’s call letters stood for “Wilmette talking to Winnetka.” Well, as they say, WTTW has “come a long way, baby.” Now, it’s bias seems to be more one of left-right. The station seems to be unaware of its lack of ideological balance in panelists or moderators, or perhaps it just doesn’t give a damn. It seems to be perfectly content to skew most discussions to the left, as does its relative, PBS.

--The 2010 U. S. Senate Race, Chris Kennedy enters the fray

On Wednesday night, WTTW’s host, Elizabeth Brackett, led a discussion on Chicago Tonight of the 2010 U. S. Senate race. The initial focus was on the emergence of Chris Kennedy, son of the assassinated New York Senator, Robert Kennedy, as a likely candidate in that race’s Democratic Primary. Chris Kennedy, a long time resident of Kenilworth on the North Shore, has also been a civic leader downtown who ran Chicago’s Merchandise Mart but has not run for public office before and has not seemed to have had much of a political profile. He was briefly mentioned for the 10th CD in 2000, when that seat was open, but he did not seek the nomination, alluding to his young kids as perhaps a reason for not running.

--WTTW’s panel on Wednesday night: Washington, Warren and Green

Although Chris Kennedy was the lead of the story, the fifteen-minute segment touched on the 2010 Democratic Party Senate Primary, at large, with a reference or two to the Republicans, and their likely candidate, Cong. Mark Steven Kirk (R-Highland Park, 10th CD). The panel consisted of (a) the Sun-Times and DePaul’s Laura Washington, who is generally viewed as fairly left on the political spectrum, (b) Jim Warren, now of Atlantic Monthly and MSNBC, who is also known to be fairly left in political orientation and (c) Paul Green, Roosevelt University Professor and WGN Radio political pundit.

Although Green likes to think of himself as the “white line down the middle of the road,” he seems to drift left of the centerline, and nobody is likely to confuse him with a Reagan or Bush supporter. [Green is also one of the top five performers in the last two years in terms of online watches (1285) of his appearance on “Public Affairs, watch Paul Green here]. Moderator Brackett, herself, appears to be comfortably left in orientation.

--WTTW: Liberals talking to Liberals

In other words, you had a typical WTTW panel, liberals talking to liberals. The panel pretty much concluded that the Senate seat’s current occupant, Roland Burris, who got there via an appointment by the now indicted and impeached Rod Blagojevich, is a pretty weak candidate, but one who may seek to keep the office. The panel, as a whole, viewed Chris Kennedy as very likely a strong candidate, with the ability to raise lots of money. Kennedy is also strengthened by the fact that he is working with David Axelrod’s old media firm, a firm that helped Obama get to the Senate and then to the White House, not to mention many other political winners across the country, e.g., Gov. Eliot Spitzer, before his fall from grace.

--Alexi Giannoulias

Warren noted that the Kennedys “have not traveled well of late,” and that Chris Kennedy is far from a sure thing. Warren also noted that Giannoulias, as a former banker, might face tough scrutiny. Yes, he might. But, perhaps Warren was unaware that Alexi Giannoulias’ banking history faced quite a bit of scrutiny from Speaker Mike Madigan when Alexi took on the Speaker’s candidate in the Democratic Primary for State Treasurer in 2006, and to some extent by the media in general (and Crain’s Chicago Business, in particular) during that primary and general election. Of course, the stakes will be higher in the U. S. Senate race and Giannoulias might face an even more intense scrubbing from the media. Perhaps that was Warren’s point.

--Cong. Schakowsky

Cong. Jan Schakowsky’s consideration of the race was also discussed. Laura Washington noted that Cong. Schakowsky, as a close confidant of Speaker Pelosi and a powerful member of the House, would have a lot to lose if she ran and did not win the Senate Primary. Although not noted by the panel, Cong. Schakowsky also has many good friends in the White House, including the President himself [for whom she worked tirelessly to elect, going back to his 2004 Democratic Senate Primary], making her decision to give up her House seat even more devastating if she does not win the Senate Primary.

--Senator Burris

Paul Green noted that if State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, Cong. Schakowsky (D- 9th CD, Evanston) and Chris Kennedy all were to run in the primary, Senator Roland Burris just might have a shot at winning that primary. Laura Washington commented that many blacks were not too happy with Senator Burris, implying that Burris might not get a unified black turnout in a primary, at least based on where things stand now. Jim Warren noted that the Burris weakness has the African-American community thinking about other black candidates, e.g., Cheryl Jackson, now heading up the Urban League in Chicago.

--Warren: No Republican will win the 2010 Senate race

Most of the above analysis is pretty much the conventional wisdom and wouldn’t vary too much even if WTTW had brought in one “balanced,” or even a conservative leaning journalist. However, that is not true with all of the statements that were made. For example, Jim Warren said, “…Obama will take a pass on the Primary but he will come in, particularly if there is an even vague hint that a Republican, Kirk or anyone else, is making inroads [but] I don’t think that is likely because [Illinois] has gone so blue. I think you have to have about a complete imbecile on the Democratic side to lose this…”

-- Warren goes unchallenged by the panel

Certainly much of the polling data that has surfaced indicate that Cong. Mark Kirk is competitive with the various Democratic candidates, from Burris to Schakowsky to Kennedy to Giannoulias. And, I don’t think anyone would characterize those Dems as “complete imbeciles.” Moreover, Speaker Mike Madigan and the other Democrats who control Illinois politics didn’t seem any too anxious to have a special election in 2009 to replace Obama. Presumably, that was because the Democrats realize they just might lose a special election to the Republicans. Yet, Warren’s statement went unchallenged by the panel or the moderator. If you had a balanced moderator or one balanced or conservative leaning panelist, that would not have been true.

--Paul Green and Jim Warren on Social Conservatives

Then you had this little colloquy between Green, Brackett and Warren:

Paul Green: You can get somebody who was extremely (You know I won’t mention any names) … conservative who can beat [Paul] Vallas [for the Republican nomination] for Cook County Board President, who can beat [Mark] Kirk statewide. It is not a done deal.

Brackett: In a primary?

Green: Absolutely in a primary. It is going to be such a small electorate. And the social conservatives, or as they like to call themselves, the base, they may very easily come out and unless the Republican Party shows incredible wisdom, which has not been shown in Illinois for a while, they could have the candidates who can best win the General lose in the Primary.

Jim Warren: maybe they could go out to O’Hare and bring back Alan Keyes, go back to Maryland or wherever he is and bring him back.
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--Challenging Paul Green

My good friend, Paul Green, is forever telling me to name names. Yet, nobody challenges Professor Green when he says, “I won’t mention any names.” Well, I know many, if not most, social conservatives would be very unhappy with Cong. Kirk as the Senate Candidate, and perhaps, as well, with Vallas for Cook County Board President, but I don’t know of candidates who are e stepping up and who would beat them in the Primaries. If Green does, let’s hear the names. And, if this journalist had been on the panel, he would have required Green to put up or shut up. The other liberals on the panel made no such challenge. You see my point. Lack of ideological balance does matter.

--Challenging Jim Warren

And, Warren’s comment about Keyes should have been met with a challenge as to who really caused the Keyes’ mess in 2004. Could it have been the decision of the “moderate State GOP Party Leaders,” to push Jack Ryan over the cliff. Of course, this wasn’t raised because you had a WTTW panel of “liberals talking to liberals.”

Further, nobody reminded Warren that although Illinois is a blue state, it is a state that has been dominated, of late, by Blagojevich’s and the Democratic Party’s culture of corruption. After all, it was Mayor Richard Daley and Speaker Mike Madigan who co-chaired Gov. Blagojevich’s 2006 re-election campaign. And, Cook County Board President Todd Stroger, with his tax increase, is the most unpopular pol in Cook County, if not the State of Illinois.

--WTTW, Liberals talking to Liberals

Those facts [the many recent ties of big time Dems to Blagojevich and the extreme unpopularity of Cook County Board President Stroger] might have relevance to any discussion of the 2010 U. S. Senate race in Illinois. Yet, they weren’t raised by the WTTW panel or by the moderator on Wednesday night. This is perhaps because it was Liberals talking to Liberals. Lack of ideological diversity does matter.

Finally, this journalist will say he knows Washington, Green and Brackett and he knows of Warren. Nothing wrong with those folks, their opinions or what they did on Wednesday night. They are fine people. I will attest to that.

The problem is with the person at WTTW responsible for putting together a panel that resulted in, “liberals talking to liberals.” The same problem would exist with a panel of conservatives talking to conservatives. [Of course, the latter problem has never occurred at WTTW]. Ideological balance is important for good TV and for good journalism. Oh yeah, this balanced journalist is always available to help WTTW balance out its panel of liberals-- or conservatives.
********************************
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.
*****************************************
"Hot" 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 and possible Republican candidate for Governor, Matt Murphy (R-Palatine), a show with the RealClearPolitics.com's Tom Bevan about Obama's First 100 days and assessing Obama, a show with Senator Steans about budget deficits and education reform, a show with conservative activist Joe Morris about SB600 as a litmus test for reformers, a show with State Senator and likely 2010 10th CD candidate Susan Garrett(D-Lake Forest), and 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.
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Better than Conaty and Placko w/Gov. Quinn: Berkowitz w/Sen. Murphy on state taxes, jobs, education and deficits; Cable and Streaming

State Senator and possible candidate for Governor Matt Murphy [R-Palatine]: For FY10, we’ll probably get about four and a half billion of the stimulus money ...[Watch Senator Murphy]

Jeff Berkowitz: So, now you’re down to a deficit of only three and one half billion [dollars for FY10]. Is that what you’re saying?

State Senator Matt Murphy [R-Palatine]: You’re getting a heck of a lot closer to balance. Absolutely. I mean, collectively, we’re sitting here at eleven and one half billion dollars [of deficit] over a couple of years, and we’re getting nine [billion] from the Feds. I think it is important to understand, in addition, to this tax hike, Gov. Quinn actually increases spending in his proposed budget.
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This week’s suburban edition of Public Affairs features State Sen. Matt Murphy (R-Palatine), who is also a possible candidate for Governor in the 2010 Republican Primary [ See here ]. For a summary of Matt’s views on fixing the state budget deficit,jobs and taxes, watch a ten minute virtual debate between Gov. Quinn and Senator Murphy on Quinn’s proposed 50% increase in the personal income tax [and a corporate income tax increase, as well].

See below for the Chicago metro suburban, City of Chicago, Aurora and Rockford airing schedules for the show with Senator Murphy. Watch Senator Murphy debate and discuss whether SB600 is an important litmus test for deciding who is a "reformer," should the state raise taxes; should the state cut spending more than Gov. Quinn has proposed; school vouchers-school choice, lifting charter school caps; campaign finance and other so-called "reforms," accelerating contribution disclosure requirements and many other public policy issues with show host and executive legal recruiter Jeff Berkowitz.
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The "Public Affairs," show with Senator Murphy can be watched on your computer.
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--School Vouchers, Charter Schools and School Choice

Jeff Berkowitz: You need something to excite people. What about school vouchers-school choice? You support that?

State Senator Matt Murphy [R-Palatine]: I think we ought to do pilot vouchers in chronically failing areas. You know Chicago—

Jeff Berkowitz: The Chicago Public Schools, does that count as a chronically failing area?

Sen. Matt Murphy: We spend about 11,500 to $12, 000 per pupil [per year] and the Chicago Tribune, within the last couple of years did a study that said that 8 out of 100 kids that start their first day of high school in a Chicago Public School will graduate from college by the time they are 25. Anything ought to be on the table with a record like [that].
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Jeff Berkowitz: And, I would…say to you I suggest it is about $16,000 that we spend per kid per year[in the CPS], so your argument is stronger…
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Jeff Berkowitz: Right now, I guess the cap is 60 charter schools throughout the State of Illinois. Some people say just lift [the cap]. Whatever people want they can have. Would you do that?

Sen. Matt Murphy: We could certainly at least double it in the near term. …and take some of the geographical restrictions off of it-- I think that’s part of the problem. But, we’ve pushed that for years down in Springfield. You know, the Senate Republicans are the caucus that actually created the opportunity for charter schools in the first place.
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--Taxes, contribution limits, term limits and other “Reforms.”

Jeff Berkowitz: So, you’ve articulated certainly that anti-tax view.

Sen. Matt Murphy: Um-um.

Jeff Berkowitz: Should that be the rallying cry? What’s the rallying cry for your campaign in 2010? Not [necessarily] your campaign, but whoever is running for Governor.

Sen. Matt Murphy: The two biggest things are…No. 2 is we have to get to a point where you can stop being embarrassed to be from Illinois and the Illinois Reform Commission just came out with …[proposed ethics reforms]

Jeff Berkowitz: What’s the most important [reform] that needs to be legislated soon?

Sen. Matt Murphy: I would say term limits for the legislative leadership posts. We’ve got too much power in two few hands.
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Jeff Berkowitz: What about campaign contribution limits. Do you favor those?

Sen. Matt Murphy: I could support and would support something up at $10,000. You look at what Governor Blagojevich did, selling public acts for $100,000. A cap somewhere—

Jeff Berkowitz: Getting a large number of those $25,000 contributions. You would knock them out?

Sen. Matt Murphy: Exactly.

You think that would stop Pay to Play?

Sen. Matt Murphy: No, but it would make it harder.
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--Fixing the state budget deficit

State Senator Matt Murphy [R-Palatine]: For FY10, we’ll probably get about four and a half billion of the stimulus money ,,,

Jeff Berkowitz: So, now you’re down to a deficit of only three and one half billion [dollars for FY10]. Is that what you’re saying?

State Senator Matt Murphy [R-Palatine]: You’re getting a heck of a lot closer to balance. Absolutely. I mean, collectively, we’re sitting here at eleven and one half billion dollars [of deficit] over a couple of years, and we’re getting nine from the Feds. I think it is important to understand, in addition, to this tax hike, Gov. Quinn actually increases spending in his proposed budget.
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The "Public Affairs," show with Senator Murphy [R-Palatine] was taped on May 3, 2009
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Public Affairs Chicago Metro suburban airing schedule:

The show featuring State Senator Matt Murphy is airing this week in the North and Northwest Chicago Metro suburbs in its regular slot:

Tuesday night (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 Tuesday night(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 on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Channel 19 in Bannockburn, Deerfield, Ft. Sheridan, Glencoe, Highland Park, Highwood, Kenilworth, Lincolnshire, Riverwoods and Winnetka.
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Chicago and Aurora:

The "Public Affairs," show featuring Senator Murphy will also air throughout the City of Chicago this coming Monday night i.e., May 25 at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21(CANTV, aka Chicago Access Network TV) and on Tuesday, May 26 [special airing date in Aurora due to the Memorial Holiday] on cable 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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Rockford:

The "Public Affairs," show featuring Senator Matt Murphy , will also air throughout the City of Rockford (and in surrounding areas) a week from this coming Thursday night, May 28 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.
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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. *************************************************************
"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.
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Other "hot" 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 and possible Republican candidate for Governor, Matt Murphy (R-Palatine), a show with the RealClearPolitics.com's Tom Bevan about Obama's First 100 days and assessing Obama, a show with Senator Steans about budget deficits and education reform, a show with conservative activist Joe Morris about SB600 as a litmus test for reformers, a show with State Senator and likely 2010 10th CD candidate Susan Garrett(D-Lake Forest), and 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.
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Better than NBC's [WMAQ] now defunct CityDesk: Berkowitz w/Real Clear Politics' Tom Bevan on War and Peace, Obama & School Vouchers; Cable & Streaming

Jeff Berkowitz: …It seems to be hypocrisy. Many people in Congress, House and Senate, send their kids to suburban elite public schools or private schools in DC, as President Obama is doing, and nobody says anything [when] they choke off school choice. Hypocrisy?

Tom Bevan [Executive Editor, RealClearPolitics.com]: Totally…. it is true that Congress will vote to not allow—they send their kids to private schools-and they’ll vote to not allow [school] vouchers or any sort of choice for parents around the country, that’s long established. [Watch RCP's Bevan here][And read about the Berkowitz-Obama 2002-03 exchange on school vouchers and Obama's change in position on School Choice during that one year].
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The "Public Affairs," show, featuring Tom Bevan, co-founder and Executive Editor of RealClearPolitics.com, 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 Tom Bevan on your computer.
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The show with Tom Bevan was taped on May 3, 2009.
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--RealClearPolitics.com—the White line down the middle of the road?

Jeff Berkowitz: So, in your view, [RealClearPolitics.com] is balanced. Does it lean a little bit to the right?

Tom Bevan [Executive Editor, Real Clear Politics.com]: I think we do a very, very good job of trying to present a cross section of opinions: right, left, center and on a variety of subject matter, as well.

--The national Republican Party—Who is in charge?

Jeff Berkowitz: [National] Republican Party leaders, who will they be? Is there such?

Tom Bevan: No, not at the moment, and I don’t know that we’ll see one—

Jeff Berkowitz: Mitt Romney, Bobby Jindal?

Tom Bevan: Perhaps.

Jeff Berkowitz: Gov. Mark Sanford [SC] ? We don’t know.

Tom Bevan: It’s still too early to tell.

Jeff Berkowitz: It’s going to be a conglomeration.

Tom Bevan: I think so. It’s pretty muddy at this point.
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Hypocrisy: President Obama, other political leaders and school choice ?

Jeff Berkowitz: …It seems to be hypocrisy. Many people in Congress, House and Senate, send their kids to suburban elite public schools or private schools in DC, as President Obama is doing, and nobody says anything [when] they choke off school choice. Hypocrisy?

Tom Bevan: Totally…. it is true that Congress will vote to not allow—they send their kids to private schools and they’ll vote to not allow [school] vouchers or any sort of choice for parents around the country, that’s long established.
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The "Public Affairs," show featuring Tom Bevan also airs throughout the City of Rockford (and in surrounding areas) this Thursday night, May 21 at 8:00 pm on Cable Ch. 17. 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.
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For more about Tom Bevan (a Princeton and Sun-Times opinion journalist alum),
the topics covered in our show with Bevan and another partial transcript of our show please go here.
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Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com. *************************************************************
"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.
*******************************************************************
Other "hot" 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 and possible Republican candidate for Governor, Matt Murphy (R-Palatine), a show with Senator Steans about budget deficits and education reform, a show with conservative activist Joe Morris about SB600 as a litmus test for reformers, a show with State Senator and likely 2010 10th CD candidate Susan Garrett(D-Lake Forest), and 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.
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Better than ABC's Desperate Housewives: Berkowitz joins Gene Mullins on Roeser's radio show tonight to discuss Desperate Pols

Jeff Berkowitz will join Gene Mullins, a Todd Stroger spokesperson, as a guest tonight 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.
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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] or the [Public Affairs YouTube.com page], 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.

Political personalities or desperate pols who might be discussed tonight include President Obama, Gov. Palin, Cook County Board President Todd Stroger, Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan, Republican House Leader Tom Cross, Senate President Cullerton, Senate Republican Leader Radogno, Democratic and Republican Guv candidates too numerous to mention, Cong. Schakowsky, Cong. Kirk, Treasurer Giannoulias, Chris Kennedy, Cheryl Jackson, Cong. Jackson, Rush Limbaugh, Sen. Dillard, DuPage County Board Chairman Schillerstrom, DuPage SA Birkett, John Kass, Mike Flannery, Carol Marin, Cmsrs. Peraica, Claypool and Schneider; Paul Vallas, Sen. Murphy, Gov. Quinn and many, many more.

Tonight's show may touch on:

-- Did Obama make the right decision about fighting the release of pictures of detainees arguably being treated by Coalition interrogators in a cruel and inhumane manner?

--Why did President Stroger fail to pay all his taxes in 2008?

--Did Cong. Kirk decide to postpone his decision about running for the U. S. Senate in 2010 until Lisa Madigan makes her choice of races? Always the Gentleman, that Cong. Kirk.

--Why did President Stroger hire Tony Cole? Ron Burleson?

--Will Senator Garrett (D-Lake Forest) defer to Sen. Bond and/or Dan Seals in 2010 in the 10th CD Dem Primary?

----Will the Cook County Board override, this Tuesday, Todd's veto of the sales tax repeal?

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

--Is Gene Mullins a bail bondsman? Donna Dunnings? Have Credit, will travel?

--Is Gov. Pat Quinn's constitutional officer colleague," Attorney General Lisa Madigan, getting "fired up and ready to go," to challenge Quinn for the Gov position in 2010?

--Was Donna Dunnings the "Fall girl," or "Spring girl."

--Will Lisa pull the trigger by June or is Speaker Mike really concerned about the damage that could be done to the IL Dem Party by a fierce Guv primary?

--Might Speaker Mike be willing to change the primary date to June?

--Will Lisa get more specific about the spending cuts she would make in lieu of a tax increase to narrow the deficit?

-- Who would Mayor Daley prefer for Cook County Board President: Forrest Claypool, Paul Vallas or Toni Preckwinkle? Is that a possible fall choice?

--Is Joe Birkett's time for leadership in the Illinois Republican Party still viable. Will he run for Guv in the 2010 Primary? Taking on Senator Matt Murphy? Sen. Bill Brady? Ron Gidwitz? Schillerstrom? Dan Proft? Adam Andrzejewski?

--Will the base forgive Joe for joining the Topinka ticket in 2006? When they heard, did they say, "Say it ain't so, Joe."

--Will the base forgive Brady for not supporting Dillard earlier this year for Senate Republican Leader and for opposing SB 600?

--Will the base forgive Sen. Murphy for not supporting SB 600?

--Will the Republican base forgive anybody? WWJD?

--Could Cong. Kirk beat Chris Kennedy if both run for U. S. Senator in 2010?

--Who wins a Kirk-Giannoulias 2010 U. S. Senate face-off? A Kirk- Schakowsky face-off. How big a factor is Robert Creamer in a Schakowsky senate race. Did the polls really handle that issue?

-- Is Lisa Madigan looking more like a beatable candidate for Governor in the Dem. Primary? What philosophy, if any, does she have about government? tax cuts? education? Does she need one if she has 3.5 million dollars in cash on hand?

--Does AG Madigan engage in Pay to Play or do contributors give her money purely out of their devotion to "Good Government."

-- Does Pat Collins have political appeal? For 2010?

--Will there surely be an income tax increase in Illinois in 2009? Will Quinn own it? Can Lisa Madigan credibly disown it?

--Does the Democratic city wing of the IL Democratic Party want a much larger NET income tax increase than Quinn has proposed.

--Does the suburban wing of the IL Dem party want a higher threshhold for families paying higher income taxes?

--Who wins? The Suburban Dems or City Dems?

--Could Pat Quinn be persuaded not to run in 2010?

--Can Lisa Madigan oppose a tax increase that her father, Speaker Mike, facilitates and promotes?

--Will Senator Burris tough it out until the end of his term in 2010? Could he win a three way primay race with three strong white opponents? Giannoulias, Schakowsky and Kennedy? Would President Obama endorse Giannoulias in that race? Over Senator Kennedy's nephew?

--What will it take for the Illinois Republican Party to become the party of ideas? Somebody realizing they could take some ideas from the Illinois Policy Institute? Somebody realizing they could take some ideas from the Heartland Institute? Has a candidate already started to do that?

--Who would be next in line among the Republicans to run for Governor if that's how that decision were made? Joe Birkett? Who does Bob Kjellander want there? Who does the recently indicted Bill Cellini want there? Is the Illinois Combine alive and well? Is the Pope Catholic?

--How important is Chairman McKenna to who becomes the Republican State-wide nominees?

--Will Illinois Republicans be able to unite around the new Senate Republican Leader Christine Rodogno, and the continued leadership of House Republican Leader Tom Cross, both of whom are moderates, at least on social issues.

--Can Andy McKenna, Jr. hang on as State GOP Chairman for another year? Or, did his opposition to SB 600 doom him with the party activists?

--Will State GOP Chairman Andy McKenna, Jr. be kicked upstairs soon? After two State general election disasters under the "Leadership of McKenna," are the money guys getting restless? Are there any money guys left in State GOP? money ladies? bag ladies?

--Did Chicago Tonight manage to do its 100th consecutive interview of a liberal book author recently Do conservatives not do book tours in Chicago? Or, does the Chicago Tonight staff just not read the books of those authors?

--What examples would Chicago Tonight give of ideological diversity among their interviewers?

--Was putting Palin on the ticket a major mistake by McCain?

--Did Sarah Palin demonstrate she has insuffient knowledge of domestic and foreign policy issues to be the Republican front-runner for 2012

This reporter doesn't know the topics for tonight—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, national and Obama transition issues, possibly selected from the above, or below, questions, some of which are holdovers from prior episodes of "Political Shootout," or "Public Affairs."

--Could Paul Vallas win as a Republican candidate for Governor?
Could he get out of the R Primary?

--Does the Chicago Public School system spend more than $15,000 per kid per year to try to educate kids? Did Arne Duncan tell the truth about this? Does Ron Huberman tell the truth about this? If not, why not?

--Will the Illinois Republican Party restore its brand by opposing the Quinn income tax increase? Will Cross and Radogno keep the party united on this issue?

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

-- Did RNC Chairman Michael Steele do a good job of speaking to the DuPage County Republicans (and to the media) in February?

Did Steele make a mixtake when he criticised Rush Limbaugh? or, was it a mistake to apologize to Rush? Did Steele make a mistake when he spoke recently of a woman's individual choice on the abortion issue?

--Will Kjellander be indicted? Cellini convicted?

--Will U. S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald be promoted? be removed? fall off a horse?

--Will Al Sanchez sing? More Heartburn for Mayou Daley's ears?
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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. *************************************************************
"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.
**********************************************************
Other 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 Tom Bevan, Executive Editor of RealClearPolitics and a show with conservative activist Joe Morris about SB600 as a litmus test for reformers, **********************************************************************

A virtual debate between Gov. Quinn and Sen. Murphy on a 50% state income tax increase: Streaming to you now

To watch a ten minute virtual debate between Illinois Governor Pat Quinn (D-Chicago) and Senator Matt Murphy (R-Palatine), please go here (5 minutes) and here(5 minutes).

The debate is "moderated," by Public Affairs show host Jeff Berkowitz and focuses on Governor Pat Quinn's proposed 50% increase in the state income tax, the state budget deficits in fiscal years 2009 and 2010 and certain aspects of education, as discussed by Illinois' Gov. Pat Quinn in a portion of a press conference held on May 8, 2010 in Chicago at the Thompson Center and as discussed by Senator Matt Murphy on "Public Affairs with Jeff Berkowitz," in a portion of a show taped on May 3, 2009.

Note the prominence in Senator Murphy's calculus of the Federal government's economic stimulus contributions to Illinois. Surprisingly, the impact of stimulus contributions has generally been omitted from this week's discussions of the budget deficit in the panel discussions and interviews led by WTTW's Carol Marin on "Chicago Tonight," and Jack Tichenor on "Illinois Lawmakers." The effect of that omission is to make deficits look larger than they are and tax increases more attractive than might otherwise be the case. Would that treatment of the Fed's stimulus contributions be "fair and balanced." We raise the issue, you decide.

Finally, Senator Murphy has said he is a "definite maybe," in terms of making a run for Governor in the Republican Primary. Also, having come this far, it seems unlikely that Gov. Quinn wouldn't seek to keep the office he inherited from Gov. Blagojevich's impeachment little more than one hundred days ago. Thus, it's possible the Quinn-Murphy virtual debate is a preview of things to come in the latter half of 2010. Or, at the very least, it gives you a glimpse of what such a match-up would look and sound like.
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Other 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 Tom Bevan, Executive Editor of RealClearPolitics and a show with conservative activist Joe Morris about SB600 as a litmus test for reformers, **********************************************************************

Better than David Gregory w/ NBC's Andrea Mitchell: Berkowitz w/ RCP's Tom Bevan on why Obama won and his first 100 days; Cable and Streaming

Jeff Berkowitz: …Why is Barack Obama the President of the United States?
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Tom Bevan [Executive Editor and Co-Founder of RealClearPolitics.com][Watch Bevan here]: I would say the economic crisis more than anything, we could go back and talk about the primary-- I think Obama was in the right place at the right time with the right message, certainly in the primary…But, in the general [election]…it was the economic crisis, it was September.
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Jeff Berkowitz: ... I don’t know that that [Real GDP 6% decline] number came out [in the last Presidential prime time press conference]. If Bush were there, do you think somebody would have hammered him and said, “Well, six percent decline in the first quarter, you’d been President for seventy days, when are you going to do something? I mean seriously. Do you think? Maybe?
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Tom Bevan: …I think if he starts next year, 2010, still with unemployment that is 9, 9.5, 10 %, [Obama] might be facing a very tough mid-term.
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This week’s Chicago metro suburban edition of Public Affairs features Tom Bevan, co-founder and Executive Editor of RealClearPolitics.com [See below for the Chicago metro suburban, City of Chicago, Aurora and Rockford airing schedules for the show with Tom Bevan. Watch Bevan debate and discuss why Obama won the Presidency, how President Obama performed in his first one hundred days, the traits of the likely replacement for Justice Souter, mainstream media liberal bias and many other public policy issues relating to the Obama presidency with show host and executive legal recruiter Jeff Berkowitz.[A more detailed description of the show's topics is included, below]
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The "Public Affairs," show with Tom Bevan can now be watched on your computer.
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--Why is Obama President?

Jeff Berkowitz: …Why is Barack Obama the President of the United States?

Tom Bevan: Why is he President?

Jeff Berkowitz: As opposed to …Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, John McCain or Mitt Romney, why Barack Obama…

--It’s the Economy, stupid?

Tom Bevan: I would say the economic crisis more than anything, we could go back and talk about the primary-- I think Obama was in the right place at the right time with the right message, certainly in the primary…But, in the general [election]…it was the economic crisis, it was September.

Jeff Berkowitz: Why him? Why was he better than the others…people looked and said who’s best to deal with the economic crisis, is that what you mean?

Tom Bevan: Not necessarily, no.

Jeff Berkowitz: So, how does the economic crisis put Obama in the Presidency?

Tom Bevan: Because I think a lot of folks who were perhaps hesitant, a lot of Democrats who were…. they were hesitant toward Obama or flirting with McCain…the economic crisis just sort of moved everybody over into Obama’s column…Bush was back in the news, he was holding press conferences, it was a reminder of the worst that McCain was fighting, that headwind that McCain was fighting, it all came back, it was eight years of Bush, it was eight years of Republican economic policies, and McCain could never get out from underneath it.

Jeff Berkowitz: So, it fed into the theme of change-- change you could believe in.

Tom Bevan: Absolutely. One hundred percent.

Jeff Berkowitz: People didn’t like the economy. They didn’t like where it had been the last year. They didn’t like where it was going. So, somebody says change and that’s their choice.

Tom Bevan: And, I think the other thing is, that sort of coincided with the debates. You remember the whole thing about McCain coming….
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--Media bias about Iraq?

Jeff Berkowitz: Is it also because the United States in a sense won in Iraq

Tom Bevan: I think that is part of it, too—

Jeff Berkowitz: and the media…they do not want to report that Bush in a sense was right and they [the coalition forces] won, so they just don’t report it. Am I being too harsh on the media? You’re a part of it.

Tom Bevan: [Laughter]. A little bit. Well, no, look. I’ve talked a lot about this before, about Iraq and of course, Republicans and conservatives will always say …there is a liberal bias and I think there is something to that, but that’s not the whole story… there is a mentality in the DNA of the media in general—“if it bleeds, it leads,” and it’s easy to cover a car bomb and deaths; it’s a lot harder to cover reconstruction projects that are going right, schools that are opening and what not…
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Tom Bevan: …[Obama] is a very charismatic, inspiring candidate and he did drive the message that brought those folks out.
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Tom Bevan: The answer, I think, is undoubtedly that [Obama] is more of a progressive than a centrist, I think.
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Jeff Berkowitz: What happened to First Quarter GDP, down 6%, right?

Tom Bevan: Right.

Jeff Berkowitz: Is anybody talking about that?

Tom Bevan: Worse than expected and on top of—

Jeff Berkowitz: …Didn’t [that datum] come out the day of the Obama press conference that was on national prime time TV?

Tom Bevan: Right.

Jeff Berkowitz: Was he asked about it? Nothing.

Tom Bevan: It did not get asked about.

Jeff Berkowitz: The question that maybe touched on it a little bit was when the guy from BET talked about minority unemployment and so forth, but not really. I don’t know that that [Real GDP] number came out [in the Presidential press conference]. If Bush were there, do you think somebody would have hammered him and said, “Well, six percent decline in the first quarter, you’d been President for seventy days, when are you going to do something? I mean seriously. Do you think? Maybe?

Tom Bevan: Maybe, maybe not. I mean even Bush got a honeymoon. And, Obama is able to get by with, by saying, look this was Q1 and he didn’t take office until the end of, basically…
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Tom Bevan: …I think if he starts next year, 2010, still with unemployment that is 9, 9.5, 10 %, [Obama] might be facing a very tough mid-term.
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Jeff Berkowitz, show host and producer, and executive legal recruiter, debates and discusses with Tom Bevan, Princeton alum, former opinion columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times and co-founder of www.RealClearPolitics.com the following topics and questions:

Why did Obama win the Presidency? Was and is the war in Iraq being covered impartially by the mainstream media? Was Obama’s early and vocal opposition to the War in Iraq the main reason why he won the Democratic Party nomination for President? How did the media and the polls grade Obama’s first 100 days? How does Tom Bevan grade Obama’s first 100 days?

Is Obama a centrist posing as a “Progressive,” or is he a “Progressive,” posing as a centrist? Should the media have questioned Obama more vigorously than they did about such items as the six percent decline in real GDP during the first quarter?

What are the traits of the likely replacement for Justice Souter? Will Obama overreach? Who are the likely nominees by Obama to replace Justice Souter? Will the Republicans be reluctant to question Souter’s replacement vigorously at the confirmation hearings?

Is there still an Obama-media love affair? Are the Congressional Democrats guilty of hypocracy when they oppose school vouchers-school choice for the children of low income blacks but happily send their own kids to elite suburban public schools, or to elite DC private schools?

Does RealClearPolitics lean right? Or, is it the "White line down the middle of the road."
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The "Public Affairs," show with Tom Bevan was taped on May 3, 2009.
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Public Affairs Chicago Metro suburban airing schedule:

The show featuring Tom Bevan is airing this week in the North and Northwest Chicago Metro suburbs in its regular slot:

Tuesday night (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 Tuesday night(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 on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Channel 19 in Bannockburn, Deerfield, Ft. Sheridan, Glencoe, Highland Park, Highwood, Kenilworth, Lincolnshire, Riverwoods and Winnetka.
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Chicago and Aurora:

The "Public Affairs," show featuring Tom Bevan, co-founder and Executive Editor of www.RealClearPolitics.com, will also air throughout the City of Chicago this coming Monday night i.e., May 18 at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21(CANTV, aka Chicago Access Network TV) and that same night on cable 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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Rockford:

The "Public Affairs," show featuring Tom Bevan, co-founder of www.RealClearPolitics.com, , will also air throughout the City of Rockford (and in surrounding areas) a week from this coming Thursday night, May 21 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.
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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. *************************************************************
"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.
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Other 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 Tom Bevan, Executive Editor of RealClearPolitics, a show with State Senator and possible Republican candidate for Governor, Matt Murphy (R-Palatine), a show with Senator Steans about budget deficits and education reform, a show with conservative activist Joe Morris about SB600 as a litmus test for reformers, a show with Senator Rickey Hendon (D-Chicago) about hot state legislative issues and politics, a show with Bill Brady, State Senator and 2010 Republican Primary candidate for Governor, a show with State Senator and likely 2010 10th CD candidate Susan Garrett(D-Lake Forest), 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.
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Better than Chris Wallace w/Newt Gingrich: Berkowitz with Joe Morris on a reform message, taxes, spending; Cable/streaming

Jeff Berkowitz: On the State level, in 45 seconds or less, what is the Republican Brand, what are the three issues they should be running on when they run for Governor of the State of Illinois?

Joe Morris: Reform, meaning openness, transparency and the like and how governmental decisions are made; taxes, cutting taxes and cutting spending. It’s not terribly complicated. …
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The "Public Affairs," show, featuring Joe Morris, former President of the United Republican Fund of Illinois, 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 Joe Morris on your computer.
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The show with Joe Morris was taped on April 19, 2009.
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--Cong. Kirk is Joe Morris’ friend

Jeff Berkowitz: Are you okay with [Cong.] Mark Kirk [R-Highland Park, 10th CD] running as the Republican nominee for the U. S. Senate?

Joe Morris: …I think Mark Kirk would be a fine nominee.

Jeff Berkowitz: Does he satisfy those requirements of reform, ideas and philosophy that you are talking about?

Joe Morris: Mark Kirk and I do not agree on all issues.

Jeff Berkowitz: You don’t agree on any social issues, right?

Joe Morris: We agree less on social issues than on foreign policy issues and economic issues. But, I think—

Jeff Berkowitz: That’s enough for you. You could get behind Kirk for—

--The Reagan 80% rule

Joe Morris: My old boss, Ronald Reagan, used to say—anyone who agrees with me 80% of the time is my friend and not my enemy.

Jeff Berkowitz: You agree with Kirk 80% of the time?

Joe Morris: Mark Kirk is my friend. Mark Kirk and I agree 80 % of the time. I wish I could change his mind on some of the 20% of the issues on which we disagree.

Jeff Berkowitz: You agree with Peter Roskam 100% of the time.

Joe Morris: Much closer. Probably 95% to 98% of the time.
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Joe Morris: I think Paul Vallas is an interesting man, a man of some character and distinction. I am delighted to see that he has declared himself a Republican. I wish he’d spend more time telling the people of Illinois why he now sees himself a Republican. I think it is a good choice. I think he has a good story to tell. But, I think he has yet to make his case and tell his story.
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--The Republican Brand

Jeff Berkowitz: On the State level, in 45 seconds or less, what is the Republican Brand, what are the three issues they should be running on when they run for Governor of the State of Illinois?

Joe Morris: Reform, meaning openness, transparency and the like and how governmental decisions are made; taxes, cutting taxes and cutting spending. It’s not terribly complicated. State government in Illinois is being run into the ground at every level…
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The "Public Affairs," show featuring Joe Morris also airs throughout the City of Rockford (and in surrounding areas) this Thursday night, May 14 at 8:00 pm on Cable Ch. 17. 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.
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For more about Joe Morris, the topics covered in our show with Joe Morris (and another partial transcript of our show with Joe Morris), please go here.
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Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com. *************************************************************
"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.
*******************************************************************
Other 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 and possible Republican candidate for Governor, Matt Murphy (R-Palatine), a show with Senator Steans about budget deficits and education reform, a show with conservative activist Joe Morris about SB600 as a litmus test for reformers, a show with Senator Rickey Hendon (D-Chicago) about hot state legislative issues and politics, a show with Bill Brady, State Senator and 2010 Republican Primary candidate for Governor, a show with State Senator and likely 2010 10th CD candidate Susan Garrett(D-Lake Forest), 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.
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