Chew's Views (Featured Interviews)

Richard Chew is joined by Liz Pancotti, managing director of policy and advocacy at Groundwork Collaborative (an economic think tank based in Washington, D.C.).

Pancotti discussed the impact of President Donald Trump's tariff policies and the recently enacted Republican One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which she called the "big, ugly bill." 

"Health care will get more expensive for everyday Americans. Groceries will get more e...

Richard Chew is joined by Kevin Schultz, professor of history at UIC and author of “Why Everyone Hates White Liberals (Including White Liberals): A History.”

"The book really tells the story of how liberal went from being this centrist idea that brought Americans together in the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, how liberals triumphed over the Great Depression and helped defeat authoritarianism during World War II, and then helped e...

Richard Chew is joined by Illinois State Sen. Willie Preston, candidate for Congress in the 2nd District of Illinois. He was elected to the Illinois Senate in November 2022, re-elected in November 2024, and serves as chair of the Black Caucus in the Illinois General Assembly. The 16th Senate District he represents spans several southwest suburbs and parts of Chicago. 

Preston emphasized his authenticity, audacity, and act...

Richard Chew is joined by Texas Democratic State Rep. Chris Turner. 

Turner, who has represented Texas's 101st House District since 2013, discussed the demographic changes in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area, calling it "a microcosm of Texas. It's very diverse," Turner said. "It's very ethically mixed. It's a solid middle-class area. And I think it represents the new Texas, which is younger, more diverse and a lot more po...

Richard Chew is joined by Garlin Gilchrist II, lieutenant governor of Michigan and candidate for Michigan governor.

Gilchrist discussed his background as an engineer and software developer, emphasizing his problem-solving skills. He highlighted his efforts to improve childcare and affordable housing, helping open 1,500 new daycare centers and creating almost 40,000 new affordable housing units. Gilchrist criticized t...

Richard Chew is joined by Suzanne Kahn, senior vice president at Roosevelt Forward, the advocacy affiliate of the Roosevelt Institute, a progressive think tank.

Kahn highlighted the need for policies that address both immediate and long-term economic challenges, moving beyond what she called the neoliberal paradigm of policy solutions that has dominated the last 30 years. She also addressed the 90th anniversary ...

Richard Chew is joined by Michelle Duster, author, educator, historian, and Chicagoan known for her work to preserve the legacy of her great-grandmother, Ida B. Wells.

A "Chew's Views" regular, today Duster discussed the impact of current policies on marginalized groups. She highlighted the intentional bombardment of the political system by the president and his far-right administration, leading to widespread disengagement amo...

Richard Chew is joined by memoirist and essayist Leta McCollough Seletzky, author of The Kneeling Man: My Father’s Life as a Black Spy Who Witnessed the Assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.  Her new piece for Washington Monthly is “Trump Released Martin Luther King Jr. Files: I’m in Them.”

McCollough Seletzky revealed that in 1968 her father was posing as a member of the Invaders, "which was so...

Richard Chew is joined by Texas Democratic State Rep. Ann Johnson.

She discussed breaking quorum in Texas to deny state Republicans the opportunity to pass a mid-decade redistricting plan, facing threats from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Attorney General Ken Paxton, and President Donald Trump. Johnson highlighted the historical significance of quorum breaks, citing Abraham Lincoln's involvement in one, and advocated for an independ...

Richard Chew is joined by 2025 Texas 18th District congressional candidate Isaiah Martin. He's running in a special election to fill the vacancy left by Sylvester Turner, who died in March after serving in Congress for just two months. 

Martin has been a vocal critic of Republican actions in his state and discussed his recent forcible removal from a redistricting hearing at the Texas State Capitol and subsequent arrest. Martin...

Richard Chew is joined by Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL), candidate for U.S. Senate.

Kelly talked about welcoming Texas state House Democrats to Illinois, expressing support for their ongoing effort to thwart Texas's mid-decade redistricting scheme. (Some of the Texas lawmakers have taken refuge in Illinois after leaving Texas last weekend to deny Republicans the quorum they need to pass the redistricting bill.) 

Kelly high...

Richard Chew is joined by Mark K. Updegrove, president and CEO of the LBJ Foundation, presidential historian for ABC News, and author of six books on the presidency.

Updegrove discussed President Lyndon Baines Johnson's important legacy, particularly the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. He highlighted Johnson's political courage in pushing through the legislation despite warnings of losing the South....

Richard Chew is joined by Leah Litman, author of “Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad Vibes” and professor of law at the University of Michigan Law School. 

Catch "Chew's Views with Richard Chew” weekdays from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/chews-views).

And find the "Chew's Views" Full Episodes podcast on Spot...

Richard Chew is joined by Kristen Crowell, executive director of Fair Share America. 

Crowell talked about the national Stop the Billionaire Giveaway Bus Tour she has been on since June 21; it has covered over 8,000 miles across the United States, highlighting public anger about politicians prioritizing the wealthy over essential services like health care and food assistance. She emphasized the need for bold policies, such as ...

Richard Chew is joined by Chew’s Views contributor Kurt Mullett, AKA HoosierBlue63, and Victoria Martz, candidate for Indiana House of Representatives District 55. 

Catch "Chew's Views with Richard Chew” weekdays from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/chews-views).

And find the "Chew's Views" Full Episodes podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, YouTube, Amazon and TuneIn...