Cenk Uygur: And Representative Schakowsky, our last topic, I've got to ask you of course, are you considering a run for the Senate in Illinois coming up in 2010.

Representative Jan Schakowsky: I'm taking a very, very careful look at this, and actually may make that run. I've set for myself an arbitrary deadline of June 8th where I'm gunna make a decision. And you know, I feel confident, actually, that if I ran I could win. Here we are though, at this incredibly opportune moment to really make big change. Big change moment today in our country. So I have to decide if I want to spend the next 18 months basically raising money. You know what I mean?

Cenk Uygur: Yes.

Representative Schakowsky: Rather than, I'm on the Energy and Commerce Committee, health care, energy. I'm on the Intelligence Committee, I'm in the Leadership of the House. So, I have to weigh all that. Clearly being in the Senate would give me an even larger opportunity to move an agenda. But this is a bad time to be sort of out of the real decision making. So, I'm weighing it.

Cenk Uygur: Is there an opponent that could get into the race or get out of the race that would make a difference for you?

Representative Schakowsky: Of course I would look, of course I would look at the competition. But we've done extensive polling that looks real good. And now we're just really in the gut check phase. I have to, you know, figure out...it's a personal decision that I have to make on how I want to spend the time. But so far of the candidates that I know of, I think that I could, uh, I think I could win.

Cenk Uygur: Roldand Burris you don't consider to be competition, do you?

Representative Schakowsky: I don't see how he can, at this point, win a primary. The numbers speak very loudly to that. And he's just been embroiled in this toxic situation, and it hasn't really gotten any better for him. And so I would say, that's not, you know, I don't see him as being competitive in a Democratic Primary.

Cenk Uygur: Is there a Republican in the state that can make a real run against a Democrat in Illinois?

Representative Schakowsky: For U.S Senate? I... no. And here's why I say that: we are Barack Obama's home state, and having a Republican who would run against the Obama agenda is a loser in Illinois. It just, you know, for our mostly blue state, I don't see how that could happen. You know, there are things, I suppose that, you know, 2010 became a bad year because a lot of the hopes and dreams weren't realized. But even then, I think there's going to be a distaste for someone who's part of the "just say no" group as a candidate for U.S Senate.

Cenk Uygur: Right. Well, that doesn't prove the chances of obviously a Democrat winning that seat. Roland Burris doesn't seem to be a possibility. So it makes it a little hard to resist.

Representative Schakowsky: Yeah, I know. It's certainly very, very tempting. So I'm trying to look at this whole thing with a very cool and calculating eye. Cause anyway, I love my job. So it's not a, it's all good.

Cenk Uygur: Alright, Representative Schakowsky from Illinois 9th district, we wish you luck in that decision, and it's on June 8th. That's coming up around the corner, and we hope to hear from you soon on that.

Representative Schakowsky: Thanks so much.

Cenk Uygur: Alright.