Yesterday and today, the press coverage of Tom Gillesberg, chairman of the Schiller Institute in Denmark, who is running for parliament in Copenhagen as an independent, has exploded, with stories in the most seen national evening TV news broadcast, the third of the three major Copenhagen dailies, two of the four free newspapers found in every bus and subway station, and Copenhagen university’s radio station. The coverage concentrates on the financial crash, maglev, and that Tom is running as an independent. All of the above was actually generated by the press themselves calling in to Tom’s campaign headquarters. The three-week election period which has really put the financial crash, maglev and the Schiller Institute on the political map, ends on election day on Tuesday. Se the latest coverage at: www.sive.dk on the front page right under "seneste nyt."

coverage on Nov. 7:

TV2’s 7 p.m. national evening news, the most seen in Denmark:

The anchor man says that there are 13 independents running for parliament, and they are doing almost anything to get attention, but their chances are zero. The story is about Tom and one another candidate. After an initial clip of the other candidate, Tom opens the door to his headquarters, with his now famous campaign poster on the front door, and says, "I’m Tom Gillesberg. I’m running for parliament with the slogan, "After the financial crash; maglev across the Kattegat." TV2: We’re in a basement in Frederiksberg. Tom Gillesberg thinks that there will soon be a big financial crash, and the society’s economy should be sparked by a maglev across the Kattegat. [camera shows the masthead of our campaign newspaper with Schiller Institute filling the screen.] Tom: A little, big stock market crash before Tuesday [election day] would improve my chances a lot. TV2: Only one independent has succeeded in getting into parliament, Jacob Haugaard in 1994 [the comedian who ran as a joke and won]. TV2: What would you call it if you got into parliament? Tom: A real, live sensation – the biggest political scoop in modern political history. In the background is a wall covered by Tom’s posters.

Then the scene switches to the pedestrian street, and you hear and see the LYM chorus singing "Triple the [infrastructure] budget. TV2: Wearing maglev hats, they try to get attention for Tom’s campaign. Tom: If the improbably should happen and I am elected, then things would really start happening fast. TV2: So, wearing maglev hats, they continue to fight. LYM chorus: "25 minutes." Anchorman: It only takes 150 signatures to run as an independent, but over 20,000 votes to win."

Copenhagen University radio: 40 minute interview with Tom directing his remarks to youth. Described in ops bulletin.

Urban: one of the 4 free newspapers. Short sentence in a short election news blurb that another candidate has come out for a second bridge to Germany to Rostock [the direct route to Berlin] and then it says that he may have stolen the idea from Tom Gillesberg who is campaigning for a vastly increased infrastructure with the slogan, After the financial crash, maglev across the Kattegat.

Berlingske Tidende’s internet edition, by Jonas Schroeder, one of the 3 major Copenhagen dailies. Tom has previously been covered in the other 2:

"What are you up to, Tom Gillesberg," is the title.

You are running as an independent with the slogan After the financial crash, maglev across the Kattegat. What are you really up to?

I am warning that there is a financial crash underway -- and that is very dramatic in an of itself. But it is not the end of the world, we just have to rethink and not just make fast money. We should start long-term infrastructure projects which reach into the future. For Denmark, the next big spring is to build a national maglev net.

Why?

It will have a greater significance for Denmark then the Great Belt bridge had. Suddenly, all of the big cities will be less than an hours travel time between each other – beginning with Århus-Copenhagen in 25 minutes.

Your politics are based on that a financial crash is coming?

A financial crash is just as sure as amen in the church, we just don’t know how long the priest will speak, before the crash comes. Therefore, we have to prepare ourselves for how we can protect our economy against the harmful effects of the international financial crash which is already underway.

If you come to decide, should be choose welfare, maglev or tax cuts?

We should invest in the future – including maglev – but that also increases the productivity of the Danish economy, so we, at the same time, can afford welfare, and even, tax cuts, if we in the future would like that. But the most important it that we can live good lives – not to have a lot of money in our hands right now.

Do you have any ultimate demands? [requirements to cooperate with other parties]

Yes. That the population comes before the financial speculators.

Who will you cooperate with?

With all [the parties]. An just now, all of the parties are ignoring these problems, but in the coming months, it will no longer be possible.

Where do you stand politically?

Outside of the normal scale. The most important is to secure the general welfare, which means to take care of the entire population – and that the state therefore, has a special role to initiate those investments which can ensure that all of us can have a higher standard of living. Not just today, but also in the long run.

When is the financial crash coming?

That is the big question. But a good estimate is the end of this year or the beginning of next year.

So we should start the maglev project now?

Yes, we should already start to discuss these great projects now, as it takes time to plan, before they are built.

What is your background?

I have a gymnasium degree in ancient languages, but necessity teaches a naked man to understand economy. So I am clothed to solve the problems we are standing before.

The day before, there was a picture of a light post with election posters, including Tom’s.

Nov. 8 – Metro express, another of the 4 free papers. Picture of Tom’s poster.

Title: Independents have no political importance. After an introduction, "Among the posters that stand out the most is Tom Gillesberg’s, which, like the 3 other Schiller Institute supporters, are on the country’s light posts with the text: "After the financial crash, maglev across the Kattegat."

Tom Gillesberg is the chairman of the Danish branch of the Schiller Institute, an international organization which wants to abolish the current financial system. He thinks that Danes are not informed, and therefore he cries out before the Wall Street crash of the 20’s repeats itself.

"We are in the middle of a global financial collapse. It can happen tomorrow, it can happen before New Year, or when the banks present next years results. Economists are well aware of it, but they are in panic afraid that this is something that will begin to be spoken about.

In the US, 2,400 billion dollars in paper values have disappeared along in the last 3 months, says Tom Gillesberg, who himself does not have a background in economics….