Joan Esposito: Live, Local & Progressive | September 21, 2026

On today's show – Robert Pape, professor of political science at the University of Chicago and author of “The Escalation Trap” on Substack; his new book, “Our Own Worst Enemies: America in the Age of Violent Populism,” comes out Tuesday – Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas – Chris Bury, former TV n…

Joan Esposito: Live, Local & Progressive | September 18, 2026

On today's show – Chris Fitzsimon, host of the Stories from the States podcast – Rick Smith, host of "The Rick Smith Show," weekdays from 5:00 to 6:00 a.m. Central on WCPT Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/progra…

Joan Esposito: Live, Local & Progressive | September 17, 2026

On today's show – Autumn Billings, assistant editor at Reason – Thomas Hicks, former chair of the federal Election Assistance Commission; he was fired on July 9 when President Donald Trump dismissed all three serving commissioners – David Hochberg, vice president of lending for Team Hochberg at Hom…

Joan Esposito: Live, Local & Progressive | September 16, 2026

On today's show – Stephanie Zimmermann, award-winningconsumer investigations reporter for the Chicago Sun-Times – Bill Scher, politics editor at Washington Monthly; his latest article is "Will It Be a Blue Wave?" – Jeffrey A. Winters, professor of political science at Northwestern University, and a…

Joan Esposito: Live, Local & Progressive | September 15, 2026 (Live from McHenry County)

On today's show Joan broadcasts live from Duke's Ale House & Kitchen, 110 North Main St. in Crystal Lake, Illinois. Her guests are: - Ruth Scifo, chair of the Democratic Party of McHenry County - Julie Billimack of Democratic Women of McHenry County - Illinois State Rep. Suzanne Ness, candidate fo…

Joan Esposito: Live, Local & Progressive | September 14, 2026

On today's show – Marj Halperin, Democratic analyst heard on "The Mincing Rascals" podcast and organizer with Indivisible Chicago and One Community Near South – Dr. Judy Stone, infectious disease physician, journalist and author – Ned Resnikoff, urban policy analyst who writes the newsletter “Publi…

Joan Esposito: Live, Local & Progressive | September 11, 2026

Joan Esposito devotes her show to the 25th anniversary of 9/11, with special guests: – Joseph Dittmar, 9/11 Twin Towers survivor (from the "Live, Local & Progressive " archive)  – Clifford Chanin, director of the 9/11 Memorial Museum – Graeme Wood, author of "The Way of the Strangers: Encounters Wi…

Joan Esposito: Live, Local & Progressive | September 10, 2026

On today's show – Ira Glass, creator and host of "This American Life"; Glass will appear at the Chicago Humanities Festival Monday, October 5 for an evening called "Half-Baked Stories About My Dead Mom: Ira Glass and Etgar Keret Don’t Mince Words" – Marjorie Hershey, professor emeritus, political s…

Joan Esposito: Live, Local & Progressive | September 9, 2026

On today's show: – Dani Negrete, national political director at Indivisible – U.S. Rep. Jonathan Jackson (D-IL) – Carolyn Fiddler, state politics expert and author of the newsletter “This Week in Statehouse Action – Michael Dorf, Democratic lawyer, the Law Offices of Michael C. Dorf, LLC Catch "Jo…

Joan Esposito: Live, Local & Progressive | September 8, 2026

On today's show – Stephen Marche, novelist and essayist who recently wrote a New York Times guest essay, “Canada Said No to America. It Will Reverberate Far Beyond Its Borders” – Aaron Kleinman, Heartland Signal‘s senior political analyst and author of the “Radio Free America” newsletter – Ed Yohnk…