Episodes

Alderman Carlos Ramirez-Rosa--the dean of city council Democratic Socialists--returns to tell you everything you need to know about Mayor Lightfoot's bizarre comments at a recent meeting with Latino caucus members. Those comm...

David Shor is the whiz-kid, pollster, computer-geek strategist who says the Democrats must move right in order to keep from being annihilated in upcoming senate and congressional elections. The conventional wisdom among Democ...

Tuesday, June 25, 2019: Trump continues to needle Iran and we're 24 hours away from the Democratic Presidential debates. Mick Jagger's Ed Burke jab and what the hell did Alderman Carrie Austin do? Marijuana will officially be...

Mayor Rahm almost sheds a crocodile tear or two at his senate confirmation hearing. Ben riffs. Political strategist Delmarie Cobb explains why Rahm's nomination is such a betrayal to Black people. And SEIU's Candis Castillo r...

Dems line up to make Mayor Rahm Ambassador Rahm. Ben riffs. Monroe Anderson talks Colin Powell. And Kina Collins, Democratic candidate for 7th congressional district, talks congressional maps, her race against Danny Davis, w...

We're calling this Ben's Back in Chicago Tuesday because...Ben's back in Chicago. Returning from Cali to find his city in crisis. Mayor Lightfoot having a showdown with FOP president Johnny Catanzara over vaccine mandates. Be...

Attorney Jim Coogan returns to talk legal issues & politics. Specifically, the case against Alex Jones. Eastman's attack on the constitution and the latest on Texas anti-abortion law. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/p...

Jessica Chiarella wrote The Lost Girls, a thriller set in Chicago that is so good, Ben stayed up really late reading it. Not wanting to give anything away, let's just say this--he didn't see that ending coming. Jessica talks...

June 18, 2019: Trump is set to kick off his 2020 campaign. Lori Lightfoot is in New York. illinois State Rep Rob Martwick returns to talk all things politics. Kristen Kaza of The Chicago Reader talks their block party and it'...

It's the end of the week, which means it's time for Ben and Dr. D to riff on a week's worth of news. Only with the good doctor enjoying a much-deserved day off, Reader editor Salem Collo-Julin steps in. And so Ben & Salem rif...

The great activist/scholar Timuel Black dies at age 102. Ben offers a tribute. Harish Patel returns to talk about guaranteed income. And Alderwoman Jeanette Taylor returns to talk about getting over COVID, vaccine mandates, O...

In These Times writer/editor Miles Kampf-Lassin has bad news about democracy. The Republicans seemed determined to get rid of it, democracy, that is. And the Democrats seem clueless as to how to stop MAGA. See Privacy Policy ...

The Reader turns 50! Ben riffs. Monroe Anderson talks Jon Gruden. And Reader co-publisher Tracy Baim returns to talk journalism, Reader and Facebook. Monroe closes with a few thoughts about MAGA, Bannon and January 6. See Pri...

Police and Kyrie Irving form a curious anti-vax coalition. Ben riffs. Alderman Andre Vasquez and Frank Avellone talk about proposed anti-eviction ordinance. And Tom Tresser and Jonathan Peck talk TIFs. See Privacy Policy at h...

Political Scientist David Faris returns to take the deep dive on politics. Specifically, what's wrong with Democrats? Do they want to lose? Do they want to let MAGA take control of the world? In short, do they have a clue? Se...

Sun-Times editor/columnist Rummana Hussain runs down all the madness. Including Ellen Pompeo having the nerve to cuss out Denzel Washington. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at htt...

June 14, 2019: Trump's interview with Fox and Friends, Trump's interview with ABC and Elizabeth Warren's latest plan. Another Alderman doing jail time? Sun Times Columnist mark brown takes the deep dive. D'Frantz Smart talks ...

Ben & Dr. D riff on a week's worth of news, including a fight between billionaires--Kenny G v. Governor Pritzker. Ben explains what Ken Griffin is really up to. Also, Mayor Lightfoot scapegoats Kim Foxx, again. DB comes in se...

Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts--of the Cubs owning Ricketts--goes to the border to keep people out. And it's not the Iowa border. Ben riffs. Marc Sims returns to talk crime and politics. And Adolfo Mondragon talks politics, ...

NBA great Isiah Thomas offers some advice to antivaxxers like Kyrie Irving. And Monroe Anderson talks Pence, filibuster and insurrectionists. And state Rep. Lakesia Collins returns to talk about CPS inadequate response to COV...

Facebook melts down. Ben riffs. Or tries to. Marlon Chamberlain from Fully Free joins Lisa Soloman to talk restorative justice. And state Senator Robert Peters returns to discuss dog whistles, Ken Griffin. Bears looking for h...

Sun-Times editor/columnist Rummana Hussain riffs on the sleazy Cuomo brothers of New York City; Tucker Carlson and white replacement theory; and cancel culture as a political tool of people whose culture almost never gets can...

Benji the Bookie returns and gets a little political about anti-vaxxers in the NBA. Then he gets down to the business of prognostication, regarding Ben's beloved Bulls. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Cali...

June 13, 2019: A Mayor Lightfoot city council meeting number 2 in review and TIF talk with Casey Toner of The Better Government Association. Union Man Ed Maher returns and it's the 10th Ward Alderwoman Sue Sadlowski Garza. Se...