The Big Picture (Featured Interviews)
Here are featured interviews from "The Big Picture" with Edwin Eisendrath (Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central on WCPT Chicago). Good conversations help us see the big picture. Edwin Eisendrath and his guests get specific about politics, government, campaigns, and the kind of country all this work is meant to build. Join us live every Saturday to be part of the conversation. Edwin served two terms in Chicago’s City Council before being appointed Midwest Region Director of HUD by President Bill Clinton. He was subsequently appointed Federal Receiver in charge of the takeover and turnaround of the Chicago Housing Authority. His last foray as a candidate came when he took on a crooked governor of his own party, but it was the U.S. attorney rather than the voters who sealed Rod Blagojevich’s fate. Off the campaign trail, Edwin worked in higher education and as a consultant to universities here and around the world. He was working primarily in Saudi Arabia during the 2016 election cycle, but after Donald Trump’s victory, he knew he had to focus back home. He brought business and labor leaders together to rescue the Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Reader. He ran the company as its CEO until both publications were saved. Edwin continues his political, civic, and business engagement from his home in Chicago, where he and his wife, Jennifer, raised their three children. He and Jennifer can be seen walking their hound dog, Winston Churchill.
Episodes
Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Bobby Kogan, senior director of federal budget policy at the Center for American Progress.
Catch “The Big Picture with Edwin Eisendrath” Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/the-big-picture).
And find “The Big Picture (Full Episodes)” podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, YouTube, Amazon and TuneIn...
Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Amanda Zurawski, reproductive rights activist who was the lead plaintiff in the landmark Zurawski v. State of Texas case. Amanda was denied abortion care after she experienced preterm pre-labor rupture of membranes (PPROM) at 18 weeks of pregnancy. Because doctors could still detect the baby's heartbeat, they could not perform an abortion or provide care until Amanda's life was considered “at ris...
Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Nancy MacLean, professor of History and Public Policy at Duke University.
Catch “The Big Picture with Edwin Eisendrath” Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/the-big-picture).
And find “The Big Picture (Full Episodes)” podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, YouTube, Amazon and TuneIn.
Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Congressman Mike Quigley (D-IL), who has represented the 5th District since 2009.
Catch “The Big Picture with Edwin Eisendrath” Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/the-big-picture).
And find “The Big Picture (Full Episodes)” podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, YouTube, Amazon and TuneIn.
Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Seth Cotlar, professor of history at Willamette University.
He discussed the historical and contemporary dynamics of the right-wing political movement, highlighting the persistent conspiracy theories and alternative realities that have animated the right, dating back to figures like Sen. Joe McCarthy and lawyer Roy Cohn.
Cotlar talked about the intertwined threads of anti-communism, racism, hostility t...
Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Ashton Pittman of the Mississippi Free Press.
He discussed a story about Kasper Eriksen, a Danish immigrant arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) due to a 2015 paperwork error. Ericksen, who has lived in Mississippi for well over a decade, has four children and another on the way. The story highlights the broader issue of ICE targeting immigrants for clerical errors, including tho...
Edwin is joined by Colette Holt, founder, Colette Holt & Associates.
She discussed the Trump administration's assault on the rule of law, citing examples like Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem's ignorance of habeas corpus and President Donald Trump's claim to be the sole arbiter of the law. She highlighted the administration's use of racial animosity, referencing Trump's history with the Central Park Five an...
Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Illinois Congressman Sean Casten, who discussed the GOP's budget bill that narrowly passed the House last week. Casten voted with all Democrats to oppose its passage.
"It's a heartbreaking moment for America," he told WCPT. "Now, obviously, the Senate still has to pass this, and if your listeners are concerned, it's time to light up the phone calls, particularly Republican senators. But if this b...
Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Amanda Macotte, senior politics writer at Salon.com. She discussed her new YouTube series "Standing Room Only" and her recent deep dive into the Christian prayer app Hallow, which features celebrities like Chris Pratt and Mark Wahlberg. Marcotte criticized the app's conservative Catholic content, including a course called "The Feminine Genius" that promotes "this notion that women are uniquely mad...
Edwin Eisendrath is joined by David Graham, staff writer at The Atlantic and author of The Project: How Project 2025 Is Reshaping America. Graham discussed the precarious state of American democracy, highlighting the neglect of government institutions like the Federal Aviation Administration and the consequences of Trump implementing Project 2025's federal policy agenda. He also addressed the Supreme Court's role in shapi...
Edwin talks to Jeff Jarvis, visiting professor in the School of Communication and Journalism at Stony Brook University.
Catch “The Big Picture with Edwin Eisendrath” Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/the-big-picture).
And find “The Big Picture (Full Episodes)” podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, YouTube, Amazon and TuneIn.
See o...
Edwin is joined by Donna Ladd, editor at Mississippi Free Press. She discussed the proclamation of April as Confederate Heritage Month in Mississippi and its implications. She highlighted the extremist views of some advocates who romanticize the Confederacy and criticized Governor Tate Reeves (R) for quietly publishing his proclamation through the Sons of Confederate Veterans. She emphasized the need for historical accuracy and war...
Edwin is joined by David Pepper, lawyer, political activist, author (of fiction and nonfiction), and former chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party. He discussed the growing resistance against authoritarianism in America and highlighted the story of an Ohio nurse named Valerie who recently started organizing rallies in Cincinnati. Pepper said she had "really never been to a rally before January. It gave her courage. She felt lik...
Edwin is joined by David Roberts of the Volts newsletter and podcast (which focus on the technology, politics, and policy of decarbonization).
They discussed the impact of the current administration's environmental and energy policies. Roberts criticized the administration's inefficiency and its focus on coal, noting that coal is no longer economically viable without significant government subsidies. He highlighted the global ...
Edwin is joined by WGN-TV chief meteorologist emeritus Tom Skilling, who discussed the severe consequences of budget cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Weather Service. He highlighted that the service collects 6.3 billion weather observations daily and produces 1.5 million forecasts and 50,000 warnings annually. "These are essential," Skilling told WCPT. "They're life saving."
He emp...
Edwin is joined by Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL), who discussed his legislative efforts, particularly his cap-and-trade bill aimed at regulating carbon emissions. He also addressed the broader challenges of American democracy, the importance of public education, and the need for collective action against the Trump administration's unconstitutional actions. Casten underscored the significance of maintaining a thriving democracy ...
Edwin is joined by Peter Gleick, water and climate scientist, author, and co-founder of The Pacific Institute. Gleick discussed the role of water in the recent Los Angeles fires, highlighting the impact of rising temperatures on soil and vegetation dryness, and criticized President Donald Trump's executive order to release water from Northern California dams, which he says was ineffective and detrimental to farmers. He al...
Edwin is joined by Hadar Harris, PEN America’s managing director, Washington.
Harris discussed the challenges to free speech in the U.S., highlighting the impact of book bans, media restrictions, the marginalization of NGOs, and attacks on higher education, and emphasized the importance of individual and institutional efforts to protect free expression.
"There's this sort of twisting of the concept of what civil r...
Edwin is joined by Indivisible co-founder Ezra Levin, who discussed the importance of grassroots organizing and the need for a unified pro-democracy movement. He highlighted the success of Indivisible's weekly webinars, which have grown from 300 to 10,000 participants and address issues like messaging and strategy. He criticized the Democratic Party's "disappointing" response to President Donald Trump's recent joint address to Cong...
Edwin is joined by Dan Shafer, Civic Media's political editor and founder of The Recombobulation Area.
Shafer discussed recent town halls in Wisconsin where Republican representatives have faced strong opposition, particularly over issues like Elon Musk's so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and Donald Trump's pro-Putin stance on the war in Ukraine. He also highlighted the disruption caused by federal funding f...
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