Episodes

Dr. Fauci decides it’s a good idea not to answer Rand Paul’s questions about COVID. Ben riffs. Journalistic legends and longtime friends Monroe and Jack cover all the issues. Including Fauci, Paul, Trump’s war in Iran, White House journalists dinner, Al Sharpton, Johnny Cochran and The Odyssey. Monroe is—well, everyone knows Monroe. Jack was a writer and editor for Time.

NYT reporters call Trump’s election-theft conspiracies what they are—tenacious lies Ben riffs. Robert Vargas separates truth from fiction in the matter of crime. If crime in Chicago has gone down during Mayor Johnson’s tenure, why do so many people think it’s gone up? Ben says it’s cause Chicagoans have been brainwashed. Robert says it’s more nuanced than that. Robert is a sociology professor at the University of Chicago. His views are his own.

Eric Zorn sets Ben straight on Alexi Gin-OO-lee-us. Ben riffs. Meet Cliff Johnson, Democratic candidate for the first congressional district in Mississippi. He explains why Mississippi is inching toward being Democrat. So it’s closer to Georgia than Tennessee, politically speaking. A few words about John Grisham, Oprah and Elvis and where they come from. Cliff is a longtime civil rights lawyer and director of the MacArthur Justice Center in Mississippi.

A “moderate” beats a “centrist” in Arizona—clearly, Dems have identity issues. Ben riffs. And Governor Pritzker returns. Talking everything from his re-election campaign to his presidential ambitions to his views on Israel to Trump’s war on Blue States. You can’t cave, you have to fight. A few words about the Bears stadium and data centers and more. Governor Pritzker is, of course, the governor of Illinois.

No sooner does the World Cup end, then they’re scheming to make even more money at the next one. Serena returns to summarize the highs and lows of the tournament. Among the lows—anything that has to do with Trump or Infantino. Among the highs—Mexico’s game against England. Also, the Balogun red card scandal explained. Intent does not matter, America. Serena is a student of the game. See you next year, Serena, for the women’s World Cup.

Always broke schools lay off 760 or so teachers as aldermen whine about not giving enough property tax handouts to rich people. Ben riffs. Marj Halpern tells you what you need to know about plans to develop the south loop. Including…the Chicago Fire soccer stadium, a possible new stadium for the White Sox and, say what for existing Sox Park? Bottom line—could be another parking meter deal in the making. Marj is co-founder of One Community Near South and a longtime writer and political strategist...

Michael Cohen and Trump break up to make up—again. Ben riffs. David figures out where Cohen—and Lindsey Graham—fit in the pantheon of fools who flock to Trump. Selling their souls for what? Money? Power? Access? A pat on the head from the boss? Updates on Trump’s war in Iran. And the congressional vote on funding Israel. “The party is dedicated to a policy its base despises.” David is a political science professor at Roosevelt university and a columnist for The Nation. His views are his own.

Amidst the local news, Ben & Dr D offer a few words about Trump’s latest lunacy—his prime time televised oration about election fraud, a problem he made up. Alexi G sorta announces his campaign for mayor by releasing commercial promoting his re-election campaign for Secretary of State. Say what? Also, should a background in corporate America qualify someone to be mayor? And more Caleb Wilson updates.

The late great editorial cartoonist Pat Oliphant had an interesting aversion to politicians. Ben riffs. Dylan Hedtler-Gaudette returns just one day after he testified before the senate on waste and fraud in the Trump administration. All those inside deals and conflicts of interest that helped Trump make over $2 billion last year. His crypto deals and his hotel deals and his coin-meme deals and so on. Is Trump accurate when he says, “no one cares”? Also, the performative antics of senate hearings...

The late Senator Lindsey Graham would have fit right in as a Chicago alderman. Ben riffs. Denali adds her thoughts on parking meters, privatization scams, TIFs, handouts to the rich, and the DSA. Denali is an independent researcher and political activist.

Graham Platner steps down, allowing Dems in Maine to select another candidate to run against Senator Susan Collins. Ben riffs. Joanna Klonsky explains what Platner’s rise and fall says about the Democratic Party’s effort to break from centrists and find “real” people, who aren’t spineless, to run for office. How vetting works, or in this case, doesn’t work. The obsession with convincing white males to vote Democratic, even though they've been voting Republican since LBJ signed the Civil Rights B...

Ben and Dr D catch up on what’s going on. Alderman Marty Quinn—aka, Madigan’s guy—says take this job and shove it. Mike Quigley says—I wanna be mayor! And noticeably absent from the growing list of announced mayoral candidates are the guys most likely to wind up in the runoff, if they do run—Mayor Johnson and Alexi G. Also, Ben and his wife make like Thelma and Louise, with their road trip across America.

Trump’s Supreme Court soldiers do their MAGA thing. Ben riffs. Paul Nolley returns to talk about his campaign for Congress in the 16th district. He’s a Democrat and it’s a R +11 district, but he sees an upset victory in plain sight. Why? Cause the issues are on his side. Starting with health care. His opponent—incumbent Darin LaHood—is so nervous he agreed to debate. Usually, MAGA candidates in red districts try to coast in on Donnie’s coattails.

Why do hyphenated Americans—Mexican, Italian, Irish, Polish. Greek, you name it—root for the country on the left side of that hyphen? Ben riffs. Adolfo elaborates. And that leads them to the Supremes coming close—too close—to erasing the 14th amendment. So much for being textualists. Next thing you know, Ben & Adolfo are breaking down the meaning of Country Road. You know—“almost heaven, West Virginia…” Which US fans sing at soccer games. Adolfo is a lawyer—born & raised on the South Side!

Can the U.S. media objectively cover the U.S. soccer team? Ben riffs. Kevin Blackistone adds a riff of his own. And then they’re off. Talking soccer and colonialism, Caitlin Clark and MAGA, Justice Kentanji Brown Jackson’s take down of Clarence Thomas and Trump’s desecration of Kevin’s beloved hometown of Washington, DC. Kevin is a writer, TV commentator, and journalism professor.

A listener gently chides Ben for not giving DSA enough credit for congressional wins in NYC—in other words, it wasn’t just Mamdani. Ben riffs. Mick Dumke explains the latest chapter in the Parking Meter Debacle. As Mayor Johnson looks into buying back the control of our streets that Mayor Daley foolishly sold for a relative pittance. Learn about the Investment Bros, the mayor’s “dream team” of advisors, the non-disclosure agreement, the letter from Webb, Andre’s mic drop and more. It’s all so pa...

Chicago aldermen debate the latest parking-meter debacle. Ben riffs. Christian Mitchell, Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Governor, returns. Talking Supreme Court ruling in Haitian deportation case, state police in Broadview, Darren Bailey and abortion, JB’s possible presidential run, Bears stadium, lefties and centrists and more. A former state representative, Christian is Governor Pritzker’s running mate in November’s election.

Just when you thought the Trumps couldn’t get any greedier, Jared and Ivanka invade Albania. Ben riffs. Rummana—aka, Chicago’s foremost authority on Mayor Mamdani—talks…Mayor Mamdani! He went 3 for 3 in Tuesday’s congressional primaries. What does that say about the future of American politics? Also, Rummana makes a prediction about the two sports known as football. Rummana is a columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times. Her views are her own.

Trump’s wading-pool follies offer a needed laugh as the idiocy is high and the stakes are relatively low. Ben riffs. David Faris talks Trump’s War in Iran. Years of U.S. blundering and bullying and miscalculations leading to Trump’s inability to consider the consequences of bombing Iran. Finally, a few thoughts about George W. Bush, who has most definitely not earned a rehabilitation. David is a professor of political science at Roosevelt University and a columnist for The Nation. His views are ...

The NBA champion NY Knicks have a choice—follow their Trump-loving billionaire owner to the White House or stay far away and let the world know what they think of Trump. Ben riffs. Sergio predicts they won’t go. Then he tells you what you need to know about how Trump uses the UFC and the UFC uses Trump. It’s not pretty. Learn about Dana White, Ari Emanuel, Josh Hokit and that end-of-the-empire spectacle Trump threw for himself on the White House lawn. In contrast, there’s Mayor Mamdani’s speech ...

The Supremes love reefer, though not as much as they love guns. Ben riffs. Attorney Jim Coogan updates us on the latest mis-justice of Trump’s “Justice” Department. Including…Broadview 6. IRS “settlement.” E Jean Carroll retribution. Also, Jim confronts the Bears question. Jim is managing partner of Coogan Gallagher.

A few days after Trump celebrates his birthday in a spasm of hate and violence, Barack Obama opens his presidential center on the south side. Ben riffs. Monroe talks Obama’s legacy. The reflecting pool debacle. Epstein’s suicide. The Iran “peace” deal. And Brian Urlacher, whose thoughts on immigrants raise the question: Why are so many white jocks MAGA men?

As the World Cup comes to America, a judge makes Trump remove his name from the Kennedy Center. Ben riffs. Serena Mathews—soccer analyst extraordinaire—tells you everything you need to know about the politics of the World Cup. The imperialistic model of FIFA. How Infantino sucked up to Trump. How Trump stole FIFA’s soccer trophy. How soccer sportswashes MAGA hate. How rich guys in the USA passed the hat to bring in a coach. Why, despite it all, she loves the game so much. Stick around for her pr...

Knicks win. Ben tries to be gracious. Rossana Rodriguez joins the celebration. And then the conversation turns serious. As she makes the connection between fascists in the White House and conservatives in the city council. Her T-shirt says it all. Also, the promise of Mamdani. Pay attention, Chicago lefties. And more. Rossana is the alderwoman of the 33rd ward.