Episodes

Just a few days to Election Day. Ben and Dr D are so excited, they’re doing back flips and talking—at the same time! About…Robin, Raja, Juliana and Kevin. Yes, Kevin Ryan. Also JB and Christian. Yes, JB’s running mate, who once ate lunch with Ben. And knows a lot about boxing. In fact, he may be the only candidate in Illinois who knows about Gypsy Joe Harris. Also, much talk about why people don’t vote.

With just a few days to the election, the undecided procrastinators sorta start paying attention to the senate race. Ben riffs. Daniel Laurison has spent years studying the non voter. That is, people who aren’t registered to vote. Or people who are and don’t vote anyway. Or people who think voting is not for people like them. Or people who say they’d vote for Trump cause his name is on the check they received, if they vote at all. Daniel is a professor of sociology at Swarthmore College. Check o...

In the category of you gotta be kidding me, Trump’s FBI investigates voting “fraud” in 2020 election. Ben riffs. Leni returns! Talks about her campaign for Democratic committeewoman of 9th congressional. Who she supports for senate. And bowling as a metaphor for politics. You can’t be scared to go after the spare, people. That pin’s not gonna fall by itself. Leni is alderwoman of the 48th ward.

As Illinois and Indiana fight for the right to take money from schools and give it to the Bears, the Bears get rid of DJ Moore. Ben riffs. Sunjay Kumar covers everything. Including…why he’s an unapologetic bus apologist. The games mainstream media plays. And how MAGA views immigrants as having conditional rights. Sunjay is a candidate for state representative in the Democratic primary for the 13th district.

Raja backers run ads for Robin to undercut Juliana. Are you following the cynicism, people? Ben riffs. Amisha Patel and Niketa Brar explain why they’re leading an anyone-but-Raja effort in the March 17 Democratic primary for Senator. The conversation covers corporate Dems, the Hindu right, strategic voting and more. Amisha is former director of Grassroots Collaborative. And Niketa is a political strategist.

Ben and Dr D ponder a week’s worth of election news. Yes, March 17 is right around the corner. The comptroller candidates. And the we’re so smart we’re stupid strategists who think they’re the politico equivalent of chess grand masters. And—oh, who to vote for senate? And Toni v Brendan. And a few words from Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez.

When is a war not a war? Apparently, when congressional Republicans say it’s not a war, even as Trump bombs Iran. Ben riffs. Kina Collins talks about the closing stretch of her campaign for Congress in the 7th district. On the agenda….the war, Texas primary, the importance of the West Side, a few words about Oak Park and more.

It looks as though Trump had no reason for launching a war against Iran other than he can. Ben riffs. Maya Dukmasova talks judicial elections in the March 17 primary. Yes, the Injustice Watch judicial election guide is out. It’s reassuring to know that at least in Cook County we have a functioning democracy. Maya is a reporter for Injustice Watch.

For no good reason, as if such a thing exists in this case, Trump starts bombing Iran. Ben riffs. Bushra Amiwala returns to talk about her campaign in the Democratic primary for Congress in the 9th district. Topics include…war in Iran, abolishing ICE, funding schools, and dealing with the media. Stay tuned for her George Carlin like analysis of U.S. foreign policy. Bushra is a member of the school board in Skokie.

Trump brings the men’s U.S. hockey team to the White House and then trashes the women’s team. Ben riffs. Sergio Vicente tells you everything you need to know about the Red Pill Bros, including Andrew Schulz and Joe Rogan, who sucked up to the MAGA man. Hear the Charlamagne tha God debate. Sergio is host of The Fight Podcast.

Trump exonerates himself for everything and anything having to do with Epstein. Ben riffs. David Faris makes sense of the senseless. Including the Supreme Court, Trump’s tariff policy and the State of the Union spectacle. David is a political science professor at Roosevelt University and a columnist for Newsweek and The Nation. His views are his own.

Ben’s been waiting for this conversation since the sad news broke. Talking Jesse Jackson with Monroe Anderson and Jack White, two journalistic legends who knew the Country Preacher back in the day. Monroe and Jack riff about Jesse’s legacy. Good and bad. Hymietown quote. 1984 and 88 presidential campaigns. His treatment of Black journalists and more. Jack White was a writer for Time Magazine and Monroe wrote about Jackson for the Tribune.

A law professor makes the case for concealing the Epstein files—or tries to. Ben riffs. Byron Sigcho-Lopez explains why he’s running as an independent for Congress in the fourth district. The reason has to do with Garciagate. Remember that one, people? That’s the one where Chuy Garcia handed his congressional district to his aide like it was a toy he owned. Byron is alderman of the 25th Ward.

It’s come to this—Brainwashed Americans rat out their neighbors for deportation. Ben riffs. Laurie Glenn explains Epstein’s lure. Or why so many rich and/or influential people sucked up to him. And how he played them. And what they were looking to get from him. And he from them. Laurie is a political activist and strategist and CEO of Thinkinc.

Ben and Dr D return with all the news you need to know. Including…Juliana Stratton’s fuck Trump campaign ad. Robin Kelly’s great debate moment. The Bears play their Hammond card. Hoosiers happy to throw away their money on a stadium. Ben says—go, already. And more.

MAGA loves Lutnick even if he visited Epstein Island. Ben riffs. Kevin Lamm tells you all you need to know about building Democratic Party support bases in small town Illinois. Like Stark and Marshall and Stephenson counties. You want to win, Democrats? Pay attention. Kevin is running for Democratic state central committeeman in the 16th congressional district.

“In his best imagination, Jesse Jackson saw himself as someone who could bring the country together…when that dream had to confront reality, it’s a hard bridge to cross.” Ben riffs. Speaking of hard bridges to cross…Drake Warren talks about his uphill battle to beat a longtime incumbent in the Democratic primary for Cook County Board of Commissioners.

The day begins with sad news—the Rev Jesse Jackson died. Ben riffs. Fritz Kaegi talks property taxes and why, in his opinion, he deserves to be re-elected as Cook County Assessor. A debate ensues—should the county switch to acquisition-based assessments? Ben says yes. Fritz says not so fast. Stick around for the Trump Tower/Alderman Ed Burke history lesson. Fritz is running in the March 17 Democratic primary.

Epstein’s ties—everyone from Modi to Chomsky to Trump, don’t forget Trump. Ben riffs. State Senator Robert Peters talks about his campaign for Congress in the second congressional district. And much more. Including why AIPAC and AI PACs are against him. And how being Black and Jewish and a graduate of Mount Carmel HS have shaped his world view. A state senator from the 13th district—Obama’s old seat—Robert is running for Congress in the Democratic primary on March 17.

Ben and Dr D converge for the deep dive into all the news. Starting with…Chomsky! Oh, no, Noam, what were you doing hanging out with Epstein? From there, they talk property taxes, Kaegi v Hynes, states attorney Burke’s explanation for not prosecuting ICE, and tanking in the NBA and politics.

The NFL tries to make money off of Bad Bunny without upsetting Trump. Ben riffs. Jim Coogan covers Trump justice. Starting with Julie Le, the former prosecutor in Minneapolis who had a milder version of an Al Pacino meltdown. “The system is out of order!” Or in her case—you can’t fix a broken system. Also, Jim annotates Judge Biery’s decision in the deportation case of Liam Conejo Ramos. Elegant in its simplicity. Jim is managing partner of Coogan Gallagher.

The New York Times keeps track of each and every new explanation invented by Trump and his puppets for what Tulsi Gabbard was doing at that election center in Georgia. Ben riffs. Juanita Irizarry says why she’s running for the Cook County Board of Review. Everything you need to know about the insanely unfair property tax system in Cook County. Juanita is running in the Democratic Primary from District 1.

Michael Parenti’s obit tells it all—“if you stray too far to the left, you’re ignored by the mainstream.” Ben riffs. David Faris explicates and annotates the latest NYT headlines. Including…”Trump deletes post with racist video of Obamas after outcry.” How low can Trump go? And “Schumer pressured to support renaming Dulles and Penn Station for Trump.” Also, the Republican spin on Epstein. And BDS and Dan Biss. David is a political science professor at Roosevelt University and a columnist for New...

The latest bewildering trades by his beloved Bulls remind Ben of everything wrong with Chicago. Ben riffs. His old friend, Mick Dumke, tries to calm him down—then he gets fired up. Also, Mick on the latest details related to Trump’s raid at 7500 South Shore Drive. “It’s Chicago meets MAGA.” And Bruce Springsteen’s protest song. Finally, don’t blame Mick for Kid Rock, even though they’re both from Michigan. Mick is an editor and writer for Block Club. His views are his own.