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PODCAST

The Ben Joravsky Show

Chicago journalist Ben Joravsky starts each show by riffing on the news of the day with his celebrated humor, insight, and honesty. Then he talks politics with activists, elected officials, journalists and all sorts of political know-it-alls. We talk Chicago, Illinois, national (lots of national), international and lefty politics. Find The Ben Joravsky Show wherever you download podcasts.

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All Episodes

01:02:34

Meredith Shiner--Spiteful Politics

The Ben Joravsky Show ·

2025/09/08

Clever investors devise a scheme to make money off of tariffs--oh, those capitalists. Ben riffs. Meredith Shiner picks up where she left off with her latest essay in The New Republic--Trump's war on cities. Especially D.C. You know, real people live in D.C. As always Dems left their most dedicated voters hanging by allowing the District to be used as a bargaining chip. A few words about MAGA's hatred of government. And Chicago as an avatar. Meredith writes for The New Republic. She covered

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00:50:14

Oh, What a Week—Going Hard on the Guard

The Ben Joravsky Show ·

2025/09/05

Ben and Dr D take on all the issues, including…The new alliance between Mayor Johnson and Governor Pritzker to stand up against Trump’s invasion. And the governor talks about his weight. And all the latest local updates.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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00:56:57

State Senator Rachel Ventura--Playing By The Rules

The Ben Joravsky Show ·

2025/09/04

Boss Donnie and his baby boys make big bucks off of Crypto. Ben riffs. State Senator Rachel Ventura explains why she's recording today's show in her car--in contrast to the Trumps flaunting their disdain for ethics and propriety. Rachel offers one riff after another on AI, crypto, the need for progressive taxation, the impact of tariffs on farmers, the five to eight ratio and more--like why she doesn't take corporate PAC donations. Rachel is the state senator from the 43rd district in and

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00:44:10

Nick Uniejewski—Staying The Invasion

The Ben Joravsky Show ·

2025/09/03

As Trump prepares to invade Chicago, a federal judge rules that the invasion of Cali was unconstitutional. Ben riffs. Nick Uniejewski makes his show debut. He’s running against Senator Sara Feigenholtz, an entrenched incumbent in a North Side district that’s not had a contested Democratic primary since—get ready for this—Ben was in high school. In short, a long time ago. Why he’s running. What are his issues. And what he learned from his old boss, Congresswoman Marie Newman.See Privacy

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01:00:40

Jack White--Combatting Stupid

The Ben Joravsky Show ·

2025/09/01

After experimenting with making nice to MAGA, Gavin Newsom goes for the jugular. Ben riffs. Jack White talks fascism, Trump, racism and the military occupations. Also, a conversation about the MAGA attempt to deny the existence of the trans-Atlantic slave trade elicits this confession from Jack: "I don't know how to combat stupid." But he goes on to do a good job at it, nonetheless. Jack is a former columnist and editor for Time, among other publications. See Privacy Policy at

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01:11:03

Oh, What a Week—Sorry, Mate

The Ben Joravsky Show ·

2025/08/29

Ben and Dr D have a week’s worth of news to discuss. But first! Ben apologizes to Cameron Maine for calling him British. He’s Australian. Cameron explains how he turned a passion for gaming into a career covering Illinois politics for WMBD in Peoria. Then back to the beat for B and D…News on Pritzker, Trump, Alderman Sposato, Darren Bailey and more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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00:44:53

Rummana Hussain—Cheesy Jussie

The Ben Joravsky Show ·

2025/08/28

Trump says he can do anything he wants--like invading Chicago. Ben riffs. Rummana Hussain predicts Chicago's reaction to an invasion. Then it's all things Jussie--again. As Ben and Rummana pick up a conversation they've been having for--get ready--six years! Yes, six years of Jussie talk. The pretext this time around? A new Netflix documentary that promises to reveal the truth about Smollettgate. Well, it doesn't do that. Rummana says it's cheesy. And Ben says that's the point, this whole

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01:01:00

State Rep Kam Buckner—The Hefty Lefty

The Ben Joravsky Show ·

2025/08/27

Trump makes a Daley-like power move against Intel. Ben riffs. Kam Buckner talks about Trump's threat to send the national guard to Chicago--or just about any blue state city with a Black mayor. How Governor Pritzker and Mayor Johnson should respond. Redistricting battles state by state. Winning statehouse seats is the key to saving democracy. Why Kam thinks the Bears are squirrelly when it comes to their stadium games. Did they try to pull a fast one on Chicago? Finally, a tribute to

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01:02:40

David Faris----The Dummymanderers

The Ben Joravsky Show ·

2025/08/25

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 David 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

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00:51:02

State Sen. Robert Peters--Bleeding Blue

The Ben Joravsky Show ·

2025/08/22

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

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01:00:14

Monroe Anderson--Happy Slaves

The Ben Joravsky Show ·

2025/08/21

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

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01:09:18

Mick Dumke--The Litmus Test

The Ben Joravsky Show ·

2025/08/20

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

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00:52:41

Flint Taylor--The Torture Machine

The Ben Joravsky Show ·

2025/08/15

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

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00:56:44

Eric Klinenberg--Heatwave City

The Ben Joravsky Show ·

2025/08/14

Thirty years ago, the institutions intended 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 how the heatwave exposed inequities that 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

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00:55:24

Heidi Henry--Country Club Dems

The Ben Joravsky Show ·

2025/08/13

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.

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01:05:35

Jim Coogan--Degradation of Justice

The Ben Joravsky Show ·

2025/08/11

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

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01:06:36

Oh, What a Week--Meet The Butter Cow, Texas!

The Ben Joravsky Show ·

2025/08/08

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

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01:02:04

Leor Galil--Lolla City

The Ben Joravsky Show ·

2025/08/07

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

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00:58:09

Jacob Kaplan--The Key Ingredient

The Ben Joravsky Show ·

2025/08/06

Rich guys sucking up to Trump to get favorable rulings receive a surprise--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

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01:01:53

Kina Collins--Things Have Changed

The Ben Joravsky Show ·

2025/08/04

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

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2,364 results

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