*** UPDATE *** This is turning into a pretty raucous debate. The governor and Brady are going at it and the crowd is also getting into the spirit. This is a must-watch event, so click the play button if you can.

[ *** End of Update *** ]

* Starting at about 2 o’clock today, Gov. Pat Quinn and state Sen. Bill Brady will address the Illinois Education Association [UPDATE: they are actually debating, which is pretty cool]. Both will take questions from the audience. Watch it and live-blog in comments if you want…

[As of 2:17 pm, the sound isn’t working. Hopefully, they’ll fix this problem soon.]

[Sound is back on as of 2:23 pm.]

[End. Feed conked out during the governor’s closing statement.]

[OK, not the end. Feed’s back on.]

[Now it’s over. They should be posting the recorded video soon and I’ll put it up when it’s available.]

* One of the goofier campaign items I’ve seen this week was in the Weekly Standard…

[Democratic US Senate nominee Alexi Giannoulias] owns stock in his family’s Giannoulias Enterprises, a limited partnership that owns several properties in Chicago. Giannoulias’s brother, Demetris, serves as the president.

In April 2007, Giannoulias Enterprises refinanced its real estate portfolio, taking out a $21.5 million, 10-year loan on six properties – four of them being the locations of the family’s Broadway Bank. With all the banks in the world to choose from, Giannoulias Enterprises selected the French investment bank Natixis – an institution with a long and public history of doing business in Iran.

A Kirk campaign press release was issued soon after…

“Once again, Alexi Giannoulias demonstrates a pattern of reckless decisions and questionable relationships,” campaign spokesman Richard Goldberg said. “Alexi Giannoulias pushed risky ‘hot money’ lending schemes at Broadway Bank and loaned millions of dollars to organized crime figures like Michael ‘Jaws’ Giorango. Now it appears Mr. Giannoulias’ family real estate portfolio is financed by a French bank known for its investments in Iran’s energy sector and connections to Iran’s Central Bank. As a Senate candidate, Alexi Giannoulias says he supports divestment from companies doing business with Iran’s energy sector; the State Treasurer should do the same with his personal finances.”

Asked about the loan refinancing, the Giannoulias campaign replied…

The loan referenced in the Weekly Standard
article was originated after Alexi became Treasurer.

As with any loan of this type, the borrower uses a broker to secure the loan. The borrower usually doesn’t know where the loan originates, and in many cases the loan is quickly split up and sold off to various investors. The borrower is not involved in this process.

The campaign added that the family did not know where the loan originated.

What a silly oppo dump that was by the Kirk campaign.

* Kirk is having yet another unannounced event today. This time it’s a fundraiser with Rudy Giuliani.

…Adding… The Kirk campaign says the congressman is in DC, not at the event.

* The Illinois GOP has a new video whacking Giannoulias…