The Chicago Way

By WGN Plus

News & Politics

What's The Chicago Way about?

Mild mannered Chicago Tribune columnist John Kass and WGN Radio's Jeff Carlin explore the week in news, politics and other thngs done the Chicago Way in this WGN Plus podcast from WGN Radio in Chicago.

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Chicago Way w/John Kass: Ho...

01.30.2023

Chicago Way w/John Kass (1/20/23): On this edition, John Kass takes us behind the scenes of his recent health ordeal, what his recovery has been like at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, and his faith has helped carry him through. Plus, ...

The Chicago Way episodes:

01.30.2023 Chicago Way w/John Kass: How faith, family, & friendship help heal the heart Chicago Way w/John Kass (1/20/23): On this edition, John Kass takes us behind the scenes of his recent health ordeal, what his recovery has been like at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, and his faith has helped carry him through. Plus, ...
01.23.2023 Chicago Way w/John Kass: When perception is a problem, fourth place is a bad look Chicago Way w/John Kass (1/23/23): Joining John Kass & Jeff Carlin on this edition is former longtime editor of the Chicago Sun Times editorial page and now writing for JohnKassNews.com, Steve Huntley. On the docket, the last weeks of the ...
01.18.2023 Chicago Way w/John Kass: An Update The Chicago Way w/John Kass (1/18/23): John Kass is back with a message to everyone about what’s been happening. Plus, John’s brother Nicholas Kass joins Jeff Carlin for an update on Kasso’s recovery. Check out more Kasso at JohnKassNews.com Follow ...
01.06.2023 Chicago Way w/John Kass: Is Paul Vallas ready to lead Chicago to a brighter future? The Chicago Way w/John Kass (1/6/23): On this episode, the former CEO of the Chicago Public Schools (1995-2001) and candidate hoping to unseat Lori Lightfoot, Paul Vallas joins John Kass & Jeff Carlin to discuss his plans for growing Chicago ...
01.02.2023 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: A Year in Review The Chicago Way w/John Kass (1/1/2023): John Kass & Jeff Carlin look at the year that was in politics and news. Kass & Carlin also look forward toward 2023 and the politics of the day. Check out more Kasso at ...
12.21.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Merry Christmas to all The Chicago Way w/John Kass (12/21/2022): John Kass & Jeff Carlin celebrate the never-ending gift of interest that is Chicago politics, the city’s ‘You Name a Plow’ contest, and the holiday season. Plus, Kasso & Carlin toast to a merry ...
12.16.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Miranda Devine, the Delaware Way, and Uncle Joe The Chicago Way w/John Kass (12/16/2022): New York Post columnist Miranda Devine joins John Kass and Jeff Carlin to discuss her new book, Laptop from Hell: Hunter Biden, Big Tech, and the Dirty Secrets the President Tried to Hide, and ...
12.13.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: The Twitter Files, bullying at York HS, and hooray for fusion The Chicago Way w/John Kass (12/13/2022): On this edition, John Kass & Jeff Carlin tackle the news of the week including the ongoing expose of the ‘Twitter Files’ -which point to some very unconstitutional practices, terrible news out of suburban ...
12.09.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Tom Bevan on poll accountability, a private school gone too far, and the path to 2024 The Chicago Way w/John Kass (12/09/2022): This week, RealClear Politics’ Tom Bevan is here to discuss accountability in polling, what is the heck is happening at Francis W. Parker School in Chicago, Donald Trump’s impact on the future of the ...
12.06.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: A ‘Cocaine Bear,’ Hunter Biden, and the race for mayor The Chicago Way w/John Kass (12/06/2022): On this episode, John Kass and Jeff Carlin analyze the finalized slate of candidates seeking to make Lori Lighfoot a one-term mayor, question why the media is blatantly ignoring news of governmental censorship at ...
12.02.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Ray Lopez isn’t buying City Hall’s narrative on crime The Chicago Way w/John Kass (12/02/2022): On this edition, Ald. Ray Lopez (15th) discusses dropping his bid for mayor, what that means for the race to unseat Mayor Lori Lightfoot in 2023, and running a race for the redrawn 15th ...
11.21.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Thanksgiving Edition The Chicago Way w/John Kass (11/21/2022): On this Thanksgiving edition, John Kass & Jeff Carlin offer up some things to be thankful for like friends, family, the bountiful condition state of Chicago politics, and the World Cup. Plus, Kasso wonders ...
11.18.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Did running with the bulls prep Gary Fencik to for a mayoral run? The Chicago Way w/John Kass (11/18/2022): This week, Chicago Bears great Gary Fencik joins John Kass & Jeff Carlin to discuss his life & career in Chicago, the time he ran with the bulls, a throwback Illinois Lottery commercial, and ...
11.14.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: As ‘Chuy’ chums the mayoral waters, will Trump jump the shark? The Chicago Way w/John Kass (11/14/2022): On this episode, John Kass & Jeff Carlin preview the week’s news including the announcement that Rep. Jesus ‘Chuy’ Garcia is seeking to unseat Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Ald. Tom Tunney deciding not too challenge ...
11.10.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Thom Serafin on the red ripple, IL’s future, and Pritzker’s after shave The Chicago Way w/John Kass (11/10/2022): On this edition, veteran political advisor at Serafin & Associates and co-host of The Crisis Cast, Thom Serafin joins John Kass & Jeff Carlin to unpack the 2022 mid-term elections, look at the future ...
11.04.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Don’t go crazy counting votes, again, and again… The Chicago Way w/John Kass (11/04/2022): As the clock winds down on the 2022 midterm elections, John Kass and Jeff Carlin look at the hair-on-fire antics of the media, what happens when media and political parties work in concert to ...
10.31.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: There’s a little Capt. Queeg in all of us The Chicago Way w/John Kass (10/31/2022): John Kass and Jeff Carlin are joined this week by the Peter B. Ritzma Professor of Political Science Emeritus at the University of Chicago Charles Lipson to discuss how nationwide violence will lead the ...
10.28.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Political horror stories & tales of misfortune The Chicago Way w/John Kass (10/28/2022): In preparation for Halloween, John Kass & Jeff Carlin share their favorite scary (political) stories from their week and offer up considerations for the ‘Golden Moutza’ for October. Plus, who is scarier than a ...
10.24.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Beware the political carnival barkers of November The Chicago Way w/John Kass (10/24/2022): Entering the ‘No Chumbolone Zone’ this week is Ted Dabrowski of Wirepoints.com to discuss new data on how the pandemic impacted student achievement, the misconceptions about the ‘SAFE-T’ Act, and why Amendment 1 on ...
10.21.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Charles Thomas steps off the Chumbolone ‘plantation’ The Chicago Way w/John Kass (10/21/2022): A fed up former ABC7 Chicago reporter Charles Thomas, who -after almost 30 years retired in broadcasting- has come under fire for taking $50,000 from a conservative super PAC run by Dan Proft to ...
10.17.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Welcome to Chicago, it’s safe, we promise The Chicago Way w/John Kass (10/17/2022): On this edition, veteran reporter and special contributor to WGN Radio & NewsNation Anna Davlantes joins John Kass & Jeff Carlin to offer a historical perspective on the current state of Chicago’s political, criminal, ...
10.11.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: How to spot a bad poll and why it matters The Chicago Way w/John Kass (10/11/2022): This week, RealClear Politics’ Tom Bevan checks in to discuss polling and a new RCP project aimed at making ‘bad polls’ easier to recognize. Bevan also takes on the major storylines & key races ...
10.04.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Ed O’Bradovich gets fired up about talk of a ‘rebuilding’ year The Chicago Way w/John Kass (10/04/2022): The legend himself, Chicago Bear Ed O’Bradovich from The Hamp & O’B Show, discusses why he thinks the Bears should move to Arlington Heights, explains why he can’t stand the notion of ‘rebuilding year,’ ...
09.28.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Prof. Lipson offers perspective on our lack of civic nationalism The Chicago Way w/John Kass (09/28/2022): This week, John Kass and Jeff Carlin are joined by the Peter B. Ritzma Professor of Political Science Emeritus at the University of Chicago, Charles Lipson, to discuss civic nationalism’s role in society and ...
09.21.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Red flags abound in the implementation of the Safe-T Act The Chicago Way w/John Kass (09/21/2022): This week, St. Senator John Curran (R-Downers Grove) -former assistant Cook County state’s attorney- joins John Kass and Jeff Carlin to debunk the half-truths surrounding the Safe-T Act and offer up a sobering view ...
09.12.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Is anyone hearing Chicago’s screams? The Chicago Way w/John Kass (09/12/2022): On this episode, John Kass & Jeff Carlin are joined by Matt Rosenberg to discuss the work at WirePoint.org and the ‘unraveling’ of Chicago. Plus, Kasso reacts to this news story about a violent ...
09.07.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: GOP AG candidate Tom DeVore questions the ethics of his opponent The Chicago Way w/John Kass (09/07/2022): Joining the conversation with John Kass & Jeff Carlin is Republican candidate for Illinois Attorney General, Tom Devore. Attorney Devore has questions about Gov. JB Pritzker’s abuse of executive orders, current AG Kwame Raoul’s ...
09.03.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: The great ‘Ball of Confusion’ keeps rolling The Chicago Way w/John Kass (09/03/2022): John Kass & Jeff Carlin discuss the news of the week on this episode including a foreboding primetime address from President Joe Biden, Chicago Mayor Lori Lighfoot’s interesting words for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, ...
08.30.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Dan Proft responds to Mayor Lighfoot’s ‘racial demagoguery’ The Chicago Way w/John Kass (08/30/2022): On this edition, the co-host of WIND 560’s Morning Answer and conservative political advocate Dan Proft joins John Kass & Jeff Carlin to discuss Chicago Mayor Lori Lighfoot’s accusing Proft’s People Who Play By ...
08.27.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Questioning the constitutionality of executive orders The Chicago Way w/John Kass (08/26/2022): On this episode, John Kass and Jeff Carlin talk with the Peter B. Ritzma Professor of Political Science Emeritus at the University of Chicago, Charles Lipson to get his assessment of the FBI raid ...
08.16.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Ald. Roderick Sawyer has a plan to get Chicago back on track The Chicago Way w/John Kass (08/16/2022): On this edition, John Kass & Jeff Carlin catch up with Chicago Alderman Roderick Sawyer (6th – parts of Chatham, Englewood, and West Englewood) to discuss his father’s legacy fulfilling late Mayor Harold Washington’s ...
08.12.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Hero dispatcher remembers the night Ella French was murdered and why he resigned The Chicago Way w/John Kass (08/12/2022): On this edition, John Kass and Jeff Carlin are joined by the 911 dispatcher credited with managing the chaotic situation involving the murder of Chicago police officer Ella French and helping to save the ...
08.09.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: A time-traveling newsman and the cheeps that keep him going The Chicago Way w/John Kass (08/09/2022): On this episode, John Kass & Jeff Carlin look at Kass’ time traveling theories, the ‘cheep, cheep’ at the fence, crime strategies in Chicago, and what’s next for Mayor of Chicago. Plus, Kasso prepares ...
08.01.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: What George Soros, Kim Foxx, and others get wrong about criminal ‘(in)justice’ The Chicago Way w/John Kass (08/01/2022): This week, John Kass & Jeff are joined by Rafael Mangual, the Nick Ohnell Fellow and head of research for the Policing and Public Safety Initiative at the Manhattan Institute and a contributing editor ...
07.29.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Can a dome keep the Bears from fleeing and the mayor in power? The Chicago Way w/John Kass (07/29/2022): On this episode, John Kass & Jeff Carlin react to a solid week of ‘efforting’ by Chicago Mayor Lori Lighfoot as she announces plans to put a dome on Soldier Field in a bid ...
07.26.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: What will it take to stem the tide of violence? The former Deputy Mayor has some thoughts The Chicago Way w/John Kass (07/27/2022): This week, John Kass & Jeff Carlin are joined by former Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal John O’Malley to talk about his time as the City of Chicago’s Deputy Mayor of Public Safety and what ...
07.19.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: The fist-bump heard ’round the world and the Carter Meridian The Chicago Way w/John Kass (07/19/2022): Joining the conversation with John Kass & Jeff Carlin, the Peter B. Ritzma Professor of Political Science Emeritus at the University of Chicago, Charles Lipson is here to discuss President Joe Biden’s meet & ...
07.13.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: In a world full of chaos, there is magic in the stars The Chicago Way w/John Kass (07/13/2022): On this episode, John Kass & Jeff Carlin geek out about the James Webb Space Telescope (nicknamed Webb or JWST) and wonder if Chicago Mayor Lori Lighfoot will be able reign in the violence ...
07.06.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: The Turkish origins of the ‘deep state’ The Chicago Way w/John Kass (07/06/2022): On this edition, John Kass & Jeff Carlin are joined by John’s younger brother Nicholas Spyridon Kass, a retired American diplomat with over 30-years of experience -focused on Aegean/Eastern Mediterranean issues, to offer some ...
07.01.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Who’s the boss of politics in Illinois? The Chicago Way w/John Kass (07/01/2022): Joining John Kass & Jeff Carlin on this edition is veteran political advisor at Serafin & Associates and co-host of The Crisis Cast, Thom Serafin to look analyze the results of the 2022 primary ...
06.27.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: An editor’s take on the fall of newspapers The Chicago Way w/John Kass (06/27/2022): John Kass and Jeff Carlin are joined this week by veteran feature writer, metro reporter, night city editor, metropolitan editor, editorial page editor and a columnist for the opinion pages of the Chicago Sun-Times, ...
06.15.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: How ideologues tip the scale of justice and criminals reap the benefit The Chicago Way w/John Kass (06/15/2022): Joining John Kass & Jeff Carlin this week is the director of the policing and public safety initiative at the Manhattan Institute, Hannah E. Meyers, to discuss her time with the Intelligence Bureau of ...
06.06.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Polls, primaries, and politics The Chicago Way w/John Kass (06/06/2022): This week with John Kass & Jeff Carlin, Real Clear Politics’ Tom Bevan talks primaries, polling, and politics. Plus, Kasso wonders what happens when voters are fed up with everything? Check out more Kasso ...
06.01.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Mayoral candidate Paul Vallas has a plan to save Chicago from itself The Chicago Way w/John Kass (06/01/2022): John Kass & Jeff Carlin are joined by newly-announced candidate for mayor, the former CEO of the Chicago Public Schools (1995-2001), Paul Vallas. Touting his experience in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, Paul lays ...
05.28.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: What the $%&* is going on in Chicago? The Chicago Way w/John Kass (05/28/2022): This week, the Peter B. Ritzma Professor of Political Science Emeritus at the University of Chicago, Charles Lipson joins John Kass & Jeff Carlin to discuss the un-American nature of ‘loyalty oaths,’ why the ...
05.20.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: The Furies own the chaos in the streets The Chicago Way w/John Kass (05/20/2022): This week, John Kass and Jeff Carlin discuss comments of Chicago 911 dispatcher Keith Thornton, Jr. who has seen first hand the surging violence plaguing the city and what happens when the Furies sink ...
05.14.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Big thinker Heather Mac Donald tackles ‘The War on Cops’ The Chicago Way w/John Kass (05/14/2022): This week, John Kass and Jeff Carlin are joined by the Thomas W. Smith fellow at the Manhattan Institute and author of “The War on Cops,” Heather Mac Donald to discuss the impact of ...
05.09.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Warm weather, gunfire, and the ‘Summer of Joy’ The Chicago Way w/John Kass (05/08/2022): John Kass and Jeff Carlin look at the week’s news including Supreme Court protests & boneheaded tweets from public officials, and wonder if Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s touted ‘Summer of Joy’ includes a soundtrack ...
04.29.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Who benefits more from giving away tax dollars at random, the city or the re-election? The Chicago Way w/John Kass (04/28/2022): John Kass and Jeff Carlin consider the virtue of Chicago Mayor Lori Lighfoot handing out $12million dollars in taxpayer funds in the form of cash cards with the Mayor’s face on them and the ...
04.25.2022 The Chicago Way w/John Kass: How the ‘donor class’ in IL leads voters into peril The Chicago Way w/John Kass (04/25/2022): On this edition, the co-host of WIND 560’s Morning Answer and conservative political advocate Dan Proft joins the conversation to discuss how Illinois’ “donor class” controls elections in the IL and whether-or-not Republican voters ...

Older episodes

The Chicago Way

What's The Chicago Way about?

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The Chicago Way episodes:

Chicago Way w/John Kass: How faith, family, & friendship help heal the heart

Chicago Way w/John Kass: When perception is a problem, fourth place is a bad look

Chicago Way w/John Kass: An Update

Chicago Way w/John Kass: Is Paul Vallas ready to lead Chicago to a brighter future?

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: A Year in Review

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Merry Christmas to all

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Miranda Devine, the Delaware Way, and Uncle Joe

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: The Twitter Files, bullying at York HS, and hooray for fusion

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Tom Bevan on poll accountability, a private school gone too far, and the path to 2024

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: A ‘Cocaine Bear,’ Hunter Biden, and the race for mayor

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Ray Lopez isn’t buying City Hall’s narrative on crime

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Thanksgiving Edition

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Did running with the bulls prep Gary Fencik to for a mayoral run?

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: As ‘Chuy’ chums the mayoral waters, will Trump jump the shark?

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Thom Serafin on the red ripple, IL’s future, and Pritzker’s after shave

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Don’t go crazy counting votes, again, and again…

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: There’s a little Capt. Queeg in all of us

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Political horror stories & tales of misfortune

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Beware the political carnival barkers of November

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Charles Thomas steps off the Chumbolone ‘plantation’

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Welcome to Chicago, it’s safe, we promise

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: How to spot a bad poll and why it matters

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Ed O’Bradovich gets fired up about talk of a ‘rebuilding’ year

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Prof. Lipson offers perspective on our lack of civic nationalism

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Red flags abound in the implementation of the Safe-T Act

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Is anyone hearing Chicago’s screams?

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: GOP AG candidate Tom DeVore questions the ethics of his opponent

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: The great ‘Ball of Confusion’ keeps rolling

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Dan Proft responds to Mayor Lighfoot’s ‘racial demagoguery’

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Questioning the constitutionality of executive orders

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Ald. Roderick Sawyer has a plan to get Chicago back on track

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Hero dispatcher remembers the night Ella French was murdered and why he resigned

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: A time-traveling newsman and the cheeps that keep him going

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: What George Soros, Kim Foxx, and others get wrong about criminal ‘(in)justice’

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Can a dome keep the Bears from fleeing and the mayor in power?

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: What will it take to stem the tide of violence? The former Deputy Mayor has some thoughts

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: The fist-bump heard ’round the world and the Carter Meridian

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: In a world full of chaos, there is magic in the stars

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: The Turkish origins of the ‘deep state’

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Who’s the boss of politics in Illinois?

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: An editor’s take on the fall of newspapers

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: How ideologues tip the scale of justice and criminals reap the benefit

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Polls, primaries, and politics

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Mayoral candidate Paul Vallas has a plan to save Chicago from itself

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: What the $%&* is going on in Chicago?

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: The Furies own the chaos in the streets

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Big thinker Heather Mac Donald tackles ‘The War on Cops’

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Warm weather, gunfire, and the ‘Summer of Joy’

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: Who benefits more from giving away tax dollars at random, the city or the re-election?

The Chicago Way w/John Kass: How the ‘donor class’ in IL leads voters into peril

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