* WBEZ’s Steve Edwards will moderate tonight’s gubernatorial debate, which begins at 8 o’clock and runs until 9:30 You can listen to the debate on WBEZ by clicking here.

* And Bill Brady has a new TV ad that attacks Gov. Pat Quinn. It’s called “Flatline“…

*** UPDATE - 8:09 pm *** From the debate: A questioner just said that Sen. Brady had “not addressed the health care sector.” In fact, Brady has addressed that issue several times. As Brady explained to the questioner, he has a “branding” plan to make Chicago a major national health care center. The questioner, Dr. Jennifer Boyle, chair of the Department of Political Science at Elmhurst College, didn’t do her homework on that one.

* Bruce Dold is also on the panel. He runs the Tribune editorial board, which just endorsed Bill Brady. Not sure why Quinn would agree to that one. His question to Gov. Pat Quinn quoted ALEC, which is a conservative legislative association.

* Brady just claimed again that Illinois had lost 26,000 jobs in two months. Not noted was that many of those lost jobs were federal jobs, particularly Census jobs.

* Phil Ponce brings up the $50 billion pension borrowing plan. “We cannot borrow for structural deficits.” Actually, the pension bond plan would, indeed, address those structural deficits because, as Brady himself just admitted, a borrowing plan could make it “more affordable” to pay back the soft pension debt.

* Quinn brings up the fact that Brady voted three times which directly effected his business interest. “We don’t need a walking conflict of interest as governor of Illinois.” Brady responds with Reagan: “There you go again, governor.” Says he never knowingly voted on a conflict of interest. Whacks Quinn for saying that Rod Blagojevich was “the most decent and honorable man you’ve met.” Huge audience laughter and applause. Moderator reminds them not to applaud.

Quinn tries to explain again, and Brady interrupts: “Governor you are lying again.” Quinn points out that Brady says he never “knowingly” voted on a conflict of interest. Quinn says that’s what people who are on trial say.

* This, obviously, is an infinitely better format than the southern Illinois debate. It allows for immediate follow-up and encourages interaction.

* Jennifer Boyle: “Since 2008, more than 30 states have increased taxes… Won’t (your flat one point) tax increase disproportionall hurt lower and middle income families?” Quinn denies that and accuses Brady of secretly plotting to raise taxes after the election, just like Thompson and Edgar.

* Bruce Dold quotes a reader who wants to know whether they can trust a state CEO who can’t keep his own business afloat. Brady responds that he is in the housing business, which is in the tank right now, blames Quinn and Blagojevich for the economic problems. “We want to get back to where we’re paying taxes.”

Quinn says he agrees with the Tribune reader. “She’s right.” Brings up Bush again. “He got us in this mess.”

Again, the governor brings up the “lines his own pocket” and “feather his own nest,” on the conflict of interest votes. “The people of Illinois don’t want a shady governor.” Brady, when asked, said “I hope so,” about whether he would pay taxes next year.

* Brady blasts Quinn for extending a $75 million “pet program” to employ people at private businesses to help his own campaign. Calls it “corrupt.”

* Ponce asks about one program he should cut. Quinn for the second time brings up cutting legislators’ pay. Quinn responds to Brady on the “pet program” claim, saying eliminating the program would put 26,000 people out of work.

* Brady claims that people like Gov. Quinn can just walk in and get a Medicaid card.

* Chris Wetterich of the SJ-R and IL Public Media are live-Tweeting the debate.

* Quinn attacked Brady for wanting to cut veterans programs and said he wouldn’t ever do that. Applause. Brady: “We’ve said that we would except veterans funding and you know it.” Says budget problems are “worse than Afghanistan.”

* The Quinn campaign has sent out an e-mail with the Tribune story about Brady’s alleged conflict of interest. Click here for the relevant excerpt.

* Quinn: “I didn’t create the deficit.” Says Brady is part of the problem because he’s been in office for 17 years.

* Tribune’s Dold brings up AFSCME deal. Why would you make a deal that ties the hands of the next governor? Quinn says he was the first to ever get concession from the union. Brady calls it “A deal that would make Rod Blagojevich jealous.” Applause. “The people of Illinois deserve better, and they’re going to get it on Jan. 10th.”

Dold says some people say Brady cut a similar deal with the IL FOP. Asks Brady, what did you promise to them? Much applause. Brady: “There was no deal.”

* Brady: “Gov. Quinn’s agenda is to say he’ll pass a civil unions bill as his first agenda after he’s elected.” Brady says his first priority would be jobs. Quinn brings up Brady’s bill allowing employers to fire people because they are gay.

* Quinn: “There’s something that’s secret here tonight.” Explains: “Secret business dealings” of Sen. Brady.

* Brady: “Did you really just say that the whole country should pay to put people to work?”

* Dold to Brady: How do you lift the death penalty moratorium without killing an innocent person? Brady: “The people of Illinois have spoken and have said ‘This is the law of the land.’” Says he will “continue to make sure” that innocent people aren’t executed. If Quinn has problems with the law, amend it. But he doesn’t have the right to dictate. Quinn: “Sen. Brady is rash, and reckless and wrong.”

* Quinn asked by Ponce to describe his management style. Quinn talks about U of I scandal, capital bill (Sen. Brady voted for the spending but not the funding), pension reform, etc. Brady said he wouldn’t vote for video poker in every liquor establishment in Illinois. Calls it “wrong.” Says “The incompetency of your administration” has led to secret prison release, secret pay hikes secret tax increase plans. Hits Quinn for leaving his Dept. of Corrections director in place after violating the public’s trust.

* Brady talks about his property tax education trust fund. He admitted to the Southtown the that this would mainly help wealthier areas. Quinn points out that Brady wants to cut education by $1.26 billion and repeats the line about Brady saying there would be a “natural rise” in property taxes.

* Brady: “You’re a governor who will protect the special interest at the expense” of students. “If you really believe in public schools, you’ll bring competition into the environment.” Compared the situation to McCormick Place. “You took a large $75,000 check from a special interest union and vetoed the bill.”

* Ponce: One example of a piece of legislation that you are proud of: “Nobody does anything by themselves in Springfield.” Says he spent a half a year negotiating health care legislation for teachers. “I also worked on legislation to deregulate banks and insurance.” Ummm…

Quinn points to CUB, says Brady takes contributions from utilities. Points to Brady’s contributions from payday lenders.

* Ponce brings up the puppy euthanasia bill. “Why did you do that?,” he asks Brady. “I’ve owned a pet all my life. I, uh. I, uh. Excuse me.” Said he was asked by a local veterinarian to sponsor the bill. “I pulled the bill” after Quinn used it for political reasons. Said his family just lost a pet. Gets back to unemployment and creating jobs. [Actually, he didn’t “pull the bill,” he handed it off to a colleague.]

Quinn: “I don’t believe dogs and cats should be put in a chamber ten at a time and executed.” Called it a “bad idea” and nonsense. “That’s why I’m supported by dog owners and cat owners in Illinois.”

* Quinn’s campaign just sent out another alert…

Sen. Brady has mentioned Rod Blagojevich at least 5 times in the 45 minutes of the debate.

Bill Brady would have you believe Pat Quinn – our first honest Governor in 10 years – and Blagojevich were colluding.

Governor Quinn was so critical of Blagojevich and tactics that the two had no working relationship, and hadn’t met in over a year before Blagojevich’s impeachment. Even the Senate GOP posted a 2008 Post-Dispatch story about Quinn telling Blagojevich to come clean:

Brady has since mentioned Blagojevich two or three times since that 45-minute mark.

Quinn: “I was for recall when George Ryan was governor,” claims that Brady thought Ryan was honest. Brings up the business conflicts again.

Brady uses Reagan’s “There he goes again” line yet again on the conflicts attack. Says he disclosed six years of tax returns. Says Quinn is distracting away from jobs and deficit.

* Brady points out (rightly) that Quinn’s introduced budget cut school funding by $1 billion. Quinn: “I don’t know why he’s talking about taxes, he doesn’t pay any.”

* Quinn is really pushing Brady’s personal finances hard, trying to make it the lede in the coverage. Maybe somebody else will cover this issue now.

* Ponce to Quinn: “Give me one example of something you pushed through to which (Speaker Madigan) objected.” Quinn: Campaign finance limits. Says he believes in term limits, Madigan is opposed. Says Brady wouldn’t sign or circulate petitions in 1994. Brady says Quinn’s contribution limits applied to everybody but Madigan. “Mike Madigan needs to be reined in.”

* Brady asked about reducing carbon emissions. Says IEPA is doing that. Criticizes Quinn over lack of support for bioenergy and clean coal. Too many regulations, he says. Quinn points to law requiring 25 percent renewable energy by 2025. Points to individual sites for wind, etc. High-speed rail and public transit. “He would slash the support that our state has for public transit, this is bad, this would hurt our environment.”

* Quinn repeats his call for term limits on legislature and leaders. Touts his “ethics initiative” amendatory veto. Open primaries.

Brady points out that Quinn got rid of multi-member districts, which concentrated power in Madigan’s hands. “Do you regret that?” Says he wants legislative redistricting for community interests, not incumbents’ interests.

* Ponce asks Brady about Jason Plummer’s tax returns. “Personal decision.” Madigan, Cullerton don’t do it. Says Quinn was trying to distract from jobs, budget, etc.

“Nice try,” Quinn says. “I’ve released my tax returns every year I’ve been in public life. Every year.” Says Plummer is using the not releasing his tax returns issue as a “badge of honor.” Goes back to Brady “voting three times” to “line his own pocket.” Says Brady’s claim that he “knowingly” didn’t violate conflict of interest as a “criminal law” term.

Brady: “Releasing a tax return… I didn’t feel was fair to my family partners and other partners.”

Quinn interrupts the questioner. “Well, wait a minute, If you’re governor of Illinois, the people are your business,” Quinn says to applause. “This is a fundamental issue.”

Brady asks Quinn if he received any outside income while lt. governor. Quinn said his income was earned prior to becoming lt. governor when clients paid their bills. Brady called the governor a hypocrite.

* From the AP…

Bill Brady and Pat Quinn are attacking each other’s honesty and integrity in a debate over who would make a better Illinois governor.

Quinn, the Democratic incumbent, called Brady a “walking conflict of interest” Sunday night. He says the Republican candidate votes on legislation that would benefit his business interests.

Quinn points out that Brady says he never “knowingly” voted on legislation affecting his business. Quinn said that’s the kind of excuse you hear from the defendant in a trial.

Brady shot back that Quinn was lying. He says Quinn loves to attack people because he has no plan to fix Illinois’ problems.

* Brady:”I hate to say this, but Gov. Quinn’s been worse than Gov. Blagojevich.” Applause.

* End.