It's the Democracy, Stupid Featured Interviews
From Heartland Signal and WCPT AM 820 in Chicago, "The Big Picture with Edwin Eisendrath" is now "It's the Democracy, Stupid with Edwin Eisendrath." Each week Edwin 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 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central to be part of the conversation. About Edwin Edwin Eisendrath 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. Off the campaign trail, Edwin has worked in higher education and as a consultant to universities here and around the world. After the 2016 election cycle he knew he had to focus back home. He brought business and labor leaders together to rescue the Chicago Sun-Times and its subsidiary, the Chicago Reader. He ran the company as its CEO until both publications were saved. Back in the 1990s Bill Clinton’s campaign slogan, "It’s the economy, stupid," captured the biggest concern of the era. Today American democracy itself is under attack. So Edwin launched an effort called, "It’s the democracy, stupid." In addition to his radio show here on WCPT, Edwin has built a community around his political ideas on Substack, hosts a weekly show on Lincoln Square, and is a frequent guest on political shows. He remains deeply involved in democracy work. He is a proud Chicagoan, married to the journalist Jennifer Schulze.
Episodes
Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Aaron Parnas, independent journalist on TikTok and Substack.
Catch “It’s the Democracy, Stupid” Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/edwin).
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Edwin EIsendrath is joined by G. Elliott Morris, data-driven journalist, pollster, author of the Substack newsletter “Strength In Numbers” and the book “Strength in Numbers: How Polls Work and Why We Need Them.”
Catch “It’s the Democracy, Stupid” Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/edwin).
Follow us:
Website: https://heartl...
Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Yusef Jackson, newly appointed president and CEO of Rainbow PUSH Coalition. (The interview was recorded May 15 and aired May 16.)
Catch “It’s the Democracy, Stupid” Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/edwin).
Follow us:
Website: https://heartlandsignal.com
WCPT Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WCPT820
Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Brian Lyman, editor of the Alabama Reflector.
Catch “It’s the Democracy, Stupid” Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/edwin).
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Website: https://heartlandsignal.com
WCPT Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WCPT820
Heartland Signal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeartlandSignal
Tiktok: https://www.tik...
Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Josh Orton, president of Demand Justice and former senior adviser to Vice President Kamala Harris.
Catch “It’s the Democracy, Stupid” Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/edwin).
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Website: https://heartlandsignal.com
WCPT Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WCPT820
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Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Dana Strohl, director of research for The Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
Catch “It’s the Democracy, Stupid” Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/edwin).
Follow us:
Website: https://heartlandsignal.com
WCPT Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WCPT820
Heartland Signal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/He...
Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Kate Riga, reporter who covers the Supreme Court for TPM's Washington, D.C. bureau and co-hosts "The Josh Marshall Podcast."
Catch “It’s the Democracy, Stupid” Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/edwin).
Follow us:
Website: https://heartlandsignal.com
WCPT Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WCPT820
Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Maaria Mozaffar, attorney, policy drafter, mediator and author.
Catch “It’s the Democracy, Stupid” Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/edwin).
Follow us:
Website: https://heartlandsignal.com
WCPT Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WCPT820
Heartland Signal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeartlandSignal
Tiktok: http...
Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Christopher Hale, author-publisher of “Letters from Leo — the American Pope & US Politics” on Substack.
Catch “It’s the Democracy, Stupid” Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/edwin).
Follow us:
Website: https://heartlandsignal.com
WCPT Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WCPT820
Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Elizabeth Saunders, professor of political science at Columbia University, director of the Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies, nonresident senior fellow at The Brookings Institution, and author of the 2024 book “The Insiders’ Game: How Elites Make War and Peace.”
Catch “It’s the Democracy, Stupid” Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heart...
Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Amanda Litman, co-founder and president of Run for Something, and author of the books “When We’re In Charge: The Next Generation’s Guide to Leadership” and “Run for Something: A Real-Talk Guide to Fixing the System Yourself.”
Catch “It’s the Democracy, Stupid” Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/edwin)...
Edwin Eisendrath is joined by James Santelle, former United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin (2010 to 2015), 30-year veteran of the Department of Justice, now engaged in private (nongovernment) civil litigation in a variety of civil rights, housing, education, prisoner, and children’s matters.
Catch “It’s the Democracy, Stupid” Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlands...
Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Brian Finucane, senior adviser with the U.S. Program at the International Crisis Group and a former attorney-adviser at the U.S. Department of State.
Catch “It’s the Democracy, Stupid” Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/edwin).
Follow us:
Website: https://heartlandsignal.com
WCPT Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WCPT820
Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Adam Hanieh, director of the SOAS Middle East Institute, professor in the Development Studies Department at SOAS, University of London, and author of “Crude Capitalism: Oil, Corporate Power, and the Making of the World Market.”
Catch “It’s the Democracy, Stupid” Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/edwin).
Edwin Eisendrath is joined by U.S. Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL).
(The conversation was recorded March 20 and aired March 21.)
Catch “It’s the Democracy, Stupid” Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/edwin).
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Bobby Kogan, senior director of Federal Budget Policy at the Center for American Progress.
Catch “It’s the Democracy, Stupid” Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/edwin).
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Edwin EIsendrath is joined by Tamar Jacoby, director of the New Ukraine Project at the Progressive Policy Institute and contributor to Washington Monthly. Her latest article is “Ukraine: Requiem for a Citizen Soldier.” (The conversation was recorded March 12.)
Catch “It’s the Democracy, Stupid” Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/edwin).
See omnyst...
Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Gregg Carlstrom, Middle East correspondent at The Economist, and author of “How Long Will Israel Survive? The Threat From Within.”
Catch “It’s the Democracy, Stupid” Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/edwin).
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Dr. John P. Holdren, professor of Environmental Policy at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, former science adviser to President Obama, and Senate-confirmed director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy during both Obama terms.
Catch “It’s the Democracy, Stupid” Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/progr...
Edwin Eisendrath is joined by David Roberts of the Volts newsletter and podcast, which focus on the technology, politics, and policy of decarbonization.
Catch “It’s the Democracy, Stupid” Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/edwin).
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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