Episodes

An article in The Nation shows how the best-and-brightest Dems screwed up 2011 redistricting so bad, we're still paying for it. Ben riffs. Then David Faris goes deeper into the topic--as he co-wrote that Nation article with David Daley. In short, everything you need to know about how the game of redistricting. Stick around for a maestro-Faris riff on what Trump is doing to D.C. and why. David is a political science professor at Roosevelt University and a columnist for Newsweek. His views are his...

The NYT political writers are up to their old tricks—scaring anxious, liberal Boomers. Ben riffs. On the eve of his rally with Bernie Sanders, Robert Peters explains why he’s running for Congress from the Second District and what he intends to do if he wins. Why he’s proud to have co-sponsored the bill to end cash bail. On being Black and Jewish. And more. Robert is the state senator from in and around Hyde Park. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at ht...

As MAGA Republicans in the Texas statehouse threaten to jail their Democratic colleagues for opposing their newly gerrymandered map, Bill Daley calls for Illinois to essentially give more legislative districts to Republicans. Ben riffs. Monroe Anderson talks Daleys and Republicans. And Trump's demand that the Smithsonian concentrate on the good side of slavery. Whatever that is. Governor Newsom trolls Trump. Michelle Obama gets strategic regarding her infamous when-they-go-low quote. Matt Barnes...

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 country. Can Abdul El Sayed defeat Congresswoman Haley Stevens in next year's Democratic senate primary? Think of it as Bernie Sanders versus Hillary Clinton with Israel and Gaza sorta on the ballot. Back to Chicago--the legacy of Congressman Danny K. Davis, who's not runni...

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 that was made possible because powerful people in a position to stop it, were looking the other way. Flint is the “lefty lawyer” who represented Jackie Wilson, who recently settle his police torture case against the city. Flint wrote The Torture Machine. Among the many cases h...

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, talks about inequities, exposed by the heatwave, plague Chicago to this day. How Mayor Daley tried to dismiss the deaths as relatively insignificant. How the media was too chicken to challenge Daley. How the city council fell in line with the Boss. How the powers that be loo...

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. Heidi is the president of Illinois Valley Indivisible and host of the Heartland Mamas podcast. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

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 Trump’s former criminal defense lawyer, meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell in prison. Speaking of degradation, Trump gets Texas Republicans to do what Georgia Republicans refused—politicizing the system to win elections for MAGA. Jim is the managing partner of Coogan Gallagher. See ...

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) all about it. Anyway--meet Teddy D. Gregory Pratt breaks another big story--leading Ben to rant and rail (I mean, passionately orate) about the inability of Mayor Johnson to stand up for what he needs. In his case--money for our deadbroke public schools. How deadbroke are they...

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 happily turns over prime downtown lakefront park space to a mega-money-making machine. Same question regarding NASCAR. Speaking of money-making machines, a few words about how Spotify treats musicians. Leor is a music writer for the Reader. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/...

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 the party's position on Gaza. And redistricting fights--will Illinois retaliate if Texas follows Trump's command to redistrict Democratic seats into Republican ones? A word or two about Mamdani's impact on Democrats. Jacob is the executive director of the Cook County Democra...

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 talk Dems, Israel and Gaza. Once again, a major Epsteingate story breaks mid recording. In this case, Ghislaine Maxwell gets moved to a minimum cell prison after meeting with Trump's Justice Department flunkies. Get ready for pardongate. Also Kina pays tribute to Congressman...

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, DC football arena. Trump orders the Commanders to change their name back to the Redskins or he won't let them build a new arena. Mayor Bowser walks a fine line, trying to keep the stadium deal alive without selling out everything she believes in. Finally, a few words about RG...

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 for a Nobel Peace Prize just may be the the most cynical act of suck up in the history of politics. Also, a few words about Epsteingate. Miles is in the middle of talking conspiracies when a passing thunder storm shuts down Ben's computer. Cue the X Files music. Miles is an ...

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 saying it. If you dig what I mean. Get ready for Espteingate to transform into pardongate. In the middle of our recording, the Wall Street Journal breaks another about Trump and Epstein story. "Justice Department told Trump in May that his name is among many in Epstein files." ...

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 didn't Merrick Garland release the Epstein files? What is the playbook pols follow to divert attention from their misbehavior? What does Mayor Rahm mean when he tells Megyn Kelly he will be the "strong man" America needs? There's so much to talk about, we don't get to WNBA play...

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 Kerry Wood Field, where aldermen play police in softball. And CTA trains, where Mayor Johnson tries to crack down on smokers. And MAGAland, where Megyn Kelly records her show. And a Chicago landfill, or wherever Mayor Rahm buried the Laquan McDonald video. And Kumbaya, a song M...

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 to campaign for Mamdani. Also, he tries to convince Ben to give millennials a break--even if they no nothing about the parking meter deal. What's the worst sports deal in Chicago history and what's the worst political deal in Chicago. Why Chicagoans love bad mayors. And why M...

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 Zohran Mamdani who answers the intifada question--again! Why do capitalists hate socialism so much? Finally, Ben welcomes Yuki Kawamura to the Bulls. Rummana is a columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Not...

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 murdered? Also, the cognitive dissonance of MAGA cultists who simultaneously despise the crimes of Epstein and worship the man who hung with him. Finally, did King Donnie really use the word enigma in a birthday card to Epstein? On a different front--the utterly wretched budget b...

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 may be acting Governor Mitchell, should JB run for president. Speaking of running for president, Mayor Rahm rewrites more history. And Raja leads in the money race in the senate campaign. And Ben apologizes to Laura Fine for saying she's from Wilmette. Not that there's anythi...

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, taxes, the deficit, food stamps, state and municipal taxes, ICE and military spending. Dylan is the vice president of Policy and Government Affairs for the Project On Government Oversight. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https...

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 activist in Chicago. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

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 constitutional. The other is not. Unless, of course, the Supremes say—ah, the hell with the constitution, let’s give the boss what he wants. Also, the Emil Bove threat. And governors versus Trump on the national guard. Jim is founding partner of Coogan Gallagher. See Privacy Policy ...