Episodes

The Hulu show Furious is Dirty Harry for liberal millennials. Ben riffs. David talks Furious, oligarchs, AI, MAGA’s midterm convention, Trump’s ongoing insanity, and the state of John Fetterman. Also, Trump’s latest promise to give us money. David is a political science professor at Roosevelt University and a columnist for The Nation. His views are his own.

With another Bears season upon us, Ben makes a pledge—if the Bears move to Indiana, he will call them the Hammond Bears. Forever and a day. Tim Shaer talks Bears and brings Ben back to earth—they ‘re aren’t moving to Hammond, people. But first, they get sidetracked on a tangent about Jerry Krause. Yes, two Boomers talking ancient sports history. Stick around for the great White Sox stadium debate. Tom is a former NBC sports anchor and host on The Score.

Mayor Mamdani has a unique strategy for dealing with the legacy media—he bypasses them. Ben riffs. Hilario Dominguez makes his show debut, explaining why he’s running for school board president and his position on everything from school closings to school lunches to TIFs and dealing with powerful mayors. Hilario is a former CPS special ed teacher, CTU political director and proud graduate of Whitney Young High School.

Billions in dark money funds MAGA’s efforts to hold on to the Senate. Ben riffs. Jessica Biggs makes her debut. Talking about her candidacy for school board president. How she was punished by Mayor Rahm’s school flunkies for daring to speak out for clean schools. And the need to be independent of the mayor—even an all powerful one like Daley or Rahm—on TIFs. Also, a few words about charters, magnets and neighborhood schools. A former CPS principal, Jessica is currently on the Chicago school boar...

Caleb & Caleb & PCA, it’s magic time in Chicago sports. Unrivaled since, dare I say, 1984. Ben riffs. Miles Porter takes the deep dive on the Cubs and Sox as they head into the final days of the regular season. The good news is they’re doing better than anyone expected. The bad news is—well, let’s not think about the bad news. Miles co-hosts the baseball podcast, Blue Line Radio.

One week before Mayor Johnson announced he’s running, Ben’s source tells him he’s running. Yes, Ben has a source. Ben riffs. Podcaster Marc Sims explains all. Including…why so many white people just can’t bring themselves to vote for Mayor Johnson. And what Abdul El-Sayad needs to do to win the Black vote. And what is the Democratic Establishment. And why do fools fall in love. Okay, maybe he has no answer for that. Marc hosts the podcast Just A Few Questions.

Ben and Dr D have all the news, including…Charles Barkley tells the truth about Democrats. Capitalists love socialism. JB’s epic bus ride. And Mayor Johnson announces he’ll make an announcement—next week.

When it comes to Mayor Johnson, falling crime doesn’t appear to matter to white liberals. Ben riffs. Monroe adds his two cents. From there they talk Hoosier Republicans and Hammond Bears and who’s to blame for no power in Gary. Also, the great debate on Jewish and Black MAGA. Finally, Monroe’s fearless predictions on Democratic victories in Florida, Texas and Kansas. Yes, Kansas. Talk about being out on a shaky limb.

Vance throws a hissy fit over Abdul El-Sayed. Ben riffs. Dr Thaer Ahmad returns to talk about, among other things, the documentary, American Doctor. It tells the story of three courageous U. S. doctors who go to Gaza to treat the wounded. One is Thaer—now the Israelis won’t let him return. The conversation turns to politics. So much has changed in American attitudes toward Israel and Palestine in the last three years. And, sadly, so much is the same for the Palestinians. Thaer is an emergency ro...

At age 70, having made more money than he can ever spend, Bill Gates decides to take a stand against unbridled capitalism. Ben riffs. Maggie Wunderly explains what Democrats have to do to win in purplish suburban districts. Also, vote blue no matter who should be a two-way street. Maggie is a co-founder of Illinois Progressives, who are holding a fundraiser on September 13 in Aurora.

Another day, another scandal in Trump land. Ben riffs. David Faris catches us up on the latest political news. Including a riff or two on “reactionary Centrists” in the Democratic Party. Who are convinced that the only way to win back Congress is to abandon all principles and wage war on voters most likely to vote for them. Also, a few words on polls and the senate elections. David is a political science professor at Roosevelt University and a columnist for The Nation. His views are his own.

NBC 5 asks Mayor Brandon Johnson if he plans to run for re-election. His response...was interesting. Plus! Ben and Dr D talk about the 2026 Illinois State Fair. JB’s latest commercial. Alexi G’s movie double. And more…

Meta dips into petty cash to get rid of a nasty legal headache. Ben riffs. Mike Allemana tells you everything you need to know about this year’s Chicago Jazz Fest. Get ready for riffs on George Freeman, Ahmad Jamal, Cannonball Adderley, Robert Glasper, Paquito D’Rivera, Robert Irving, Miles Davis, Darryl Jones, Dee Dee Bridgewater and more. Mike is one of the world’s best guitar players. Check out his shows at the Jazz Fest, The Jazz Showcase, the Green Mill and other venues.

The political news out of Michigan is promising—at least at one man’s house. Ben riffs. Peter Cunningham returns! Finally. And he’s got a lot to say about the Democratic message in the stretch run to November. On everything from abortion to guns to climate change to Israel and more. Peter is a political strategist and speechwriter who worked for Mayor Daley and President Obama.

Former 2019 Mayoral Candidates Troy LaRaviere and Willie Wilson join us in studio. Originally posted March 5, 2019. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

So many lessons to be learned from Francesca Hong’s Thanksgiving Tweet. Ben riffs. Rachel Hinton returns with the latest on the book backup at the Chicago Public Library. What does it say about Chicago that its leaders won’t adequately fund the public libraries? Also, mayor race updates. And a few words about Pope Hat night at Sox Park. Rachel is an investigative reporter at Block Club.

Plus - Ben talks Wisconsin's (moderate) Democratic gubernatorial candidate. The latest claims involving Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch. Willie Wilson also running for Mayor. And a word or two or three about a bunch of other stuff.

Dems rejoice over David Crowley’s win in yesterday’s Democratic primary. Ben riffs. Kelly Cassidy on Speaker Welch, Harry Benton, Michael Madigan and sexual harassment in the General Assembly. Somethings never change. Also, a few words about data centers. And Kelly updates Ben’s Helen Shiller Theory about Chicago politics. Kelly represents the 14th district on the north side.

MAGA has fallen head over heels in love with Sophie Cunningham and apparently Sophie Cunningham has decided to return the favor. Ben riffs. Jim Coogan talks Trump “Justice.” Jeanine Pirro bails on the reflecting-pool case. Todd Blanche’s confirmation as AG. And the prosecution of a cop in California for secretly recording the racist conversations of his fellow officers. Jim is managing partner of Coogan Gallagher.

Centrist Democrats pledge to defeat Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed—hey, Dems, what happened to vote blue no matter who? Ben riffs. Miles adds his thoughts—many centrists would rather defeat progressives than defeat Trump. So much for the resistance. A few words about congressional candidate Will Lawrence. Finally, Ben and Miles are overjoyed by the prospects of Chicago’s other Caleb—Wilson of the Bulls. Miles is an editor and writer for In These Times.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar speaks the truth about Trump’s nonstop racism. Ben riffs. Gave Wilkins & Torrence Stagger, podcasters extraordinaire, talk LeBron, Bulls, Kwai, Ballmer and other issues of the NBA. Ben says Caleb Wilson reminds him of another Bulls rookie from 1984. The others say—hmm? Gave and Torrence co-host The New Twenty Four, aka TNTF.

Lefties win big in Michigan’s Democratic primaries. Ben tries not to gloat. Laurie Glenn tells Dems what’s wrong with their party. Also, what’s wrong with bullies in the workplace. Why guys who think they’re big power players aren’t so big after all. And the difference between diverting from a question and reframing a question. Laurie is CEO of Thinkinc, a communications and political strategy operation.

It must be election time—lefties are suddenly discovering the Black vote. Ben riffs. Delmarie Cobb talks Michigan Democratic primary. And Alexi G’s explanation for why he’s running for two offices at once. And she makes another pitch for a south side Bears stadium and third airport. Delmarie is a political strategist in Chicago.

Data center lovers scoff at NIMBY to justify putting one in somebody else’s backyard. Ben riffs. Grey Lucas goes A to Z on the Quantum Center that the state’s building on the old steel yard at 87th and the lake. Starting with…what is a quantum center? Why put it there as opposed to anywhere else in the universe? Will it bring with it a data center? And more. Grey is an investigative reporter whose work on the quantum center is in the Chicago Reader.