'He became a wonderful legislator'

Having dedicated much of his career to passage of health care reform, Sen. Ted Kennedy in passing could help stir the momentum his fellow Democrats need to finally see their initiative become reality.

So says Thom Serafin, President and CEO of Serafin & Associates, Inc., in this segment on Fox Chicago News.

Serafin referred back to Kennedy's remarks at the 1980 Democratic National Convention in New York, when Kennedy conceded defeat in his presidential bid.

"For me, a few hours ago, this campaign came to an end," Kennedy said at the time. "For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die."

“That is what Ted Kennedy brings to the health care reform package," Serafin says. "Unfortunately, he’s no longer with us. But fortunately for the Democrats, they’re going to use those words to have to pass some kind of health care reform.”

Serafin speaks about the paradox of Kennedy - “He was cursed with the legacy of the Kennedys” - and about his own experience meeting Kennedy on Capitol Hill in the 1980s, when Serafin worked as an aide to Sen. Alan Dixon of Illinois.

“He became a wonderful legislator,” Serafin says. “More important, he was a human being in that body. Most of that work gets done off the Senate floor. I worked there with Alan Dixon during the 80s. I used to ride the tunnel and he was in the cart with us. (He was a) very congenial, wonderful person and a terrific legislator. He served one-fifth of the time that we’ve had a U.S. Senate under our Constitution. That’s a long time.”

Meanwhile in Illinois, the race for the U.S. Senate seat formerly held by Barack Obama is heating up with the addition of David Hoffman, the inspector general for the City of Chicago and a former federal prosecutor, as a candidate. He is expected to face Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias and Urban League President Cheryle Jackson in the Democratic primary.

Serafin speaks about the changing dynamics of this race, noting that David Axelrod's former media firm is working for Hoffman's nascent campaign. Axelrod, of course, is political adviser to President Obama.

Though Giannoulias has long had a personal relationship with Obama, Serafin suspects that Obama's organization may now be firmly behind Hoffman.

“Alexi is the state treasurer of the state of Illinois. He’s got the county chairmen’s endorsement behind him. He’s got an organization behind him. He’s got a couple million dollars. He’s got everything going for himself in this particular race," Serafin says.

"He’s a Democratic elected official for the state of Illinois and all of a sudden Barack Obama’s organization says, ‘Uh-uh, we’re going to run somebody else in this race because we don’t think you can beat (Republican) Mark Kirk in the general election.’ So this is really about stopping Alexi – it’s not about anything else – because they don’t think he can beat Mark Kirk.”

Healthcare, protests & presidential politics

The latest polls show that Americans are angriest at Congress-- not the President. Could a re-awakening be at hand?

President of Serafin & Associates Inc. Thom Serafin thinks so. On FOX-Chicago today, Serafin said the recent, high-emotion town hall meetings are reminiscent of grassroots protests from the 60's.

Serafin said the lack of oversight of the bailouts coupled with Americans' frustration with losing their life savings, has conveyed strong message to the public: Government is not to be trusted.

Serafin also warned that while 'divide & conquer' tactics may be good for the campaign trail, it is far from good for the country.

"He (the President) speaks for everyone!" Serafin said. "He can't divide as President-- he has to pull people together."

Independent voters may be starting to notice, Serafin added.

"A Great Teaching Moment"

The much-touted White House “beer summit” may have helped President Obama’s image but probably did little to advance America toward improved race relations, says Thom Serafin in this appearance on Fox Chicago News.

“It was a good media opportunity and it was good healing for his public relations images around the country,” Serafin says. “But as far as the racial relationships and discussing that issue, it was an opportunity, I think, lost.”

Still, Serafin, President and CEO of Serafin & Associates, Inc., says the beer summit – promoted as a chance to heal racial tension – amounted to more than simply a presidential photo op. He says Obama seized an opportunity to focus public attention on a positive message and away from his plummeting poll numbers.

“It’s not necessarily (just) a photo op,” Serafin says. “It’s serious business for the president and his media advisors. Listen, the August recess could not come soon enough for them. His numbers have been plummeting as far as a job approval is concerned. He had to show some sense of understanding here. He brought people together. He took advantage of the opportunity.”

Serafin notes that Obama pushed the beer summit as a chance to bring Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. together for a conversation with Cambridge, Mass. Police Sgt. Joseph Crowley, who arrested Gates after Gates broke into his own home upon returning from vacation. The incident quickly became a flashpoint for racial tension.

Obama’s initiative followed the president’s notorious faux pas – saying the police in Cambridge “acted stupidly” by arresting Gates. Obama later backpedaled from the remark, while pushing the beer summit.

“Once you go off teleprompter, off message, you get into these types of situations,” Serafin says. “They put this beer summit together to make it look like a regular guy (situation). But nobody drinks Bud Light out of a glass. It’s always out of long necks.”

At the beer summit, all four of the gentlemen in attendance – Obama, Vice President Biden, Gates and Crowley – drank their frosty beverages from glasses rather than bottles.

Serafin also talks during this appearance on Fox about the federal Cash for Clunkers program and the federal government’s failure to illuminate the details of spending through its stimulus program. Among states, Illinois ranked last in availability of information about the stimulus spending.

“Information is knowledge and knowledge is power,” Serafin says. “And that’s how government is run here in the state of Illinois – you keep information from people.”

'He's positioned to win'

Mark Kirk, the Republican congressman representing the North Shore of Illinois, stands a strong chance at winning the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama, explains Thom Serafin in this appearance on Fox Chicago News.

Kirk, a five-term congressman, on Monday announced his Republican bid for the Senate seat currently held by Roland Burris, a Democrat who does not plan to seek election to the seat to which disgraced former Gov. Rod Blagojevich appointed him.

“His chances are excellent,” Serafin says of Kirk. “He’s positioned to win. He just needs to be able to run through this primary without too much conservative opposition.”

Serafin notes that Kirk has sided with liberals on certain social issues. In a primary election, Kirk potentially could face strong criticism from the GOP’s right wing for this stance. But for now, Serafin says that Kirk appears strong heading into the primary.

"Right now, based on what national polls are showing, Republicans are making headway into this off-year election,” Serafin says, noting that as a rule the party of the president tends to suffer in non-presidential elections.

Kirk was one of a few Republicans who sided with Democrats in voting for cap-and-trade legislation to regulate carbon emissions. Critics say the legislation, backed by Obama, will lead to increased energy costs.

Serafin says he was perplexed by Kirk’s vote on cap-and-trade. He notes that nearly half of GOP primary voters are in downstate Illinois. In southern Illinois, a region whose economy historically depended on work associated with coal mining, Serafin says that Kirk will have much explaining to do.

Still, the GOP establishment is behind Kirk.

“He’s got a lot of the big shots,” Serafin says. “He’s got a lot of the organization Republicans with him.”

'He Broke the Color Barrier'

With Roland Burris saying he won’t seek re-election to the U.S. Senate seat that disgraced former Gov. Rod Blagojevich appointed him to, don’t let Burris’ ties to Blagojevich overshadow the considerable accomplishments he made early in his career. So says Thom Serafin, President and CEO of Serafin & Associates, Inc., in this Fox television interview.

“He broke all those barriers. He understood that education was the key to get ahead in life; education was the way to go from Point A to Point B. So everybody in his family is educated. He’s educated,” Serafin says.

Burris, who grew up in downstate Centralia, sparked a movement to integrate the town’s swimming pool. In 1978, he became the first African-American elected to statewide office when he successfully ran for comptroller. He also served as Illinois attorney general.

“He broke the color barrier and he did a lot of things that most people now take for granted,” Serafin says.

Serafin explains that Burris declined to seek re-election to the Senate seat formerly held by Barack Obama because Burris simply cannot raise the millions of dollars necessary to compete with other candidates in a race. Burris plans to spend some time “doing something that he can really put a stamp on – something helpful for the country,” Serafin says.

Meanwhile, Serafin says Lisa Madigan correctly decided to run for re-election at Illinois attorney general, rather than running for governor or the Senate seat held by Burris.

“She made the right decision,” Serafin says. “She’s 42 years old (and) she can do anything with her life. Her kids are four and one. They’ll be five and eight, you know, in four years. I thought it was a very smart decision.”

"Remember, you're saddled if you win."

Political analyst & President of Serafin & Associates, Inc. Thom Serafin offers his take on the bombshell dropped by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan in announcing that she will seek re-election. Madigan's decision translates to an all-out free fall in Illinois political circles, as both Democrat and GOP hopefuls throughout the state scurry to re-vamp their ambitions. Serafin notes that Madigan -- a young, accomplished rising star -- has plenty of time to seek higher office in the future. He adds that whoever ultimately wins the governorship in 2010 will be "saddled" with Illinois' dire fiscal situation.

'Where ever she goes, the lights go on'

By resigning as governor of Alaska before completing her first term, Republican Sarah Palin may enhance her long-term political opportunities. So says Thom Serafin, President and CEO of Serafin & Associates, Inc. and Fox political analyst.

“Where ever she goes, the lights go on,” Serafin says. In this appearance on Fox, Serafin also says that moving terrorism suspects from Guantanamo Bay to the federal prison in Marion, Illinois – a move that the town’s mayor favors – would help grow jobs in southern Illinois.

“President Obama is from Illinois. Dick Durbin is the most powerful member of the United States Senate,” he says. “If they’re going to send any of these prisoners and any of these federal dollars anywhere in this country, why not Illinois and employ Illinoisans?”