The Mincing Rascals

The Mincing Rascals this week are John Williams of WGN Radio, Eric Zorn, publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, Austin Berg, Executive Director of the Chicago Policy Center and author of the The Last Ward on Substack, and political pundit Marj Halperin! The Rascals begin the podcast talking about the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agents in Minnesota over the weekend. What were the biggest takeaways from the news this week? A Chicago teacher was placed on administrative leave after making a Facebook post supporting ICE. Do the Rascals think the teacher should have been put on leave? Also this week, the actor John Cusack wrote an op-ed in the Sun-Times about the need for paywall-free news coverage. Do the Rascals think newspapers should offer free content for major news stories? Next, the United Center will start selling THC drinks at concessions in early February. Where are the Rascals on offering THC beverages at the UC? Mayor Brandon Johnson is once again pushing for a progressive income tax. Do the Rascals believe this revenue proposal is a good idea? This leads into the race to replace Dick Durbin in the U.S. Senate. What candidate is likely to replace Senator Durbin? And finally, it’s time for red light, yellow light, green light! What are the Rascals recommending (or not recommending) this week?

The Mincing Rascals this week are John Williams of WGN Radio, Eric Zorn, publisher of The Picayune Sentinel,  multi-media journalist Brandon Pope, author of Brandon Pope’s Screening Room., and recently retired newsman Steve Bertrand. The Rascals kick off the podcast talking about the Bears losing to the Rams in the playoffs and the controversy over the Sun-Times headline, “Good, Better, Bust,” the day after the loss. What do the Rascals think of the headline? Sticking to sports, what do the Rascals make of the transfer portal / NIL era in college sports? Next, the Rascals discuss Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson saying that he is not going to buy back its parking meters. The Rascals also break down the news coming out of the World Economic Forum in Davos. So, what’s going on with Greenland? And finally, the Rascals talk about the recent Op-ed from Paul Vallas about safety on the CTA. Oh, and Steve Bertrand gives a special shoutout for the Blackhawks honoring Jonathan Toews, and PCA and Caleb Williams making the rounds at a couple of recent sporting events.

The Mincing Rascals this week are John Williams of WGN Radio, Eric Zorn, publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, Austin Berg, Executive Director of the Chicago Policy Center and author of the The Last Ward on Substack, and long-time Chicago journalist Cate Plys, publisher of Roseland, Chicago: 1972. This week, the Rascals start the podcast talking about the Chicago Bears beating the Green Bay Packers in the first round of the playoffs and head coach Ben Johnson’s celebration after the victory. Do the Rascals think Johnson acted appropriately? Next, the Rascals discuss Republican gubernatorial candidate Ted Dabrowski releasing an ad featuring Joe Abraham, the father of Katie Abraham, who was killed in a drunken-driving accident by an undocumented immigrant. What do the Rascals make of the ad? Will this ad move the needle in the Republican primary? This leads into a discussion about President Trump threatening to cut off funds to sanctuary cities and their states starting next month. The Rascals then break down the latest news about the killing of Renee Good and other ICE activities in Minneapolis. Should it be legal to take a video of a federal law enforcement official who is trying to do the job? Also, what’s going on with Greenland (and hot dog carts)? And finally, it’s time for red light, yellow light, green light. What are the Rascals recommending (or not recommending) this week?

The Mincing Rascals this week are John Williams of WGN Radio, Austin Berg, Executive Director of the Chicago Policy Center and author of the The Last Ward on Substack, multi-media journalist Brandon Pope, author of Brandon Pope’s Screening Room, and political pundit Marj Halperin! The Rascals begin the podcast this week talking about the ICE shooting in Minneapolis that left a woman dead. The Rascals talk about the shooting, the response by DHS, and what they thought after watching the video of the incident. Continuing on the national front, the Rascals talk about the U.S. capturing President Nicolás Maduro and the latest on the situation in Venezuela. What’s next? The Rascals break it all down. Also, what’s going on with the desire by the Trump administration to acquire Greenland? Next, Austin tells us, why you can’t start a Chicago-style hot dog cart in Chicago. And finally, Rep. Mike Quigley announced that he will be running for Chicago mayor. Do the Rascals see him as a viable candidate?

The Mincing Rascals this week are John Williams of WGN Radio, Eric Zorn, publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, recently retired newsman Steve Bertrand, and political pundit Marj Halperin! The group kicks things off with a wide-ranging discussion on American politics, President Trump’s recent actions, public perception of the economy, and why many voters feel disconnected discussions on the economy. John then answers a letter from a listener who is on the fence about continuing to listen to the program. 

The conversation turns to the power and limits of the presidency, with sharp analysis of executive authority, Supreme Court decisions, and the long-term implications of challenges to birthright citizenship. The panel also examines the political optics surrounding foreign policy, including Ukraine, Russia, and global power dynamics.

Closer to home, the group weighs in on Chicago politics, the future of the Bears, and whether a new stadium could finally take shape with shovels in the ground in 2026. The end of the episode features Red Light, Yellow Light, and Green Light recommendations from the panel. As always, the Rascals don’t shy away from tough conversations bringing humor, insight, and sharp perspective to another packed episode.

The Mincing Rascals this week are John Williams of WGN Radio, Eric Zorn, publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, recently retired newsman Steve Bertrand, and multi-media journalist Brandon Pope, author of Brandon Pope’s Screening Room. The Rascals open the podcast with Steve Bertrand’s return to the panel and have a candid discussion about what it’s like leaving the anchor desk and the growing difficulty of maintaining objectivity in covering the Trump Administration. From there, the group revisits the controversy over whether major networks should air presidential addresses without advance transcripts. Should broadcasters continue to carry speeches they can’t fact-check in real time? The conversation deepens with an intense breakdown of CBS News pulling a 60 Minutes segment on the U.S. sending Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador’s notorious CECOT prison, raising alarms about journalistic independence. Shifting to local headlines, the Rascals examine the Chicago Bears’ threat to relocate to Northwest Indiana, debating stadium financing, public subsidies, and whether Bears fans would ultimately follow the team across state lines to Hammond. Would Chicago really stomach losing the Bears to Indiana? The Rascals also weigh in on Chicago Cubs third baseman Matt Shaw’s appearance at a Turning Point USA event and the risks athletes face when engaging in polarizing politics. Closing the episode is a discussion on Mayor Brandon Johnson’s newly passed city budget, including higher bag taxes, expanded gambling, ambulance debt collection, and whether Chicago is relying too heavily on nickel-and-dime revenue fixes instead of long-term solutions. Tune in to find out where the Rascals land on all these issues and more. 

The Mincing Rascals this week are John Williams of WGN Radio, Eric Zorn, publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, Austin Berg, Executive Director of the Chicago Policy Center and the The Last Ward, and political pundit Marj Halperin! This week the Rascals begin the podcast talking about Border Patrol Chief Greg Bovino returning to the Chicago area. The Rascals unpack the latest immigration enforcement efforts. Next, the Rascals discuss President Trump’s ‘disgusting’ response to the death of Rob Reiner. Do the Rascals think some of Trump’s supporters will deflect because of the reaction to Reiner’s death? Also, the Trump administration unveiled new plaques that attack Joe Biden and Barack Obama and other political foes. President Trump will address the nation tonight to tout his achievements and his plan for 2026. Eric believes the major television networks shouldn’t run the speech tonight. Switching back to local news, the Rascals break down the latest on the budget battle between Mayor Johnson and the Chicago City Council. Last week Governor Pritzker signed the ‘Medical Aid in Dying Bill’ into law. Where were the Rascals on this bill? Vanity Fair did an extensive interview with President Trump’s Chief of Staff Susie Wiles where she was critical of members of the administration. Will anything come from this eye-opening interview? Finally, it’s time for red light, yellow light, green light. What are the Rascals recommending (or not recommending) this week?

The Mincing Rascals this week are Jon Hansen of WGN Radio and Block Club Chicago, Austin Berg, Executive Director of the Chicago Policy Center and author of the The Last Ward, and multi-media journalist Brandon Pope, author of Brandon Pope’s Screening Room. The ‘kids table’ Rascals begin the podcast by breaking down the last drama surrounding the Chicago budget. Will there be an agreement on the budget or are we heading towards a shutdown? There is a battle brewing on Chicago city streets! Humans v. robots. Have you seen delivery robots cruising down the sidewalks in the city? The Rascals debate the robot delivery program. Next, the Rascals try to unpack the bizarre story of fired Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore. Also on the football field, Notre Dame is skipping playing in a bowl game this year after being denied a spot in the College Football Playoff. Sour grapes? Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan is asking President Donald Trump to pardon him. Do the Rascals believe that President Trump will pardon Madigan? Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi ran into a couple of issues this week regarding donations from MAGA-aligned donors and a false endorsement incident. Will these types of news stories make a dent in his Senate campaign? And finally, it’s time for red light, yellow light, green light! What are the Rascals recommending (or not recommending) this week?

John is on vacation, but provides an update on this week’s podcast recording.

The Mincing Rascals this week are John Williams of WGN Radio, Eric Zorn, publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, political pundit Marj Halperin, and long-time Chicago journalist Cate Plys, publisher of Roseland, Chicago: 1972. This week, the Rascals start the podcast discussing Northwestern University paying $75 million to the federal government over the next three years to to get federal funding reinstated. Do the Rascals believe Northwestern capitulated to Trump? Next, the Rascals break down the latest news about the military striking an alleged drug-trafficking boat in the Caribbean on September 2nd. Do the Rascals believe a war crime was committed? Also, how about that Cabinet meeting yesterday? Turning to some local news, what’s going on with new capacity limits at the beloved Christkindlmarket in Daley Plaza? And where are we on the Chicago budget? What will the city do to raise revenue? And as we motor towards the end of the year, it’s time to start thinking who is the Person of the Year for Chicago!