Henry Cisneros and Jim Durkin Represent Obama and McCain In Debate On Future of Metropolitan Areas

Today I attended Metropolitan Mandate: How the Next President Will Maximize Metro Potential, which was presented by Chicago’s Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC). At least 1,000 Chicago-area civic, government, corporate and community leaders were in attendance. This event was set up to address the issues facing metropolitan areas across the U.S., including Chicago.

It was introduced that 4 of 5 Americans live in or around a metropolitan area. These metropolitan areas are responsible for producing about 85% of the gross national product each year. Each presidential candidate had a surrogate speaker that voiced how they would address metropolitan area concerns such as transportation and urban economic development when they would become president. They took questions from the moderator.

Illinois House Representative. Jim Durkin spoke for Republican Presidential Candidate John McCain. Since 2007 Durkin has been co-chairing Senator McCain’s presidential campaign in Illinois. Born and bred in Illinois Rep. Durkin’s background in both politics and the Chicago region he was selected as one who is knowledgeable of Senator McCain’s plans and goals.

Henry Cisneros was the spokesperson on behalf of Illinois Senator Barack Obama. Currently Mr. Cisneros is the executive chairman of CityView, Mr. Cisneros also has been the mayor of San Antonio, Texas and as the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development under Clinton administration. As such, he has experience with the issues and is well-versed in Mr. Obama’s plans for an incoming administration.

The forum was hosted and moderated by Chicago’s CLTV News anchor Carlos Hernandez Gomez. The questions posed to each surrogate ranged from education to transportation in our metropolitan areas and how these issues would be handled by the incoming president.

Mr. Cisneros was extremely well-prepared in the delivery of his answers, whereas Mr. Durkin appeared to simply read from a script prepared in advance. The two represented an interesting contrast in styles.

Robert Kreisman of Kreisman Law Offices has been practicing Illinois personal injury law in the Chicago area for over 30 years. His practice handles cases for clients in Chicago and in Cook County and surrounding counties and communities, including Bridgeview, Hillside, Park Forest, and Steger.