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
Filling in for Edwin Eisendrath, Professors William Muck and Joel Ostrow are joined by Rima Ziuraitas, certified TACMED instructor and medic in Ukraine.
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, iHeartR...
Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Ezra Levin, co-founder and co-executive director of Indivisible.
Levin discussed the movement's multifaceted efforts to counteract Republican overreach, emphasizing the importance of local, group-based organizing, but conceded failure in stopping the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which President Donald Trump signed into law July 4.
"It is one of the least popular pieces of legislation in Ameri...
Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Andrea Pitzer, journalist and author of One Long Night: A Global History of Concentration Camps.
Pitzer defined the concentration camp as mass civilian detention "without any real trial. So if there was a trial," she explained, "it was just a show trial, or a big group, 100 people getting sentenced at once, something like that, done on the basis of race or ethnicity or religion or political ...
Edwin Eisendrath is joined by David Nir, publisher of The Downballot.
Nir discussed the importance of local and state elections, highlighting the significant number of elected offices in the U.S. and their impact on democracy. He talked about the resurgence of interest in down-ballot races, citing Wisconsin's recent Supreme Court race as an example. He emphasized the role of independent media in providing unbiased informa...
Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Anderson Clayton, chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party.
Clayton talked about how North Carolina Republicans have, over the past 15 years, poisoned state politics with extreme partisanship. "I think it's really important to know that when Democrats had control of this state, the number one thing that they did was invest in public education. When Republicans took control of it in 2010 it bec...
Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Allison LaCroix, the Robert Newton Reid Professor of Law at the University of Chicago Law School.
LaCroix discussed the evolving nature of federalism and states' rights. She explained that federalism involves distributed power among national, state, and local governments, tracing its roots to the British Empire and the American colonial period.
"What we have now, in 2025, through the text of the Consti...
Filling in for Edwin Eisendrath, Turi Ryder talks to Audrey Francis, artistic director of Steppenwolf Theatre and director of Steppenwolf’s “You Will Get Sick,” playing through July 20.
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).
Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Tomás Kloosterman, national political director at Swing Left.
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 talks to John Nichols, national affairs correspondent for The Nation.
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 omnystudio.com/listener f...
Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Tom Bonier, CEO of the TARA Group, and senior adviser for Target Smart, a Democratic political data and data services firm.
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, iH...
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...
Popular Podcasts
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Special Summer Offer: Exclusively on Apple Podcasts, try our Dateline Premium subscription completely free for one month! With Dateline Premium, you get every episode ad-free plus exclusive bonus content.
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.
The Megyn Kelly Show is your home for open, honest and provocative conversations with the most interesting and important political, legal and cultural figures today. No BS. No agenda. And no fear.