Sometimes I enjoy watching cable access...

Just about every weekend morning from about 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM I watch this slot on Chicago Access Network Channel 19. This slot has programming where often I would see programming hosted by blacks that are live call-in programs. Usually the topic of discussion is politics and issues as pertaining to blacks living in Chicago.

This weekend was interesting. On Saturday morning was a program called Daleyland. This is a somewhat frequent programs that might air maybe 4 or more times a year hosted by Eugene Mathews. He would have a co-host who on this day was a man named Boyse Edwards (I'll talk about him in a minute).

In any case this show usually laments the policies of Mayor Richard M. Daley and his control over city politics. On this day they didn't talk much about Daley for the most part they steered clear of Daley. The show revolved around President Bush, the shutdown of a federal courthouse in downtown Chicago, the recent incident involving a police officer involved with a drug ring, and then the issue of illegal immigration. In any case there is an indication that the show will return in August hopefully I'll be able to tune in.

On Sunday was a live call-in program produced by Jamm Right Productions called the B-Corner. This was hosted by the aforementioned Boyse Edwards who for the first half hour had as his guest, Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica. He talked about the current race for county board president mostly and the wrangling involved with figuring out what to do about the sickness of John Stroger.

Peraica says that the board has difficulty agreeing on anything let alone if Stroger should be removed and replaced. Even went so far as to saying that the Democrats on the County Board disregarding the advice of their fellow Democrat State's Attorney Dick Devine who suggested that John Stroger could be replaced temporarily.

He even talked about an impromptu press conference he had in city hall where according to him he was no where near the floor of the council but was in another room nearby. Apparently he was responding to a statement made in the city council by Ald. Todd Stroger with regards to his father's health. Saying that John Stroger was on a feeding tube to name one thing I recall correctly. Anyway eventually this conference was cut short when some police asked him to leave. Peraica even said he was almost about ready to box.

So anyway this segment ended with Peraica talking about why he should be elected. He didn't seem to make it clear that he wanted to be elected. Just said a line about vote for me for change or vote for the status quo. But he did say about one true statement, it's a shame that 24% of Cook County residents can vote while a much higher number of Iraqis can go out and vote in the middle of a war.

The programs that I see everynow and then, seem to have more black public official on then I'd see on more mainstream outlets. I think that on Beyond the Beltway one time Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. was lamenting that the media never seems to talk to him about other issues other than black issues. They never talk to him about say economic issues and education and it's definitely not like he's educated (he does have a Bachelor's, a Master in Divinity, and a jurist doctorate). Either way watching Chicago Access Network seems to be the main why I can connect with the city's black officials.