The Ben Joravsky Show

Ben Joravsky

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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20 episodes
Updated Yesterday

Episodes20

Newest first

Yesterday · 1 hr 5 min
Grey Lucas--It’s Not A Data Center, Yet
Data center lovers scoff at NIMBY to justify putting one in somebody else’s backyard. Ben riffs. Grey Lucas goes A to Z on the Quantum Center that the state’s building on the old steel yard at 87th and the lake. Starting with…what is a quantum center? Why put it there as opposed to anywhere else in the universe? Will it bring with it a data center? And more. Grey is an investigative reporter whose work on the quantum center is in the Chicago Reader. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Saturday · 53 min
Oh, What a Week—Petition Time!
Chicago mayoral hopefuls begin gathering petitions; Mayor Rahm has words for Mayor Mamdani; Is Alexi running, and more See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Thursday · 1 hr 8 min
Monroe Anderson and Jack White—Fauci Takes The Fifth
Dr. Fauci decides it’s a good idea not to answer Rand Paul’s questions about COVID. Ben riffs Monroe and Jack cover all the issues. Including Fauci, Paul, Trump’s war in Iran, White House journalists dinner, Johnny Cochran and The Odyssey. Monroe is—well, everyone knows Monroe. Jack was a writer and editor for Time. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Wednesday · 58 min
Robert Vargas--Tenacious Lies
NYT reporters call Trump’s election-theft conspiracies what they are—tenacious lies Ben riffs. Robert Vargas separates truth from fiction in the matter of crime. If crime in Chicago has gone down during Mayor Johnson’s tenure, why do so many people think it’s gone up? Ben says it’s cause Chicagoans have been brainwashed. Robert says it’s more nuanced than that. Robert is a sociology professor at the University of Chicago. His views are his own. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
July 27 · 54 min
Cliff Johnson—Just Like John Grisham
Eric Zorn sets Ben straight on Alexi Gin-OO-lee-us. Ben riffs. Meet Cliff Johnson, Democratic candidate for the first congressional district in Mississippi. He explains why Mississippi is inching toward being Democrat. So it’s closer to Georgia than Tennessee, politically speaking. A few words about John Grisham, Oprah and Elvis and where they come from. Cliff is a longtime civil rights lawyer and director of the MacArthur Justice Center in Mississippi. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
July 25 · 1 hr 4 min
Governor JB Pritzker--Team Fight
A “moderate” beats a “centrist” in Arizona—clearly, Dems have identity issues. Ben riffs. And Governor Pritzker returns. Talking everything from his re-election campaign to his presidential ambitions to his views on Israel to Trump’s war on Blue States. You can’t cave, you have to fight. A few words about the Bears stadium and data centers and more. Governor Pritzker is, of course, the governor of Illinois. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
July 24 · 55 min
Serena Mathews--Money Makes The World Go Round
No sooner does the World Cup end, then they’re scheming to make even more money at the next one. Serena returns to summarize the highs and lows of the tournament. Among the lows—anything that has to do with Trump or Infantino. Among the highs—Mexico’s game against England. Also, the Balogun red card scandal explained. Intent does not matter, America. Serena is a student of the game. See you next year, Serena, for the women’s World Cup. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
July 22 · 1 hr 6 min
Marj Halperin—Never Enough
Always broke schools lay off 760 or so teachers as aldermen whine about not giving enough property tax handoffs to rich people. Ben riffs. Marj Halpern tells you what you need to know about plans to develop the south loop. Including…the Chicago Fire soccer stadium, a possible new stadium for the White Sox and, say what for existing Sox Park? Bottom line—could be another parking meter deal in the making. Marj is co-founder of One Community Near South and a longtime writer and political strategist in Chicago. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
July 20 · 58 min
David Faris—All The President’s Fools
Michael Cohen and Trump break up to make up—again. Ben riffs. David figures out where Cohen—and Lindsey Graham—fit in the pantheon of fools who flock to Trump. Selling their souls for what? Money? Power? Access? A pat on the head from the boss? Updates on Trump’s war in Iran. And the congressional vote on funding Israel. “The party is dedicated to a policy its base despises.” David is a political science professor at Roosevelt university and a columnist for The Nation. His views are his own. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
July 18 · 42 min
Oh, What a Week—Alexi The Tease
Amidst the local news, Ben & Dr D offer a few words about Trump’s latest lunacy—his prime time televised oration about election fraud, a problem he made up. Alexi G sorta announces his campaign for mayor by releasing commercial promoting his re-election campaign for Secretary of State. Say what? Also, should a background in corporate America qualify someone to be mayor? And more Caleb Wilson updates. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
July 17 · 55 min
Dylan Hedtler-Gaudette--The $2 Billion President
The late great editorial cartoonist Pat Oliphant had an interesting aversion to politicians. Ben riffs. Dylan returns just one day after he testified before the senate on waste and fraud in the Trump administration. All those inside deals and conflicts of interest that helped Trump make over $2 billion last year. His crypto deals and his hotel deals and his coin-meme deals and so on. Is Trump accurate when he says, “no one cares”? Also, the performative antics of senate hearings. Dylan is acting VP of policy and government for POGO. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
July 15 · 1 hr 11 min
Denali Dasgupta—Just Like A Chicago Alderman
The late Senator Lindsey Graham would have fit right in as a Chicago alderman. Ben riffs. Denali adds her thoughts on parking meters, privatization scams, TIFs, handouts to the rich, and the DSA. Denali is an independent researcher and political activist. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
July 13 · 56 min
Joanna Klonsky--Platner’s Fall
Graham Platner steps down, allowing Dems in Maine to select another candidate to run against Senator Susan Collins. Ben riffs. Joanna Klonsky explains what Platner’s rise and fall says about the Democratic Party’s effort to break from centrists and find “real” people, who aren’t spineless, to run for office. How vetting works, or in this case, doesn’t work. The obsession with convincing white males to vote Democratic, though they've been voting Republican since LBJ signed the Civil Rights Bill. And a few words about Platner’s enablers, who kept on spinning, even after he was accused of rape. Joanna is a political strategist in Chicago. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
July 11 · 54 min
Oh, What A Week—Everyone Wants To Be Mayor
Ben and Dr D catch up on what’s going on. Alderman Marty Quinn—aka, Madigan’s guy—says take this job and shove it. Mike Quigley says—I wanna be mayor! And noticeably absent from the growing list of announced mayoral candidates are the guys most likely to wind up in the runoff, if they do run—Mayor Johnson and Alexi G. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
July 10 · 50 min
Paul Nolley—Here Comes The Underdog
Trump’s Supreme Court soldiers do their MAGA thing. Ben riffs. Paul Nolley returns to talk about his campaign for Congress in the 16th district. He’s a Democrat and it’s a R +11 district, but he sees an upset victory in plain sight. Why? Cause the issues are on his side. Starting with health care. His opponent—incumbent Darin LaHood—is so nervous he agreed to debate. Usually, MAGA candidates in red districts try to coast in on Donnie’s coattails. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
July 8 · 49 min
Dylan Hedtler-Gaudette—Ignorance Is Bliss
A New York Times poll shows that the less voters know about Trump, the more they like him. Ben riffs. Dylan Hedtler-Gaudette talks waste and fraud. He’s spent his working life in pursuit of bi-partisan solutions to waste and fraud and what has he received for his efforts as of late? His recommendations get ignored by the Trump administration and he’s been vilified and maligned by Musk’s cultists, of the human and robot variety. Dylan is vice president of Policy and Government Affairs for the Project on Government Oversight. This recording originally dropped on May 29, 2025. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
July 6 · 1 hr
Adolfo Mondragon--Anchor Baby
Why do hyphenated Americans—Mexican, Italian, Irish, Polish. Greek, you name it—root for the country on the left side of that hyphen? Ben riffs. Adolfo elaborates. And that leads them to the Supremes coming close—too close—to erasing the 14 amendment. So much for being textualists. Next thing you know, Ben & Adolfo are breaking down the meaning of Country Road. You know—“almost heaven, West Virginia…” Which US fans sing at soccer games. Adolfo is a lawyer—born & raised on the South Side! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
July 3 · 1 hr 5 min
Kevin Blackistone--Red-Card Journalism
Can the U.S. media objectively cover the U.S. soccer team? Ben riffs. Kevin Blackistone adds a riff of his own. And then they’re off. Talking soccer and colonialism, Caitlin Clark and MAGA, Justice Kentanji Brown Jackson’s take down of Clarence Thomas and Trump’s desecration of Kevin’s beloved hometown of Washington, DC. Kevin is a writer, TV commentator, and journalism professor. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
July 1 · 1 hr 10 min
Mick Dumke--Parking Meters Follies
A listener gently chides Ben for not giving DSA enough credit for congressional wins in NYC—in other words, it wasn’t just Mamdani. Ben riffs. Mick Dumke explains the latest chapter in the Parking Meter Debacle. As Mayor Johnson looks into buying back the control of our streets that Mayor Daley foolishly sold for a relative pittance. Learn about the Investment Bros, the mayor’s “dream team” of advisors, the non-disclosure agreement, the letter from Webb, Andre’s mic drop and more. It’s all so pathetic, it’s funny. If you don’t mind getting fleeced. Stick around for Mick’s life advice to Ben. Mick is a writer and editor for Block Club. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
June 30 · 58 min
Serena Mathews—The Knock Out Round
As the World Cup comes to America, a judge makes Trump remove his name from the Kennedy Center. Ben riffs. Serena Mathews—soccer analyst extraordinaire—tells you everything you need to know about the politics of the World Cup. The imperialistic model of FIFA. How Infantino sucked up to Trump. How Trump stole FIFA’s soccer trophy. How soccer sportswashes the hate of MAGA. How some rich guys in the USA passed the hat to bring in a coach, who’s already looking for his next job. Why, despite it all, she loves the game so much. Stick around for her predictions. Originally dropped June17. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.