Episodes
Delmarie Cobb--Changing Tides
The feds raid Trump's Florida home--MAGA's outraged. Ben riffs. And political consultant Delmarie Cobb returns to talk all about it. The raid, that is. And MAGA's outrage. And the precised choreography of the MAGA outrage response. And then it's on to Kansas. And messaging abortion rights. And crim…
David Faris--President Godfather
Political scientist David Faris returns to try and make sense of the FBI raid at Mar-a-Lago, MAGA's reaction to that raid and Trump pleading the fifth in another case. It only makes sense if you view Trump as a mob boss. Which is sort of how Trump views himself. Also, what's with MAGA's obsession w…
"Bad Ad" and Monroe Anderson & Robert Tutman
MAGA runs an an anti-Pritzker commercial that darkens Mayor Lightfoot's skin. Ben riffs. And Monroe Anderson returns to talk Trump. What motivates MAGA? Fear? Hate? Love for Donnie? Legendary CBS Cameraman Robert Tutman joins the conversation. Was the darkening of Mayor Lightfoot intentional? Can y…
Kaplan & Pogorzelski--the Political Know-It-Alls!
The political know it alls--Jacob Kaplan and Danny P--return to talk politics. And, man, there's a lot of politics to discuss. Jacob is the executive director of the Cook County Party and Dan is the recent winner of the Democratic primary for Metropolitan Water Reclamation District. Kansas. Dems ru…
Miles Kampf-Lassin--A Bill Capitalists Should Love
Details are starting to emerge about the faulty warrant used by police to justify the deadly raid on Breonna Taylor's apartment. Just as MAGA is crying about Mar-a-Lago. Ben riffs. And Miles Kampf-Lassin--writer/editor from In These Times--returns to talk about the Mar-a-Lago raid. Then he does a d…
Best of Ben: Monroe Anderson, Micah Uetricht & Brandon Johnson
August 28, 2019: Pritzker talks the Thompson Center. Lori Lightfoot gives her own 100 day mayoral review. Legendary Chicago Journalist Monroe Anderson unpacks the latest trump news. Jacobin Writer Micah Uetricht talks his new Bernie book. Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson tells us why he is …
Dave Glowacz--City Council Antics
Mayoral candidate Paul Vallas hangs out with MAGA. Ben riffs. And Dave Glowacz--from Inside Chicago Government--returns for another segment of City Council Follies. Actually, Ben just made up that title. Playing clips from th...
Once Upon a Time in 2019-- Adams & Buddy & Mims
August 4, 2019--Sergio Mims is the Director of The Black Harvest Film Festival. Chris Buddy and Christopher Adams are both film Directors. And they can't stop talking about Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19…
Oh, What A [Past] Week: "Cool Heads & Soft Hands"
It's that time to talk about the week. And Ben & Dr. D have a lot to talk about, Including--campaign commercials from Darren Bailey, Lori Lightfoot and JB Pritzker. Ben explains why he is so upset by Bailey's Holocaust commen...
Monroe Anderson & Tom Brune--McDermott's Revenge
Darren Bailey reveals his inner anti-Jewish bias, comparing abortion to the Holocaust. Then he apologizes (sorta). Then he backs off from his (sorta) apology. Ben riffs. Monroe Anderson talks about yesterday's stunning win for abortion rights in Kansas. And Tom Brune--Washington bureau chief for Ne…
Heidi Henry--Running V. MAGA Man
Google announces it's buying the Thompson Center in downtown Chicago. Is there actually such a thing as good news? Ben riffs. And Heidi Henry returns! She's running for state Rep against a MAGA man in a district north of Chicago and she has a lot to say about what it's going to take to win. First r…
"Mayor King?" and Monroe Anderson & LeAlan Jones
.Alderwoman Sophia King announces she's running for mayor. Ben riffs. And then Monroe Anderson returns to talk about the FBI raid at Mar-a-Lago. What are they looking for? With the Donald Trump and his many crimes it could be one of a number. And then LeAlan Jones returns to talk about the crimes o…
Aurie Pennick--The Garland Debate & More
Activist, lawyer, philanthropist and proud graduate of Englewood High School, Aurie Pennick has been pushing for social justice almost from the days Dr. King came to Chicago in 1966. She's staying strong in the face of the MAGA challenges--occasionally chastising Ben to be just a little less judgme…
David Faris--Manchin Returns As Yang Leaves
Political scientist David Faris talks about Senator Joe Manchin's recent conversion back to being a Democrat. As the senators suddenly, and without much explanation, signed on to Biden's Build Back Better--oops, I mean, his anti-inflation bill. The conversation turns to Andrew Yang's announcement t…
Oh, What A [Last] Week: "Lolla, Lori, Bailey & the Bears"
Time for Ben & the Doctor to talk a week's worth of news, starting with...The Forward Party? Wasn't expecting that. And then Lightfoot & Lolla. And Darren "DB" Bailey puts on his dancing shoes to duck and dodge questions on T...
Anthony Joel Quezada--The Kids Are Back
Suddenly, MAGA's obsessed with truth in journalism--as they try to cover up cruel abortion laws in Ohio. And what's with Glenn Kessler at the Washington Post? Ben riffs. And Anthony Joel Quezada makes his debut. A Democratic Socialist, he was the winning candidate in the recent Democratic primary f…
Ken Davis--Won't Get Fooled Again!
Veteran newsman Ken Davis talks about that moment, when he was still a young man, where he learned the hard way that our political system is not what it seems. To put it mildly. That it's not legit. The year was 1972, and Ken was a young man working in California for George McGovern and, well, you …
Rummana Hussain--MAGA Obsessions
Rummana Hussain--Sun-Times columnist/editorial writer--talks guns and abortion. Specficially, MAGA's strange and contradictory obsession with each. Every fertilized egg is sacred. But living human beings? Expendable, if you shoot them. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Californi…
"Oh, What A [Past] Week" & The Joravsky Column Chronicles
Time to riff on a week's worth of news. Including...another alderman quits mid-term. Royko's kid runs for alderman. JB v. D.B. And more. Plus, Dr. D leads us on a trip to the vault of columns by Ben going back to the 80s. Featuring one from 1989 about segregation in Chicago. Somethings haven't chan…
Rob Martwick--Listen Up, Dems
State Senator Rob Martwick was up against the best MAGA had to offer in one of the city's more conservative northwest side districts. And yet he won the recent election with over 60 percent of the vote. Get our papers and pens, Dems, if you want to learn how to run races in districts that could go …
"DB Travolta" and Monroe Anderson & Mark Wallace
MAGA Man Darren Bailey--the Republican candidate for governor--puts on his dancing shoes as he dances around questions about Donald Trump and Congressman Kinzinger. Is he a bigger fraud/chicken than Richard Irvin? Ben riffs. And Monroe Anderson returns to talk insurrection. He predicts Merrick "the…
Mick Dumke--Mr. G's Money
The first pictures come in from the James Webb Space Telescope. And it's official--Chicago is in the universe. Ben riffs. And Mick Dumke, ProPublica investigative reporter, returns to talk politics. Specifically, his excellent article about how much Kenneth Griffin saved by beating the Fair Tax. Al…
"Domed Chicago" & Maya Dukmasova
Mayor Lightfoot unveils her latest great idea. Spending money we can't afford to put a dome over Soldier Field. Ben riffs. And Maya Dukmasova, reporter for Injustice Watch, returns to discuss abortion rights in Illinois. It will be the topic at our August Hideout show. And the strange case of the v…
Dave Glowacz--The City Council Tricks
Did Governor Pritzker use President Nixon's re-election strategy? Ben riffs. And Dave Glowacz--of Inside Chicago Government--returns with his Fabulous City Council Reviews. As he and Ben break down the mayor's parliamentary maneuvers to defeat her opposition. Hard to call this "reform" even if the …