Episodes

Ben returns from Michigan with good news. Sorta. Mick Dumke, lover of all things Michigan, takes the Mitten State political trivia challenge--which counties voted for Kamala over Trump? Proving...as goes Michigan, so goes the...

A liberal friend complains about Epsteingate getting too much attention. Ben riffs. Flint Taylor tells the long, sordid story of the torture of Black prisoners by Jon Burge and his cronies on the police force. It’s a crime th...

Thirty years ago, the institutions supposed to protect Chicago's most vulnerable residents melted in the face of a brutal heatwave that killed over 700 people. Ben riffs. Eric Klinenberg, who wrote the book on what happened, ...

Baby Bobby pulls the plug on Covid vaccines—will Trump get a shot? Heidi Henry on the Democrats. They’re like the children of alcoholics, trying to please everybody. And what happens when Country-Club Dems take over the party...

Woody Allen shows love for Jeffrey Epstein. Ben riffs. Jim Coogan talks about the degradation of justice and the Justice Department under Trump. Perhaps best epitomized by Todd Blanche, the number 2 lawyer in Justice and Trum...

Ben and Dr. D slice and dice the news of the week. Including...Teddy D makes his move. That is, Ted Dabrowski says he may be running against Governor Pritzker as a Republican. He tells John Oliver (not really, John Oliver) al...

Right-wing Hindus try to scare Jewish New Yorkers into voting for anyone other than Zohran Mamdani--another sign the world's gone mad. Ben riffs. Leor Galil dissects Lollapalooza. What does it say about Chicago that it happil...

Trump suck ups get surprised—apparently, the recipe to win him over includes an ingredient they overlooked. Ben riffs. Jacob Kaplan talks Democratic slating. Why Hynes got slated over Kaegi. And Croke over Villa. And what is ...

A year ago, Democratic political activists like Kina Collins were the only people urging congress to stop unconditionally arming Israel. Now even mainstream reporters are singing this song. Ben riffs. Kina Collins returns to ...

South Park's creators show there are ways to deal with King Donnie other than kissing his ring. Ben riffs. Kevin Blackistone talks about the impact of media mergers on media independence. Also, the latest on the Washington, D...

Mayor Rahm and Governor Shapiro have harsh words for Zohran Mamdani, but silence as kids starve in Gaza. Ben riffs. Miles Kampf-Lassin talks Gaza, Israel, Dems and Mamdani. And why Netanyahu telling Trump he's nominating him ...

Apparently, Trump's Justice Department and Ghislaine Maxwell are playing footsie--got nothing but nice things to say about each other. Ben riffs. Monroe says what he thinks they're saying without them coming right out and say...

Another day, another story links Trump to Epstein. Ben riffs. Joanna Klonsky talks creeps in politics. Trump being the face of this type. And Bill Clinton. Speaking of which--why do Dems still suck up to Clinton? And why did...

Ben & Dr D cruise all over the place as they survey a week's worth of news. Including...Cleveland, where Mayor Johnson meets with other mayors. And Springfield, where Governor Pritzker runs for president and governor. And Ker...

Zohran Mamdani plans to build a grocery store in a food desert--mainstreamers lose their minds. Ben riffs. Mueze Bawany returns! And promptly compares Mayor Johnson to the Z-man. And explains why he's going to New York City t...

Trump tries to bamboozle MAGA on Epstein by asking the court to unseal grand jury testimony. Is MAGA so dumb as to fall for this ruse? Ben riffs. Rummana Hussain weighs in. Also, "good" versus "bad" Muslims. A few words about...

Espteingate rises from the swamp--again. Ben riffs. David Faris offers his thoughts. Is there a list of clients? Did Epstein try to blackmail the rich and powerful deviants who flocked to his perverted world? Did he get murde...

Ben and Dr D return! Just in time to talk nepotism. Or meet the new alderman—same name as the old alderman. And Comptroller Mendoza says she's running for mayor. Sorta. And JB selects a running mate--Christian Mitchell. Who m...

In the name of budget reform, Michael Madigan’s favorite alderman messes with Mayor Johnson. Ben riffs. Dylan Hedtler-Gaudette returns to explain the ins and outs of Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill Act.” How it impacts Medicaid, ...

A lefty wins in New York, the Supremes go MAGA. How can one moment in time be so different? Ben riffs. Denali explains the difference between New York and Chicago politics. And more. Raised in NY, Denali is a political activi...

Trump sues federal judges because he disagrees with their rulings. Ben riffs. Jim Coogan explains the difference between appealing a judge’s ruling you disagree with and suing the judge for making that ruling. One is constitu...

Speaking for corporate Dems everywhere, Lawrence Summers says he's "profoundly alarmed" about the future of our country in light of Mamdani's victory--as if being alarmed isn't strong enough. Ben riffs. Marc Sims talks about ...

Zohran Mamdani, the young lefty, beats Andrew Cuomo, the old centrist, in the NYC Democratic mayoral primary. Ben riffs. Monroe talks about the irony of Mayor Eric Adams, a Black man, running an updated version of Bernie Epto...

Ben riffs on what has changed and what remains the same since George Floyd’s murder. And Troy LaRaviere, president of the Chicago Principal’s Association, talks about getting arrested and thrown in jail by police defending Tr...